LJ wrestling: Jack Hathaway

Vikings' Jack Hathaway (top) shows his command

versus St. Augustine earlier this year.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Interviewing junior Jack Hathaway, a wrestling co-captain at La Jolla High, is a different experience from some of the others. One, he has a unique way of expressing himself. And two, rather than being highly task-oriented and way over-booked, including tackling four or five AP courses and a business initiative combined with a service project, the 16-year-old junior openly talks about his “self-doubts” and struggles in personal interaction.

Once a scrawny 130-pound freshman who, by his own admission, had never really done anything athletic, Hathaway two years later has filled out into a 155-pounder who has gained self-confidence and who openly states: “I like myself much better than when I was in eighth grade.”

His journey into wrestling, a sweaty, grappling sport is a wonder for a young boy who disliked middle school and had few friends.

“I can’t run, I can’t throw, I can’t catch,” Jack says of his failed attempts to play football and run track. But then in a first period American Sign Language (ASL) class as a ninth-grader, he began to talk to an upperclassman, Matt Zucca, about wrestling.

 

“There wasn’t a day Matt would let me forget about wrestling.” The bigger student would physically pick Hathaway up and carry him, telling him, “You’re going to get into wrestling.”

“I’ve only had a few male role models,” the captain says: “My dad (P.J.), my godfather, and Matt--besides my coaches, Ryan Lennard and Kellen Delaney. Matt is everything a big brother should be. He was kind of a jerk, which I think a big brother should be.”

Through Zucca’s persistence, the youngster did join the Viking wrestling squad, then in its glory days. It has since had to rebuild, after losing a senior-dominated team from 2012-13. Hathaway, with co-captain Jake Harvey, is part of that rebuilding process.

Jack chuckles about losing to a wrestler who was two years younger than him when he first started wrestling. His sophomore year went a little better. After his sophomore season, Hathaway began private sessions with Lennard, then one of the wrestling coaches, now the LJHS strength and conditioning coach.

“I lifted with him Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after school. He gave me a sheet (of drills) to do on weekends. I gained 20 pounds of muscle. My bench press went up 40 pounds.
We did flexibility stuff and agility stuff. My agility has increased. (As a result) the season this year has gone great.”

He is one of the leaders in new head coach Delaney’s revamped program. More importantly than the physical dimension, the student athlete says Zucca and his other teammates have helped him grow in his social skills and view of himself. “Everything I am, I owe to wrestling. The guys have taught me to be more social. I’ve gotten older brothers. In my family, I have three sisters, no brothers.” And the clincher: “I like myself much better than when I was in eighth grade.”

The somewhat unorthodox Hathaway likes writing and is working “off and on” on a story about an eighth-grade boy who isn’t athletic and isn’t popular, who four years later has “forgotten” everything that went before and now has achieved some of his goals: he is athletic and popular. “But girls--they’re a mystery,” he shakes his head. “I have three sisters, but I have no clue about girls.”

In his newly bulked up experience, he does yoga with his mother Kayt, who grew up in her native England. His dad is a life-long La Jollan, having attended both La Jolla High and Bishop’s. His parents met here, fell in love and got married.

Somewhat unusual for a wrestler, Jack says he would like to act in a play before graduating from LJHS next year. “I haven’t been able to, because of practice and meets,” he says. He recently returned from the CIF meet in Holtville, which was an all-day event two hours away, pretty demanding on his time.

The young man also keeps a journal. “I write about my own distorted psychosis,” he says wryly. His jottings include attempts at the story about the nerdy eighth-grader who “wakes up four years later” with new-found athletic ability and being liked by people.

As far as personal likes and preferences, “a solid burger and fries” means In-N-Out and Five Guys tie for the best hamburger, in the estimation of the Clairemont resident.

His sojourn in the wrestling brotherhood means, “I definitely am not so much a pessimist as I was before. I told myself that I’m not getting better. ‘Everyone is beating me.’ I have gotten over my self-doubt.”

“One thing that people should know about me, I am the biggest pessimist. I am extremely sarcastic.”

“My freshman year, I was sad all the time. I didn’t think I could do anything. I had never excelled at anything. With wrestling, I am more confident. I can talk to people. I am much happier.”

Having been picked on in elementary school, and “some” in middle school at Muirlands, the young man would like to follow his friend and mentor Matt Zucca to Gonzaga University and study criminal justice “to get the bad guys”. “When I was a little kid, my dad would tell me how his Uncle Tony brought down the bad guys. I’d like to do something like the FBI or DEA.”

 

 

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ baseball 10, Birmingham (Van Nuys) 4

Ouch. Birmingham led La Jolla, 3-1, in a Lions Tournament game Tues., March 31, at Muirlands. Then a mental error by Patriots outfielders in the top of the fifth inning allowed a catchable flyball by Viking Trenton Fudge to fall untouched with two runners on, scoring both runners and tying the game.

Then, a second bonehead play, this time by a Patriots baserunner, put a dagger in a Birmingham rally in the bottom of the sixth inning with La Jolla leading 6-3 and the visitors threatening to come back. To the Vikings' credit, they capitalized on both mistakes to take home a second straight pool play victory on the strength of a 10-4 win.

With one out in the fifth inning, Luke Bucon and Sean Hofmann, filling the eight and nine slots in the Vikings' lineup, were sitting like ducks on a pond when Fudge drove a flyball to left center field. Patriots left fielder Paris Gorham and center fielder Alexis Miranda looked at each other, assuming the other would take the not-difficult-to-reach fly, as the ball dropped to the turf. Bucon, who had gotten aboard on his second basehit, and Hofmann, on base due to an error, both came around to score before the throw could come in. It was all tied, 3-3.

"The baseball gods have been smiling on (Fudge)," said Jacob Grosz, La Jolla pitching coach.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ baseball 5, Mission Hills 0

James Whelan is waved home by coach Gary Frank

in five-run sixth inning.  (Photos by Ed Piper)

La Jolla coach Gary Frank leaned into the dugout and told his team, "The pot's starting to heat up. The lid is rocking back and forth. It's getting ready to boil over."

The Vikings had put runners on first and second in the sixth inning against Mission Hills. They then loaded the bases, and big Noah Strohl pounded a high bounder off the artificial turf at Country Day through the hole at third base to drive in La Jolla's first two runs.

The flood gates kind of opened from there--after five innings of frustration--as the Vikings plated three more runs in the inning to go up 5-0.

Meanwhile, right-hander Timmy Holdgrafer's changeup and two-seam fastball were working. He was limiting Grizzly batters to two hits, one in the third and one in the fourth. Each runner was quickly stranded, by two strikeouts in the earlier inning, a double play in which second baseman Trenton Fudge went up the ladder to snag a line drive and flip to second to end the fourth.

Jackson Hyytenin is forced out at second base as

Grizzly Gio Bishop falls backward after tagging the
bag. But the Vikings scored a run on the play.



"I felt good," said Holdgrafer, who went on to complete the two-hit shutout in the Vikings' opening game of the 65th Lions Tournament Mon., March 30. They continue in pool play Tuesday and Wednesday on their home field before the finals Thursday.

The senior ace (3-0) took a leaf from the book of fellow hurler Weston Clark, who has spun a pair of two-hit shutouts. Mission Hills advanced only one runner as far as third base against Holdgrafer. That was the Grizzlies' Alex Johnson in the third inning. After Johnson's single broke Timmy's streak of  six straight retired batsman to begin the game, he went to second base on a wild pitch, then to third on a ground out. But the Vikings pitcher struck out David Bautista for the third out.

Strohl hit an 0-1 fastball to drive in Thomas Zlatic and Clark to initiate the scoring in the top of the sixth inning. Both got on by basehits. James Whalen preceded Strohl in a curious play in which he bunted the ball and was called out at first base, Zlatic and Clark moving to second and third. But then after Frank called time and talked to the base umpire, the base umpire conferred with the plate umpire, who reversed the call, loading the bases. One rarely sees a call completely reversed like that.

After Jackson Hyytenin, in a rare appearance playing left field, singled for the fifth straight hit off Grizzly right-hander J.T. Richardson, Fudge knocked in Whalen with a forceout at second. "I was just trying to put the ball in play," said Trenton, who grounded out in his first three at-bats before being hit by a pitch in the seventh. He hit a Richardson fastball for the RBI.

Sean Hofmann then had a base knock to drive in Strohl and Fudge, and the Vikings led 5-0. Hofmann was enjoying a start at shortstop with Holdgrafer, who normally starts at short, pitching. Hofmann had another hit an inning before, a long single to right-center. But he died on base in that inning when Timmy and Allan Ross couldn't move him over.

Mission Hills coach Ken Putnam, smiling but frustrated, told La Jolla's coaches in the handshake after the game, "I'm getting tired of congratulating you for a good game." His Grizzlies dropped a 7-2 decision to LJHS (now 8-2 on the season) on St. Patrick's Day on the Vikings' march to the Bully's East Tournament title.

La Jolla, the defending Western League champs, stood atop the Division II win-loss percentage leaders prior to the game.

Strohl at first base had some nice pick-ups of bounced throws in the contest.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ baseball 6, Patrick Henry 0

Weston Clark pitched a two-hit shutout and had two doubles at the plate as La Jolla High blanked host Patrick Henry 6-0 in a City Conference Tournament game Wednesday afternoon, March 25, in San Carlos.

Fellow senior Timmy Holdgrafer went two-for-four and knocked in two runs. Clark was two-for-three.

La Jolla built a 5-0 lead after four innings, with one run in the third and four in the fourth inning.

In the top of the third inning with the Vikings leading 1-0, Jackson Hyytenin hit a high bouncer over second base that Henry second baseman Matt Woodruff gloved but couldn't make a throw on. Luke Bucon then bunted, moving Hyytenin to second as pitcher Alek Blik tagged him out down the baseline.

After Ben Hutchins struck out for the second out, Holdgrafer hit a grounder to shortstop Cabot Van Til. Van Til bounced the throw to first, with Hyytenin moving to third. Hyytenin, eyeing the errant throw, then broke for the plate and scored with the throw late and off-line. That put the Vikings on the scoreboard, 1-0. Sean Hofmann grounded to third to end the inning.

In the four-run fourth, Thomas Zlatic led off with a solid single to center. Clark doubled just inside the rightfield line, putting runners on first and third against lefthander Blik. James Whelan then hit a grounder that rolled under Van Til's glove at short for an error, scoring Zlatic.

On a first-and-third situation, Whelan stole second. Noah Strohl then doubled, driving in Clark. Whelan scored on the resulting throws with Strohl advancing to third. Hyytenin grounded out to shortstop, bringing Strohl in. The Vikings led, 5-0. Bucon and Hutchins were retired to end the inning.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g lax 11, Coronado 10

Vikings in recent lacrosse action.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

In a belated score, La Jolla High's girls lacrosse team edged Coronado in double overtime, 11-10, Fri., March 20.

Said Lauren Robbins, a senior captain, "It was the first time in 10 years that we have beaten them."

MaxPreps.com ranks La Jolla (2-1-0 in league, 4-2-0 overall) second only to Coronado in CIF rankings. The Vikings have an extremely high Strength of Schedule rating, 8.0678, which factors in how strong the teams they have played are.

Coronado, though ranked above LJHS, falls in with a much lower Strength of Schedule number, 5.6404. That means their opponents have not been as competitive as La Jolla's opponents.

The Vikings' MaxPreps Rating is 11.61. The Islanders' Rating is 12.73.

It's fair to say there's an energy and excitement at Vikings lacrosse games this season.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ baseball 5, Mira Mesa 1

Holdgrafer in fine form. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Ace Timmy Holdgrafer pitched five innings of shutout baseball, limiting visiting Mira Mesa to two hits, and centerfielder James Whelan went two-for-three with three RBI's as La Jolla downed the Marauders 5-1 in a City Conference Tournament game Monday afternoon, March 23.

The Vikings scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, more than enough, as Holdgrafer (2-0)held Mira Mesa scoreless during his five innings, enough for the win. Holdgrafer was co-MVP with teammate Weston Clark of the recent Bully's East Tournament.

Whelan is hitting .375 through the Vikings' first seven games and leads the team with eight RBI's. His .500 OBP leads the regulars. His OBPS (On Base Percentage Plus Slugging Percentage) is second among regulars to Holdgrafer.

Meanwhile, Timmy continues his excellence of a year ago, when he was named All-Western League during La Jolla's pennant-winning season. He struck out seven Marauders, using 66 pitches during his stint.

Holdgrafer has a microscopic 0.45 ERA, by far the best among staff hurlers.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ track

Paul Byrne, new LJHS

head track coach

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Paul Byrne, new head track coach at La Jolla High, is a breath of fresh air. A veteran teacher at Muirlands Middle School, Byrne has been engaging, smiling, and friendly in my couple of contacts with him as I take photos and interview athletes on his girls and boys teams.

Track at La Jolla High has a long tradition of excellence and success, including the girls program, which is known for its outstanding runners.

Byrne, as he commented in his first mini-interview with me to begin the present track season, said his goal is to establish an ongoing program. Right on.

What he is referring to is the need for continuity after turnover of multiple coaches over the past couple of years. He embodies that continuity, because he says he does plan to return next year and continue as head coach.

In a conversation about the new track that will be installed in Edwards Stadium from June 2015 to Fall 2016, he did indicate he won't be the head track coach forever. There are limits. But at least for the present time he will provide the needed continuity by staying in his new position for a few years.

Paul Byrne is the same way with his student athletes as he is with reporters. I have observed him in unguarded moments chatting with students, smiling, though filling his role as leader and the adult in the room (or rather, on the track). He is conversational, easy to talk to, approachable, and did I say smiling?

Good luck this season to the boys and girls track athletes. They know Coach Byrne, because he has been coach for the pole vaulters. Now they will enjoy his leadership in the program overall.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

SD prep baseball

I went on a mission trip (Presbyterian) yesterday, Sat., March 21, and two individuals who had attended Crawford High School back in its former heyday talked about the Colt baseball program producing four major league catchers.

This has been recounted elsewhere, but for me to hear from the horses' mouth (pun intended) makes it stick in the mind. It's pretty impressive.

The Crawford graduates are Glenn Carson, who went on to be an elementary school teacher in San Diego and who is now retired, and Doug Flick. Carson was in the Class of 1966, and Flick was five years behind him. They both still live locally.

Dave Duncan, who went on to play for the Oakland A's and serve as Tony La Russa's long-time pitching coach for the A's and Cardinals, was one of the big leaguers.

Another was Bob Boone. Boone was a catcher who was excellent defensively, not as great offensively, who played a distinguished career for the Cardinals and Phillies. What's more, he is part of a storied San Diego baseball family that includes his sons and father. One of his sons, Aaron Boone, is an adept analyst on baseball radio broadcasts.

The third name is Ed Herrmann, who I am not as familiar with. I believe Hermann caught for the White Sox.

The fourth name is Tim Blackwell. I will have to search for more information on him.

Gloria Medina, another participant on the (hot) trip to Mexicali, grew up attending area schools and remembered attending high school football games at San Diego High, even though she wasn't a Caver. "It was the only high school with lights" for night games, she remembered.

All in all, it was enjoyable to hear of these folks again. I am not a native San Diegan. But some of my readers, like the McColl family at La Jolla High, would be more familiar with some of these names from San Diego's storied sports history.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b BB: Academic honors

Daniel Hemming, Vikes' academic leader,

plays defense in La Jolla's last regular

season game against Cathedral Feb. 20.

(Photo by Ed Piper)



I am really proud of "my boys", the boys basketball team at La Jolla High, for their academic achievements. This is the team, of all the Viking teams I cover photographically and on my blog, that I spent the most time with--in addition to the football team, which is a whole Friday evening lifestyle during the season. But that's another story.

La Jolla's Daniel Hemming, who never got much recognition on the basketball court, led the grade point average march, checking in with a phenomenal 4.73 out of a possible perfect 5.0. That means that he was/is taking Advance Placement (AP) classes almost every period in his six-period day. That is an unreal amount of work he is tackling, and having success with.

I went to many of the Vikings' games during the stretch of tournaments over the Winter Break, when they play away, and few people, outside of their families, attend their games.

I also saw them through some of the thick-and-thin during spring and summer leagues last year, where the varsity roster of the just-completed season began to take shape. I feel like I know these young men personally, even though I don't hang out at their houses and chat with them--though I did interview Gaynor Blackmon in his home for a feature article, and others in the gym (Reed Farley) and via phone (Zach Duffy, Morgan Albers).

In my other life, I teach full-time in the public school classroom (Juvenile Court and Community Schools). So I "do" classroom and education all week, every week. I can really appreciate the fabulous work these young men are producing. Way to go, leaders.

Also, I give recognition to all the other hard-working Viking student athletes. The point here is not to snub them. It's just way too many names to recognize every team that I cover.

Grant Miller pulled a 4.33 GPA, Johannes "Joho" Osypka 4.29, and big man Mark Rawdin 4.13.

Here are all the La Jolla High players' GPA's from the winter season:

Morgan Albers, Jr., 3.15; Gaynor Blackmon, Sr., 3.38; Ladd Castellano, Sr., 3.13; Anthony Coan, Jr., 3.50; Zachary Duffy, Sr., 3.21; Daniel Hemming, Sr., 4.73; Grant Thomas Miller, Sr., 4.33; Johannes Osypka, Sr., 4.29; Edward Parker, Jr., 3.80; Alex Pitrofsky, Jr., 3.92; Owen Porter, Sr., 3.39; Mark Rawdin, Sr., 4.13.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ track vs. Kearny

One of many female long jumpers

for La Jolla. (Photos by Ed Piper)

No high jump pit. No pole vault pit.

Not just that. No hurdles, either. The only starting blocks were ones La Jolla Head Coach Paul Byrne brought with him.

The Vikings girls and boys track teams helped inaugurate Kearny's brand new track and field--opened only four days earlier for first use--in an unusual meet Thurs., March 19, in which Byrne found other events his vaulters and jumpers could take part in.

Kearny's athletes and staff seemed pretty excited over the new venue. The sports portion of the campus was redesigned for the new facilities. It's a great setup, with the baseball field right off a turn in the track. A fan can move easily between concurrent games to watch multiple sports. A baseball game was going on while the track teams were battling it out right next door.

A conversation about the new track led to discussion about La Jolla's remodel to begin in June. Byrne didn't know how many lanes the new track at La Jolla High would have. A write-up in the new baseball program says the track will be "widened", without saying how many lanes there will be.

Kearny's new surface, a dark reddish-brown color next to a beautiful new synthetic green infield, features no curb around the track, as is the modern design.

Byrne, a teacher at Muirlands Middle School, said next year should be "an interesting year" for his team. There won't be a home field. "We've heard that we're going to use the (new) Mission Bay track," he said in the midst of the makeshift meet. Middle school physical education classes will have the baseball field at Muirlands occupied, so P.E. classes coming up from the high school wouldn't even be feasible is they had time to traipse back and forth between schools.

Andrew Mitchell, a sophomore, stopped to chat before heading over to the new shot put triangle. A multiple-sport athlete, he said he's mainly out for track to help his speed and agility for football. He started some games for Coach Jason Carter's team on defensive line. He says he has grown about a half inch since the football season. He said playing linebacker or line are both to his liking. He hopes to see action as a wide receiver, in addition. That would mean participation in the Vikings' summer passing league activities, which he didn't get to do last summer as a lineman.

Mitchell had tossed the discus over 100 feet earlier in the meet.

Kearny is apparently still waiting on its shipment of hurdles. The field, without any hurdles, curb, high jump pit, or pole vault location, looked pretty flat. In fact, when some running events were started, a large number of girls who long jump for La Jolla at all levels--varsity and otherwise--were instructed to sit on the ground so as not to be a distraction for the runners nearby.

For the staff working the long jump pit, sweeping sand off the new synthetic surface back into the pit looks pretty tricky. One gentleman had to use "elbow grease" with patience and a lot of broomwork to even make a dent in the amount of sand sprayed by the jumpers out of the pit. That's going to take a lot of work, since the surface is uneven and so kind of holds onto the sand--making it difficult to sweep things clean.

Vikes' Carter Simington hefts the shot. This throw

caused his repaired leg some pain.

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ baseball 1, Sweetwater 0

Senior Weston Clark got the win as La Jolla squeaked

out a 1-0 win Thurs., March 19. (Photos by Ed Piper)

Lefty Weston Clark struck out 17 Sweetwater batters and limited the host Devils to two hits in fashioning a 1-0 shutout gem in the Bully's East Tournament Thurs., March 19.

Senior Thomas Zlatic drove in Luke Bucon in the top of the fourth inning for the only run of the game, and went 3-for-3 with a double.

With no score early in the game, Clark (2-0) yielded a pop fly to shallow right field with a Sweetwater runner on first base. The ball dropped between fielders, but a nifty throw to Timmy Holdgrafer at second got the forceout on the runner, who had held up on the flyball.

Then, with the Devils having put a runner on third base with two outs, in the bottom of the third, Clark was able to get a foul-tip third strike swinging to end the inning and escape the threat.

Clark held on to record the win, as the Vikings (4-1) prevailed by the single run.

Second baseman Sean Hofmann jumps out of the box

as the game's opening batter. Hoffy was retired

on the play.

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b VB 3, Kamehameha 2

After dropping the first two games, La Jolla's boys volleyball team came back to win the next three games in a row and defeat Kamehameha, visiting from Hawaii for the upcoming Beach City Invitational, Wed., March 18.

The BCI, hosted by Coach David Jones and La Jolla High, begins Fri., March 20.

Prior to the match against Kamehameha, La Jolla dropped a third-game thriller in extra time to visiting Scripps Ranch, 29-27. That completed a three-game sweep for the Falcons.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g LAX 13, San Dieguito 4

La Jolla High's girls lacrosse team smoked visiting San Dieguito, 13-4, Mon., March 16. New coaches Kitty Cullen and Sam Farrell's squad built an enormous lead in the first half, 9-0, to salt the match away.

Goals by Lauren Robbins, Helen Lee and Sadie Lee helped propel the Vikings' offense against an overmatched Mustang crew.

Helen Lee looked free and easy with her repaired knee, taking part in a scrum that included physical contact and pushing as the ball lay on the turf and was being contested for. She missed last season with the injury, and came back to play keeper in soccer in Fall 2014.

Morgan Mitruka in goal handled challenges with aplomb. San Dieguito's scores came after the game was basically decided.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

Boys BB: Foothills Christian

As a basketball enthusiast and sports fan in general, I trekked my long way up the I-15 Friday night, March 13, to watch Foothills Christian's contingent play highly-ranked Etiwanda in Rancho Cucamonga in the CIF Southern California Regionals.

T.J. Leaf is the real deal. The 6'10" junior for the Knights basically battled the host Eagles alone during the first half before a large home crowd. He was fully in his element, though hounded and double- and even triple-teamed on offense, but his teammates looked over-matched and intimidated--just the way Foothills made its opponents look in last week's CIF San Diego Section playoffs.

This was the second game in the postseason I've taken in of the Knights. I enjoy good basketball, and I also relish being close to the action--which my media credential and camera make possible--to see the whites of players' eyes and see up close how good they are in tough competition.

It's one thing when Leaf, whose father Brad is the Foothills coach and whose brother Troy set San Diego scoring records from long range before playing college ball, scores 43 points against teams the Knights beat by 40 points (as they did in the Division II final against Mira Mesa a week ago).

But it's another then when he can score 22 points, grab 14 rebounds, and block three shots against Etiwanda, which is one of the top teams in the state. Foothills Christian had no one that Coach Leaf substituted in in his rotation. The Eagles had numerous players in their rotation, who kept coming when T.J. got a defender in foul trouble. Another 6'7" or so player would substitute in and start banging his body.

T.J.'s teammates finally settled down and contributed in the second half. Foothills had the ball with 21 seconds left, down one point, the ball in the versatile and talented Leaf's hands.

I took a photo (albeit with my tiny point-and-shoot to rest my spasming back) of T.J., having been double-teamed and lost the ball, lying on the floor as Etiwanda took the ball to the other end of the court and slam-dunked the ball (which didn't count) as time ran out. Foothills lost 56-55 despite the big man's efforts.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ track: Tri-meet opener

Maia Hayden begins her spin to launch the discus.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Paul Byrne, an 11-year math teacher at Muirlands Middle School, is La Jolla's third head track coach in three years. So the former pole vault assistant coach says his goal is to "start building a program for the future."

Byrne seems amiable enough. Coming from the La Jolla cluster, he's aware of the culture and is part of it, as well. That's only positive for the 85 girls and boys he says have gone out for track this spring. Continuity in coaching will only help the student athletes be able to bank on who is in charge of the program, what kind of program is going to be run, and who the assistants to Byrne will be.

"Seventy-five percent of the kids are freshman and sophomores," said Byrne at the start of the opening tri-meet at home against Hilltop and Castle Park. This is the old Edwards Stadium field's last season before being torn up two days after graduation in June.

There were a lot of familiar faces among the Viking athletes, including Lauren Roberts, Sakura Roberson, and many others.

Junior Maia Hayden was manning her craft in discus and shot put. Asked if she gets sore from heaving the weights, she said, "In discus I feel it in my elbow. It's kind of weird. Throwing the shot, the front of my wrist gets sore," showing how the strain on the joint occurs as she cocks her right hand back to cradle the heavy shot.

Roberson worked on homework in the shade of the trees in the northeastern corner of the stadium before she had to warm up for her sprints. Meanwhile, her older, taller sister, Satori, was standing in line with a string of 10 or so La Jolla High girls waiting to run through the pole vault pit to get a feel for it before official vaults started.

The temperature on the artificial surface was hot and sweaty. The younger Roberson says she runs better in warmer weather. She had what the doctor ordered, with temperatures apparently in the low 80's.

Senior Alexei Sebald put the shot 36 feet, 3.5 inches and threw the discus 106 feet, 8 inches to lead La Jolla boys. Hayden recorded numbers of 25 feet, 7 inches and 70 feet, six inches, respectively, for the girls. Fellow junior Marie Rowson was two inches back in the discus with a throw of 70 feet, four inches.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b LAX: Players

Viking Tyler Cook (27) in action near the net as

Del Norte save is made (background right).

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Wielding D-poles (defensive long poles) in front of goalie Max Scott for the Vikings this week include starters Ryan Blackburn, a freshman, and sophomore Mitchell Scott, Max's brother. They line up behind Tanner Watson, a sophomore middie, on defense.

Meanwhile, Connor Walton and Reid Miller fill offensive middie spots on each side of the field. Sophomore Tyler Cook and junior Connor Usselman hold down the attack.

Beyond these regular starters, seeing action in the first quarter against Del Norte Mon., March 9 were Mac Elliott, Patricio Castillejos, P.J. Smigliani, Erik Woods, Christian Vincze, and Andrew Conway as the Vikings built up what turned out to be an insurmountable 6-0 lead.

Christian Vincze (14) of La Jolla squares up

on defense against Nighthawks in

opening quarter.

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g VB: Gates verbally commits

La Jolla High middle-hitter/blocker Madeleine Gates, an All-Western League selection as a junior, has verbally committed to attend UCLA on a four-year athletic scholarship beginning in Fall 2016, according to her mother, Amy Randel.

Randel, a former volleyball player herself, said in an email on behalf of her 6'2" daughter: "It is an honor to have received a 4-year scholarship there."


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ softball 1, Calexico 2

Linda Brown calls out as she covers third

base in narrow 2-1 Vike loss to Calexico.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

 

 

La Jolla's vastly improved softball team dropped a close 2-1 decision to visiting Calexico Tues., March 10.

 

Coach Anthony Sarain commented during the game, "They're lightyears ahead of us. We're staying with them. How, I don't know."

 

The Vikings' offense managed only three hits off Bulldog pitcher Kasey Cazares. Senior Katja Sarain had one of those, a double. Sophomore third baseman Linda Brown had another, driving in LJHS's only run in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game, 1-1, temporarily. Another sophomore, Sara Tyrus, went one-for-three and is hitting a robust .444 after barely hitting a lick last year as a freshman.

Katja Sarain pitched a stellar game herself, giving up only five hits to the Bulldogs and striking out three.

 

Calexico, after a two-plus-hour drive from their hometown, where the temperature when they left was in the high 80's, took advantage of the cool coastal climate and pushed over the winning run in the top of the seventh to take the win.

 

But La Jolla's problem is not its offense. It just hit a buzz saw in facing Calexico's stellar pitching. Cazares is big and fast. She struck out 13, and understandably so when you see her in action. She is at the next level the Vikings want to get to.

Things will even out, as the Vikings batters have shown in their first two weeks of play. Sarain's not worried about his hitters.

 

Really, the sky's the limit with this squad. The Vikes can hit, field, and run, and their pitching is in good hands with pitcher Sarain hurling and father Sarain calling the pitches. They're young, and a lot of their talent is with the recent influx of skilled underclassmen who are experienced travel ball veterans.

 

Brown is one of those. Stephanie Alvarez and Katja Sarain are the long-time Vikings in the travel ball category. Josie Sinkeldam just brought her talents to the Westbourne campus as a freshman, starting at shortstop. Emily Alvarez, Steph's sister, is a freshman at first base.

 

According to one knowledgeable source, there is more talent on the way next year. Things are looking up for La Jolla High softball after many dry years.

The Vikings (3-3) have already equaled their win total from last year. Hitting in the fourth slot, Stephanie Alvarez is scalding the ball at a .444 clip, with two home runs already to equal her total for last year. She has a large portion of La Jolla's RBI's with eight.

Sinkeldam, batting leadoff, is hitting an impressive .421, with eight runs scored already. Pitcher Sarain is at .375, hitting between Josie and Brown. Linda, filling the third slot in the order, is doing fine at .286. She will probably come up from that, looking at her high average last year as a freshman.
 

 

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper



LJ baseball 2, Brawley 1 - 9 innings - Season opener

Timmy Holdgrafter exults after watching his basehit

land safely in right center field to drive in the

Vikings' winning run in the bottom of the ninth.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

Timmy Holdgrafer's walkoff basehit in the bottom of the ninth inning gave La Jolla's baseball team a 2-1 home victory over Brawley in the season opener Tues. afternoon, March 10. The Viking win came in the first game of the annual Bully's East Tournament.

LJHS Coach Gary Frank used a passel of hurlers in the extra-inning contest who limited the Wildcats to one run. Holdgrafer was the opening day starter and went three innings. Trenton Fudge, newly returned to the baseball program this season, got the win in relief by pitching the top of the ninth.

Senior James Whelan plates the winning run

to secure La Jolla's 2-1 opening day win.

Then the celebration began.

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b LAX: Coach Duerr

Vikes' Patricio Castillejos (6) defends against

Nighthawks in first quarter. (Photos by Ed Piper)

Embarking on his third year as head coach of boys lacrosse at La Jolla High, Tom Duerr says, "I'm looking for a lot of energy and effort" from his players to start the season. "They've (already) come out with energy" the first two games, as he was speaking before game number three against visiting Del Norte Mon., March 9.

A couple of "key players" Duerr noted were the two Connors, Connor Usselman, a junior attack, and Connor Walton, a senior defensive midfielder. Both are captains.

Goalie Max Scott (41) hugs the left post as D-pole Ryan
Blackburn (to his left) teams up on defense versus
visiting Del Norte.

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b LAX vs. Del Norte

Vikings' Tanner Watson (2) battles in game's opening

faceoff against visiting Del Norte. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Reid Martin missed half his senior football season, sidelined by an injury. It took him a few games to get up to full speed when he returned in game number 7 of the Vikings' 2014 fall schedule. "I'm thinking about the foot when I cut, thinking how I could do it another way," or words similar, the auburn-haired young man said at one early point in his return.

But nearly five months later, Martin is moving with freedom and seems intent on making up for lost time in his second sport, lacrosse.

In La Jolla's evening match against Del Norte Mon., March 9, Reid scored four goals in the first period as the Vikings built a 6-0 lead over the Nighthawks.

LJHS (2-1) sailed to an 11-4 victory. Martin scored a total of six goals in the early-season contest. It was Del Norte's season opener. It showed. The Nighthawks didn't look ready before the Vikings' offensive onslaught.

After Connor Usselman opened up scoring with 8:06 left in the quarter, and Mike Elliott followed a scant eight seconds later with another goal, Martin pocketed back-to-back goals for a quick 4-0 lead.

Middie Reid Martin scores his fourth goal

with 3.9 seconds left in the first quarter.

Coach Tom Duerr had a visible smile on his face with the lead, which only grew bigger in the closing minute of the opening stanza as Martin duplicated his earlier pair with another deuce.

Viking goalie Max Scott, now a veteran with his junior year under his belt, made some nice saves late in the quarter that teammates vocally congratulated him on.

Martin's first two goals came at 7:49 and 6:54, forcing Del Norte to call a timeout to try to regroup. His last-minute goals were registered with 56 seconds and 3.9 seconds left.

Martin wears familiar number 21, his jersey number in football. What made it hard to sit out the first part of the Vikings' football season last fall also was the fact Reid had been named Second Team All-Western League. This, his senior season, was the year everything would come together and he would shine.

But elements of his lacrosse game seem to be working in harmony, with the big scoring burst against Del Norte.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

ST redux

Rockies vendor at Salt River: I had never

seen a peanut earring before.

(Photo by Ed Piper)



More on Spring Training March 6-7:

Best dessert: "Founder's Favorite" at Coldstone behind left center field at Salt River Fields, Pima Reservation (north of Scottsdale on the 101 North Loop). A giant ball of pecan-crunchy ice cream, built around a brownie in the core, with caramel and chocolate sauce on top. This made my ninth inning Friday after a long day driving to Arizona (left at 5:30 a.m.; have to account for the one-hour time loss to Arizona--at least before the Daylight Saving change Sunday morning) one of the most enjoyable in recent memory. I added the waffle cone for an extra dollar. $8. No tax. I love this place!

It was so creamy, when I returned to the same ballpark the next day, I enjoyed another ninth inning afternoon delight. What a sugar high.

Other food and drink: The "Super Dog" ($7) at the Giants' Scottsdale Stadium was tasty, though the bun was unheated and untoasted blah. A burger basket at the Cubs' Sloan Park in Mesa the day before was good. I enjoy bringing home the plastic souvenir soda cups, so D-backs/Rockies at Salt River and Giants at Scottsdale were good for that. No souvenir cup at Sloan Park.

Timer: The new clock of 2:30 between innings for regionally televised games and 2:45 for nationally televised games, and the batter having to keep one foot in the batter's box between pitches to speed things up all seemed to be a non-issue at the four games I went to. I did see the clock run out on pitchers twice in the Rockies-Cubs game Saturday. But in Spring Training and the first month, Major League Baseball says there will only be warnings, no fines until May.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper