LJ Cheer: Maiti Young interview

Maiti Young (center tower, on top) celebrates LJHS's

first touchdown at San Marcos Sept. 6, 2013.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Today, July 30, is Maiti Young's 17th birthday. So she gets featured today for La Jolla High Cheer.

"Captains (Maiti is one of three new ones on the varsity squad) wanted to work a lot more on stunting and team bonding," she said in an interview via Facebook on her birthday, which she is spending in Massachusetts with family.

"We're all really loving our new coach (Kayla Fox)," said Maiti, who will be a senior in the fall at LJHS. The first varsity football game the cheer squad will be pumping up the spirit at will be at Country Day Friday, August 29.

"The transition (to a new advisor) has been great. Our practices are organized and she is really positive and pays equal attention to everyone on our team, including JV," said Maiti. "We have already accomplished so much in a small amount of time, so I can't imagine how strong our team will be by the time school starts."

Individually, Maiti, along with her responsibilities as a captain, says she wants to work on her jumps and "accomplishing more in my stunt group."

Happy birthday, Maiti.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ Cheer: New Varsity cheerleaders

Returner Alondra Valencia is pictured in the back row,

second from left, in this Viking Varsity Cheer squad

photo from last year. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Newly named to the LJHS Varsity Cheer squad for 2014-15 include Aoi Yamaguchi, Sally Chen, Bibi Gutierrez, Julia Munson, Hannah Wills, Alexa Kideys, Diana Dominguez, and Addison Seale.

These are in addition to the returners named in a previous blog entry.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

Returning cheerleader Gabbie Reynoso is pictured center,

with pom pom pressed against her leg, with last year's

cheer squad. Former LJHS Cheer advisor Ashley

Monzon is foreground, second from right, with

her back to the camera. (Photo by Ed Piper)

LJ Cheer: New advisor Kayla Fox and team roster

LJHS Varsity cheerleaders practicing before Sept. 6,
2013 football game at San Marcos are (from left) Skylar
Rotgans, Elizabeth Havird (graduated), Lea O'Haire,
Lydia Trautmiller, Gabby Quiggle, and Maiti Young.
(Photo by Ed Piper)

Kayla Fox is the new LJHS Cheer advisor.

Besides new captains Maiti Young, Reign Salas, and Gabby Quiggle, Varsity squad members for 2014-15 include returners Skylar Rotgans, Gabbie Reynoso, Lea O'Haire, Esther Samaniego, Abigail Weber, Alondra Valencia, and Lydia Trautmiller.

The cheerleaders will attend a cheer camp later in August, according to my source.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

 

 

Viking cheerleaders include (from left) Tyrah Majors

(graduated), Lydia Trautmiller, Samantha Jimenez

(graduated), Esther Samaniego, Abigail Weber, and

Lea O'Haire. (Photo by Ed Piper)



LJ Cheer: Three captains

This great action photo shows all three

of the new LJHS Varsity Cheer

captains for 2014-15 practicing

a stunt before the LJHS football game

at San Marcos Sept. 6, 2013: Maiti

Young flying, Gabby Quiggle (L)

and Reign Salas (R) catching.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

 

 

 

Hopes are high for the new LJHS Varsity Cheer squad. They are probably at a summer cheer camp this week. We wish them all good luck.

 

As my granddaughter Alexis, who was a Viking cheerleader from 2004-08, and her teammates used to say, "If you can, cheer. If you can't, play football."

 

 

Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

Gabby Quiggle shows her high-flying gymnastics acumen

before a game last fall. (Photo by Ed Piper) 



LJ Cheer: New captains

Last year's LJHS Varsity Cheer squad includes this

year's new captains: In the front row are Reign Salas

(far left), Maiti Young (next to Reign), and Gabby

Quiggle (far right). (Photo by Ed Piper)

Maiti Young, Reign Salas, and Gabby Quiggle are the new LJHS Varsity Cheer captains for 2014-15, according to last year's captains.

Tyrah Majors and Kacie Rice, two of last year's captains, communicated to me via Facebook July 27-28 that these are the new captains. Kacie also said the new cheer advisor was named back in May, but I was unaware until last week that Ashley Monzon was no longer in the position.

Gabby does gymnastics. All three of the new captains are returning cheerleaders. I believe all three are seniors.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ g BB: Coach Horne in

 

LJHS rooting section gets expressive during Vikings

girls basketball team's rout of Oceanside in the CIF

Quarterfinals Feb. 25. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Dave Westhem, who stepped down as LJHS Varsity girls basketball head coach after the Vikings reached the CIF Finals last March, informed me July 20 that Johnnie Horne was officially selected as his successor "a month ago".

Westhem also said that center Madeleine Gates had already made "a commitment to volleyball all summer", which was one reason the decision was made that La Jolla High would not field a team in off-season leagues during Summer 2014.

Vikings returning for the 2014-15 Winter season are expected to include guards Jenna Harmeyer and Amanda Polcyn, among others.

Horne served as Westhem's assistant coach during the past season but played a prominent role in strategizing during timeout huddles and instruction. The two had worked together previous to this past season, as well.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ Cheer: Advisor Ashley Monzon says goodbye

LJHS Cheer advisor Ashley Monzon (gray sweatshirt)

clowns with her Varsity cheerleaders late in the Vikings'

63-21 drubbing of Mater Dei in the CIF Football

Division III Quarterfinals Nov. 22, 2013.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Ashley Monzon, LJHS Cheer advisor for the past five years, informed me July 20 that she is no longer going to serve in that capacity.

"Ashley, I didn't hear back from you. Are you still here?" I emailed her.

"No, I'm not," she responded. She suggested I contact the vice principal for more information.

Ashley came in five years ago and righted a ship that was keeling over. I know, because my granddaughter was a varsity cheerleader at La Jolla High from 2004-2008. In that time, there were multiple changes of advisors. One advisor stayed one month, and left abruptly.

Ashley immediately instituted some order and began instilling some leadership in the girls. Her success led the 2013-14 edition of the varsity cheer squad to do a great job, representing the school in a befitting way.

As I told Ashley by email, congratulations, Ashley. You did an outstanding job. You will be missed.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

Parker VB: Michaela Dews

 

Michaela Dews (second from right), All-CIF volleyball

player for Parker in 2013, with her younger sister

Katherine (far right). (Photo by Ed Piper)

Michaela Dews, who graduated from Francis Parker in June, was named to All-CIF girls volleyball honors last fall.

Michaela is headed to Harvard to play in the fall.

A neighbor of my relatives, she attended my granddaughter Violet's first birthday party July 19 and I was able to meet her.

Her mother, Linda Dews, said that Michaela's travel team just won the Junior Olympics in Minneapolis this summer.

Parker was ranked 20th in the nation in 2013, eighth in the state, as the Lady Lancers posted a 9-1 record in the Coastal South League, 29-5 overall.

We wish Michaela--despite her not being a Viking--all the best in her studies and volleyball in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Her sister, Katherine, also attended the party. They have helped do childcare for my grandchildren in Clairemont. Katherine is a sophomore who, like her older sister did, plays for the Lady Lancers in volleyball.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ BB: 'My guys'

It was the era of good feelings after a good and easy win over Oceanside in the Grossmont summer league in which everyone contributed Friday, July 18.

Coach Paul Baranowski, looking relaxed, was asked if he was enjoying the summer.

"Yes, I am."

He continued, "This is a great group of guys," with a gesture toward his Viking players, who were gathering their things on the sidelines after the game.

Then he said something even more important: "These are my guys."

He said, "I love Kamal (Assaf, his predecessor as La Jolla High coach). But this is the group that came in with me."

Baranowski also reiterated that now, after several team camps this summer, is the first time all his players have been able to play together. Junior Eddie Parker played on varsity for the first time in this reporter's knowledge. Daniel Hemming and another player were both back after having their wisdom teeth removed during the summer. And sophomore Reed Farley played for the first time--and looked good--since sustaining a back injury at a camp back East last month.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ BB: On the attack

Guard Ladd Castellano (C) pseudo-hydrates with fellow

seniors Mark Rawdin (L) and Kyle Duffy (R) after the

Vikings' 75-39 win over Oceanside in the Grossmont

summer league. (Photo by Ed Piper)



The Pipeline: Ladd, can I ask you a question?

Ladd Castellano: Sure.

P: Did you make a decision tonight you were going to be aggressive on offense? Against Oceanside, it looked like you decided at some point just to go for it.

LC: I always try to attack on offense.

P: But at some point, did you decide to turn it on? You were really aggressive.

LC: You know, against a team that's less athletic than some of the teams we've played, we can do more. I did try to push it every time.

Ladd proceeded to put on his treasured and hole-y old "UCSD Basketball" T-shirt, which he got playing the summer after his freshman year in the UCSD team camp with La Jolla High, and enjoy a laugh with teammates Zach Duffy and Mark Rawdin.


Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Passing league vs. Bonita Vista



Grant Miller (L) laces up before the Vikings'

passing league game with Bonita Vista at home.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

 

The Vikings showed energy and direction early in their passing league game against Bonita Vista at home July 10. The young, the few, the proud went through passing drills before the scrimmage against the Barons. Thumping music continued pounding out of large speakers on the sidelines during drills. Coach Jason Carter has instituted a different vibe since taking over.

It's interesting to think that in five months, the whole surface of Edwards Stadium will be ripped up and made into plastic mulch to make room for the new field by June 2016. Team members like quarterback Berkeley Stobo and Casey Brown will play their entire senior years on the road in away games during Fall 2015.

Jonathan Levenson (L) tries to evade defender

in drills before Bonita Vista game.

 

Sidelined during Thursday's passing league game was Reid Martin. Also on the injured list was Coach Carter. He said he tore his left ACL a month ago, and will have surgery on it during the down time coming up. Rehab is five months, during which he would be on crutches part of the time. "I tore the right one when I was in the pros (as a player)," the effervescent coach said.

 

QB Collin Rugg focuses on

intended receiver in drills.

He's got his season opener against his former school, Country Day, to look forward to. Then the second game of the season is against the other La Jolla school, Bishop's. LJHS hasn't played either local rival in a decade or more. It would be interesting to find out when they did last meet.

Bonita Vista scored on its second play of the game. Instruction on skills and coverages was going on between plays.

La Jolla's offense was allowed to retain possession by Bonita's coach after a receiver caught the ball past the end line. There is a lot of flexibility in the informal atmosphere of passing league games. Viking quarterback Collin Rugg, listed at 6'4" last year, has always been tall. But this summer, as he approached and said hi, looked bigger, too. He's filling out. Another year is a factor. So is work in the weight room.

 

Receiver Carlton O'Neal changes into

Superman boots before action.



Receivers like senior Brandon Bonham were playing one-handed catch with a tennis ball with each other during the pre-game warm-up. "It's to help with our touch," one receiver replied in response to a query about the purpose.

 



Coach Jason Carter's left ACL (right

in this photo) is torn and will require

surgery during the down time. Note
the bright shoes.



Copyright 2014 Ed Piper

LJ BB: Vikings 41, Valley Center 23

Mark Rawdin, center left, and Viking teammates in

huddle in fisheye effect photo versus Valley Center.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

 

This game, this weekend, Mark Rawdin kept showing up.

The 6'5" forward/center wasn't able to play during the SDSU Team Camp June 27-29, so his being back for the PLNU Team Camp July 11-12 delighted him.

Friday night, in the second game against Olympian, he turned and made a 10-footer, something you never saw last year.

Later in the game, his confidence brimming, he set up at the free throw line and took another shot. It didn't go in. It was either foolish, or reflective of "I'll try that again"--probably the latter.

Late in the earlier of two games Saturday, he swung with his back to the basket toward the hoop, got fouled, and continued on the play to make the shot for a potential three-point play. He looked straight at Coach Paul Baranowski and flashed the double thumbs-up sign. He was pleased, and so was Coach.

The Vikings thrashed what seemed like a very young Valley Center team, which brought the minimum five players, 41-23. None of the games so far in the PLNU camp have been very competitive. La Jolla beat Valley Center, 66-41, Friday night. The earlier game Friday, from all reports, was a similar farce, with a 20-point-or-more differential.

Against the Jaguars, Rawdin scored 11 points, added four rebounds, and blocked three shots, according to sidelined Reed Farley's statistics. Ladd Castellano led scorers with 13 points, while Owen Porter had seven. Porter, a starter as a junior, plays this summer like he feels he belongs. He takes the ball to the basket with authority. He has surprised some observers, making the most of his talents through determination and hard work.

Castellano also had nine rebounds, and Porter four, playing at 6'0" against much taller players. Owen dished out two assists.

On the turnover front, point guard Gaynor Blackmon had three turnovers. Gaynor is headlined and featured in an accompanying action photo from the spring league at Alliant International University in my first article for the La Jolla Village News, published July 11. Go to sdnews.com and scroll down to the Gaynor Blackmon article. In the article, Coach Baranowski remarks on the leadership role that the incoming senior is filling on the squad. There are also comments on Tony Coan's fine shooting, Porter's as well.

Ref has to scrape gum off his shoe during

break in action.

Beautiful setting for a basketball game.

Copyright 2014 Ed Piper