Bishop's junior Lola Conway (far right), the top
scorer in California last year, hits in the
Knights' offense in opening moments
of the game.
Monday, November 2, 2026
Sunday, November 1, 2026
LJ FB: Game review 10/30
Viking running back Joseph Crudo
(carrying the ball) batters his way
through a porous UC defense to score
his first TD with 6:20 left in the
first quarter. LJ led, 7-0.
(Photos by Ed Piper)
By Ed Piper
It was a scary night the evening before Halloween, as La Jolla's struggling football team, carrying a 3-6 record, lost on a last-second play to local rival UCHS, 49-42, Fri., Oct. 30, at home. Both teams ended up the Eastern League regular schedule with identical 2-3 records as a result.
The Cents broke a 42-42 tie on a long passing touchdown, after a seesaw string of the two teams trading scoring in the second half, to win by a TD.
The Vikings, however, on their own Senior Night including football players, cheerleaders, and two members of the band--the last which turned in an outstanding performance in the finale--prevailed in the first half, 21-13. They did it on the shoulders of running backs Kali Deberry and senior Joseph Crudo, who also played on defense and made key plays there.
Crudo, in particular, was a man on a mission in his last regular-season high school football game. He repeatedly sacrificed his body and went against all odds propelling his compact 5'6", 165-pound frame to gain additional yardage.
Deberry scored La Jolla's third touchdown with 1:36 left in the first half for the eight-point lead, then uncharacteristically struck a Heisman pose in the end zone. He is usually a friendly, smiling, but reserved individual.
Moxy Applebaum (22, far right) returns
a punt to the LJ 19-yard line after
UCHS tied the game 7-7 in the
first quarter.
His backfield mate, Joseph, battered his way to touchdown number two a quarter before that, with 1:34 remaining, from 14 yards out. The Vikings led at that point, 14-6.
Crudo previously carried the ball in for a TD to open scoring in the first quarter, at the 6:20 point, at just after 7:05 p.m. (The game started four minutes early.)
Lineman Zach "Snacks" Gergurich, playing both ways, appeared at the informal Halloween baseball scrimmage the following morning. "I'm pretty banged up," he said, displaying scratches under his right arm he attributed to an opposing player's helmet. Gergurich--whom baseball teammates claimed at the scrimmage, "He's our 'Snacks'"--is a Division 1 commit to play football at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs.
Saturday, October 31, 2026
LJ FB 42, UCHS 49 - Senior Night - end of regular season - 10/30
Photos by Ed Piper
Running back Kali Deberry dominated
the first half, along with fellow back
Joseph Crudo.
The La Jolla Twirlers performed to a song
by Earth, Wind, and Fire, played by
the LJHS band (partially in view
in background).
Deberry scores on a five-yard plunge
for a 21-13 lead just before halftime.
The drive took seven plays and
covered 65 yards.
UC's Deshaun Hille (1) crosses the goal line
untouched from the one-yard line.
The Cents closed to 14-13 late in the
second period. Their drive stretched
19 plays over parts of two quarters,
covering almost 100 yards.
Junior Hesh Hertz (15) goes 15 yards
on a pass from QB Thomas Dietrich (not
in view) on fourth-and-seven to keep UC's
drive going. The Cents scored four plays
later midway through the second period.
Viking defenders clobber Deshaun Hille
(in the sandwich) on first-and-20
after a flag for an illegal block
in the back.
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