LJ FB: Coronado stats

La Jolla 29, Coronado 7
Sept. 25, 2015

PASSING
Brown, Casey   9-19   165 yards   2 TD   1 interception   90.9 rating
Scully, Trevor   3-5   6 yards   1 TD   123.8 rating
Hayden, Kenny 1-1   9 yards   122.9 rating

RUSHING
Dockery, Alex   11 carries   171 yards
Duran, Joseph   7 carries  48 yards
Levenson, Jonathan   10 carries   39 yards
Scully, Trevor   2 carries   11 yards
Brown, Casey   7 carries  3 yards

RECEIVING
Fudge, Trenton   7 receptions   138 yards   3 TD
Watson, Tanner   1 reception   16 yards
Rowan, Reilly   1 reception   15 yards
Levenson, Jonathan   2 receptions   8 yards
Dockery, Alex   1 reception   2 yards
Duran, Joseph   1 reception   1 yard

DEFENSE - tackles (TFL = thrown for a loss)
Penrith, Chase   6.5 total   6 solo   1 assist   2 TFL
Manzano, Jesus   4.5 total   4 solo   1 assist   3 TFL
Lopez, Alex   4 total   4 solo   3 TFL
McColl, Daniel   4 total   4 solo
Rust, Austin   2 total   2 solo
Levenson, Jonathan   2 total   2 solo   1 TFL
Mitchell, Andrew   2 total   2 solo
Hansen, Dane   2 total   2 solo   1 TFL
Hammel, Nick   1 total   1 solo
Enloe, Trey   1 total   1 solo   1 TFL
Nelson, Jalen   1 total   1 solo   1 TFL


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

Jottings

Sophomore Kenny Hayden completed his first varsity pass in the fourth quarter of Friday's win over Coronado. Hayden normally plays linebacker/quarterback for the LJHS junior varsity football team...Trevor Scully also logged significant playing time once the Vikings held a decisive lead in their 29-7 victory. He passed and ran the ball. He had a four-yard touchdown pass to Trenton Fudge with 11:51 left in the fourth quarter to put the Vikings up 22-0. Scully normally starts at quarterback for the JV's. Cole Dimich was injured and unable to fill in for varsity starting quarterback Casey Brown, who played the first three quarters.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

Musings

MUSINGS

Tim Holdgrafer will end up in the LJHS Baseball Hall of Fame in five years (or however many years you have to wait to be inducted): CIF Player of the Year, Western League Player of the Year, and set many school records. Phenomenal senior season, leading the Vikings to the CIF Final, but also excellent junior and sophomore seasons. I have talked about this with Coach Gary Frank...The new context of the Scripps Archway leading onto the new football field should be nice. As former principal Dana Shelburne explained it to me, there will be steps leading up to the field level from the archway area. Very dramatic...People have talked about starting an LJHS Sports Hall of Fame, which hasn't existed before. Malaika Underwood, a woman who starred for La Jolla Class of 1999, would be a logical vote for the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Sports Hall of Fame. She was a trailblazer, besides being named CIF Athlete of the Year in her senior season as a three-sport star. She started at second base for the boys baseball team...As Mission Bay's and Kearny's new stadiums have shown, Vikings fans have a lot to look forward to in the upcoming improvements to the LJHS sports complex.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Preview Week 6

La Jolla's football team faces a familiar opponent Saturday night, Oct. 3. The Vikings faced Christian High in a playoff game last year, and had their hopes of going to the semifinals dashed, losing 42-38. Christian won the CIF Division III title two weeks later.

The same quarterback, David Jeremiah, and the same basic team are back. The Patriots feature a mini-back, Adrian Petty, who stands only 5'6". But his motor level reminds one of Darren Sproles. Petty, in Christian's first three games, carried 46 times for 301 yards and two touchdowns. He had 100-plus yards in two of those games.

So the Vikings know what they're up against. It will be a little different playing on Saturday night instead of Friday, but that is because Christian doesn't have a field of its own and borrows Granite Hills' stadium. The field is occupied Friday night.

The quarterback completed 44 of 75 passes for 776 yards and nine touchdowns, with four interceptions in Christian's first three games.

Last year's playoff game was a shootout between Jeremiah and La Jolla's Collin Rugg.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

Forgotten jottings

Homecoming will be held at UCHS Nov. 6 for the game against Point Loma. At least the Vikings football team won't be playing Madison in the Homecoming game. Though they would play well against the Warhawks, that was a tough game, and kind of a distraction, to schedule as the centerpiece for the whole Homecoming weekend, which is supposed to be easily enjoyable, one would think...LJ's girls golf team is dominating opponents. With junior Waverly Whiston and senior Madeleine Garay, Coach Aaron Quesnell has two of the top golfers in CIF San Diego...New cheer advisor Cindee Russell has the cheer squad doing a great job at games. Their routines are crisp, the girls represent LJHS well, and people are commenting how well things are going. The girls (and one guy) are doing stunts (the towers they build after each touchdown at the end of the field), which is pretty cool...Bill McColl, Daniel's grandfather, was said to be in the crowd watching the linebacker/lineman play both ways in the football win at Coronado Friday. Grandpa recently took grandson to the Chicago Bears' game and got to be on the sidelines during the game, according to a Facebook post. Bill McColl, who is in the Hoover High Sports Hall of Fame, played professional football for the Bears back in the day.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

Further jottings

FURTHER JOTTINGS

Nathaniel Gates, a freshman basketball/player, is at least 6'5". He, of course, was assigned a locker in the bottom row, even though he is one of the tallest students at LJHS. Alex Pitrofsky is 6'6"...Nathaniel's sister, Madeleine, is a puny 6-foot, 2-and-a-half...Nathaniel is listed on the varsity basketball roster for the Miramar Varsity League this month. He is juggling volleyball and basketball. Sounds like his sibling's former activity before she gave up bball...Cinder block is stacked on the edge of the football field near the gate. Presumably, that is the block that will be used to construct the new locker room/coaches office...Principal Chuck Podhorsky was enjoying Friday night's football game at Coronado. He was chatting with a Coronado administrator about how to supervise school dances...For people who have not been on campus recently, the boys locker room, which was demolished a month ago, is being replaced in the interim by temporary buildings erected in the parking lot next to the small gym...The parking area was pretty crowded Saturday with an MS walk going on, as well as Coach Drew Burdette's First Annual La Jolla Coastal Volleyball Classic with girls teams from California, Arizona, and elsewhere...There was a media report from the L.A. area about fewer numbers of boys going out for high school football. "They (parents) are afraid" of head injuries, the article quoted a coach as saying...There was another article on the trend of "holdbacks", athletes being held back a year in school by their parents so that they can "mature" in their chosen sport of football. Is this the purpose of high school athletics?


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

Jottings

JOTTINGS

Backup quarterback Cole Dimich sustained a knee injury soon after entering the football game against West Hills in the second quarter last week when he was tackled on an offensive play, but the 6-foot junior was able to play on it through the second and third quarters. He sat out Friday's win at Coronado. Hopefully, he'll be back on the active list for Saturday night's game against Christian High at Granite Hills High School...Milan Dimich, his dad, plays beach volleyball and provides the music off his laptop at "home" football games at Mission Bay and UC..."Dimich" is Croatian, and Milan, interestingly, is Serbian and Croatian (former Yugoslavia)...Lisa Griffiths' field hockey is rolling, with another shutout Friday at home over Bonita Vista. Trisha Turner scored another goal...Dave Jones' boys sand volleyball team had to make lemonade out of lemons when the Foothillers showed up Thursday with only five varsity players for three matches. The two top pairs from each school played each other, then the fifth Grossmont team member was teamed with an LJ player so that they could play the LJ "C" team...The softball field has the new artificial surface installed. It looks beautiful. There are now slats over the dugouts, which adds a little touch to the diamond. The new crushed brick infield looks pretty sharp...Milan Dimich said he grabbed some of the pieces of artificial surface that were being discarded from the softball field's old surface. He laid them down on the approach to the snack bar at the baseball field at Muirlands, at the near end of the field hockey field, and one other spot to protect against wear-and-tear.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ baseball: Zimmers

Bradley Zimmer displays his classic

swing in a La Jolla-Otay Ranch game

in the Bully's East Tourney

March 12, 2011. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Cathy Hutchins, a teacher at La Jolla High and mother of Kyle and Bradley Zimmer, former LJHS baseball stars now playing professional baseball, said that Bradley has been involved in post-season playoffs with his minor league team in the Cleveland Indians' system.

Bradley, a righty who bats left-handed, remains in the centerfield position he patrolled so capably in his prep days as a Viking. He has a strong arm, which LJHS coach Gary Frank used at times on the mound in relief situations.

Cathy Hutchins is an avid sports fan, as one can imagine, being the mother of two stellar athletes. She formerly served as a counselor on the La Jolla campus. She has since returned to classroom teaching.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FH 5, Bonita Vista 0

Sophomore Nikki Collins fights for the ball

against Bonita Vista Friday. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Midfielder Trisha Turner scored with 11:35 left in the first half, and teammate Abigail Cho added another goal late in the half as La Jolla built up a 2-0 advantage in a non-league field hockey encounter with Bonita Vista at Muirlands Fri., Sept. 25.

The Vikings sailed to a 5-0 victory on a hot day on the artificial surface at the middle school.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB 29, Coronado 7

Junior Alex Dockery motors on Vikings'

early drive at Coronado. (Photo by Ed Piper) 

La Jolla's football team took the right pill for three weeks of queasy stomach--Coronado.

According to renewed and restored quarterback Casey Brown, another factor was, "We had a good week of practice."

After three big losses, the Vikings came out looking like a different team Fri., Sept. 25. Immediately, Brown and others looked lively, but more importantly, they went back to enjoying playing a kid's game. La Jolla vanquished the formerly 3-1 Islanders, 29-7.

It was the Trenton Fudge Show, as Brown connected with him twice on scoring passes, then JV quarterback Trevor Scully added to Fudge's TD reception collection once he took over late in the game with La Jolla (2-3) leading by three touchdowns.

Brown, who had looked discombobulated and had struggled ever since the Vikings' win in the season opener, confided, "I was able to pick up their defense during the week, because it's the same one we run and we worked against it throughout summer passing league."

There were smiles all around, as Viking players showed some of the skills they have which had become submerged during the three consecutive losses to Bishop's, Fallbrook, and West Hills over the past month.

Fudge provided a HUDL highlight reel play for La Jolla's second touchdown, after Alex Dockery ran the first one over from the nine with 5:33 left in the first quarter. That drive began at the 50-yard line. Fudge, showing he's feeling better and better after a shoulder AC joint injury in the opener, caught a Brown aerial beyond midfield at the start of the second quarter. He then raced a zigzag route to the western goal, cutting back multiple times to find air and bypass defenders.

Words that come to mind on the senior receiver/kicker's running after the catch include spectacular, entertaining, jaw-dropping. The pass play covered 57 yards.

"I had open space," Fudge said. "I just tried to go to where it was."

Fudge added a field goal of 42 yards to put the Vikings in the lead 15-0 a short spell before halftime.

His other TD receptions measured 57 yards, midway through the third quarter from Brown for a 22-0 advantage, and four yards from Scully for a 29-0 lead (Fudge PAT's both times) at the outset of the fourth quarter.

Coronado (3-2) did not put up much of a fight. The Islanders' sole score came a short time after Scully's TD pass in the concluding stanza to avoid a shutout.

Coronado had 166 total yards, on 169 yards rushing and -3 yards passing. Two players only attempted nine passes the whole game, completing two. Christopher Haas had 16 rushes for 43 yards.

It's amazing to think, off Friday night's most recent result, that the same Coronado team was able to beat Country Day in a preseason exhibition game the week before La Jolla defeated Country Day by 10 in the opener. That's the unpredictability of sports, and the thrill and agony of watching young athletes.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g golf: Killing 'em with kindness

Big sister Madeleine Garay

(top) puts little sister Caroline

on the bottom for a photo.

(Ed Piper)

Members of La Jolla's stellar girls golf team were friendly and engaging, even with an unannounced request for a team photo right before the Vikings' Western League showdown with top rival Cathedral Catholic at La Jolla Country Club Tues., Sept. 22.

Coach Aaron Quesnell models this calm, smiling approach. He was loquacious despite the importance of the 3:30 p.m. match, which pitted his red-hot duffers against the dreaded giant from the north.

The black-and-red golfers kill their opponents with kindness, in effect--with a surgeon's precision.

What strikes one is the fact La Jolla's power is mainly emanating from only two households: the Vikings have two sets of sisters who are packing a punch this season that, so far, has walloped their opponents. Yet they do it with a grin.

Waverly Whiston, a top golfer in CIF for the Vikings the past two years, is now a junior and welcomed her younger sister, Nicole, onto the varsity squad this fall. Meanwhile, the other veteran star, Madeleine Garay, a senior, is accompanied by her own sister, Caroline, another freshman, on the new configuration of the team this year.

Another remarkable fact is that half the "power quad" is made up of first-time varsity members who are freshmen, Nicole and Caroline.

With Quesnell's number five and six golfers playing consistently, this means La Jolla enters most matches knowing their five scoring athletes are going to knock out whoever is swinging the clubs for the other team.

Versus Cathedral, though seemingly not overconfident, Quesnell confided after the girls teed off that his sextet should prevail in the match. That would pretty much secure the Western League title for the Westbourne St. campus.

But again, these girls are so well-adjusted, so seemingly feet-planted-firmly-on-the-ground, that they were friendly with the Dons golfers. A trio of girls were talking with one another about future plans for college, whether they wanted to stay in California for their higher schooling, and all of this while waiting for the preceding foursome to clear the fairway so that they, in turn, could tee off in the big match.

A reporter realizes that this is the etiquette in the sport of golf, but it is just unimaginable before a big boys football game, when players are ready to tear each other's heads off (and do, in tackling them).

La Jolla opened a wide lead and beat Cathedral in the showdown by 27 strokes, 202-229.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Cole Dimich

Viking quarterback Cole Dimich hands the ball to an

official after his 3-yard TD run in the second

quarter Sept. 18. (Photos by Ed Piper)

Cole Dimich threw a respectable 12 of 22 passing for 135 yards in his first opportunity playing quarterback for La Jolla when the game mattered in a loss to West Hills Fri., Sept. 18.

Dimich, a junior, showed his athleticism, running the ball over from three yards out on a quarterback keeper for the Vikings' first touchdown with 5:57 left in the second quarter, La Jolla down 15-9 to the Wolf Pack.

He carried a total of six times for 22 yards rushing.

He also completed a short screen pass to receiver Jonathan Levenson in the fourth quarter as the Vikings refused to give up, even down 35-15, then 42-22, the final margin.

Dimich was quietly inserted at the quarterback position on La Jolla's fifth possession, coming with 10:51 remaining in the second quarter with LJHS trailing 8-2. In his first series, Cole ran a keeper for a three-yard gain on third down.

La Jolla turned the ball over on downs, but Dimich picked up steam as the game moved on.

The 6-foot, 175-pound junior comes from an athletic family. His sister Delaney, a senior, plays outside hitter on the Vikings' volleyball team.

His father played volleyball in college, we are told.

Dimich in the pregame locker

room at Mission Bay High, preparing

for the tilt against the Wolf Pack.

The Dimich family is supportive and heavily involved in their children's athletic involvement. Milan Dimich, Cole and Delaney's father, was one of the parent drivers tabbed to ferry girls volleyball squad members the long route to Palm Springs for a team retreat this weekend, Sept. 18-20.

Cole has also handled some of the football team's kicking and punting responsibilities, especially in Trenton Fudge's limited play during a recent injury.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g VB: Conversation initiated by Gates

Humor in a conversation initiated by Madeleine Gates with a reporter

MG: Can you come to our (La Jolla) volleyball match at Bishop's next Wednesday? (This was a week ago.)

Pipeline (facetiously): I didn't know you played volleyball. I thought you played pickup basketball.

MG: (Smiles.)

PL: Don't you play libero in volleyball?

MG: Yeah, and I also set. (She is a high-leaping 6'2" middle-hitter blocker, so these are both enormous jokes.)

(This, from a senior leader of the LJHS volleyball team, formerly a shy freshman and sophomore.)


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g VB: Guy and Gates

"I've got more blocks than Madeleine, though she's killing me in number of kills," said middle hitter-blocker Savannah Guy, referring to her 6-foot-2-and-a-half-inch teammate and friend Madeleine Gates. "You don't know how huge that is," she said, referring to having more blocks than Gates. She could have been referring to the two's height: Guy, no slouch, stands 6'2".

Guy is a recent commit to the University of Michigan, while Gates committed to UCLA last winter/spring. They make up four members of the La Jolla volleyball team who have committed to Division I schools: the others are Chloe Luyties in sand volleyball at the University of Hawaii, and Abby Waldburger, sand volleyball at Cal.

The Vikings had just smoked poor Country Day Fri., Sept. 18, 3-0, on the Torreys' home court. So there was considerable glee, though not gloating, from the Guy-Gates pair.

Gates had a good story to tell about her father's playing days in college. Michael Gates is 6'7', and yet living in the college dorms, he was the shortest among his basketball teammates, who were 6'9", 6'11", and 6'11". Madeleine's mother played volleyball and is no shorty herself. So the younger Gates is used to height. Her brother Nathaniel, a freshman at La Jolla, is a basketball player and already about 6'4'.

Gates, maturing as a senior, has turned over a new leaf and is much more outgoing than in her shyer days as a freshman and sophomore volleyball and basketball player. "I'm rubbing off on her," said Guy, smiling.

Guy and Gates project good things for the La Jolla volleyball team this season. They said their main competition in the Western League will be Cathedral Catholic, which returns several players. This is shaping up as a fabulous LJHS-Cathedral match-up. The Vikings have a good combination of players and are playing well, having pommeled rival Bishop's only two days before the Country Day sweep.

Asked if her brother is a guard and a good ball-handler, Gates shrugged and said, "I think so."


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ VB 3, Bishop's 1

Senior libero Amanda Polcyn recorded 15 digs and fellow senior middle hitter-blocker Madeleine Gates had 17 kills as La Jolla's volleyball team swamped rival Bishop's, 3-1, at Bishop's Wed., Sept. 16.

"Offensively, we were very low error, with great hitting numbers," said second-year Coach Drew Burdette of the convincing non-league victory. "We worked hard all week on defense and defending."

Both departments were strong, as the Vikings won the first two games, 25-18 and 25-15. They struggled a little in game three, dropping it 24-26 as other players substituted in. But then La Jolla closed out the match with a 27-25 overtime win in the fourth game.

Natalie Coy, Savannah Guy, and Gates each had four blocks. Their coach was pleased with the result. "We worked a lot on blocking, and had 12 team blocks, which was big, because Bishop's is very good at hitting off the block out-of-bounds," he said.

Coy had 11 kills, Guy 8, and setter Abby Waldburger 8. Bella Furlanis played well in games one and two, but then suffered a knee injury, "disrupting the team chemistry a bit," in Burdette's words.

 

Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

 

 

 

LJ FB: Stats

STATS

La Jolla 22, West Hills 42
Sept. 18, 2015 at Mission Bay High

TACKLES (solo tackles-assists-total)
Joseph Duran 6-2-8
Andrew Mitchell 5-0-5
Jalen Nelson 4-2-6
Daniel McColl 4-1-5
Alex Lopez 4-2-6
Jesus Manzano 4-3-7
Jonathan Levenson 4-1-5
Yohann Ponsaty 2-2-4
Chase Penrith 2-2-4
Aldahi Enciso 1-2-3
Tanner Watson 1-0-1
Nick Hammel 1-1-2

LJ FB 22, West Hills 42

Junior linebacker Aldahi Enciso moves in

to make a stop against the Wolfpack.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

A battle for the heart and soul of the La Jolla football team was going on.

The Vikings, down 21-9 late in the second quarter, were trying to stave off a West Hills offensive drive led by powerful 6'3" quarterback Spencer Moyer to try and stay in the game.

La Jolla, its numbers dwindling and its ability to keep battling in question, had scored a touchdown with 5:57 left in the quarter after junior Cole Dimich took over from senior Casey Brown and slipped over the goal line on a quarterback keeper. With Trenton Fudge's kick, that made the score 15-9. The Vikings were within range.

But giving up another completion by Moyer, this time to receiver Austin Estrada on a third-and-goal from the eight, had dropped the hosts to 21-9. They were in danger of sinking along with the setting sun behind the home crowd stands at Mission Bay High.

The defense did give up the touchdown, with Moyer motoring on a long 27-yard run that could have killed the heart of La Jolla. Score: 28-9 at halftime.

As the Viking players moved off the field to have their halftime talk, various members of the team yelled out, "We're better than they are!", "Don't give up, we're only two scores down (actually three)", "Come on, everybody needs to contribute". Senior Jonathan Levenson was one of those who barked out words of challenge and encouragement.

It truly has been a battle of heart and soul the past three weeks. But La Jolla, seemingly on the brink of throwing in the towel to yet another more numerous and productive opponent, staved off despair and hung in there.

Dimich completed a screen to Levenson for a score in the second half. Before that, soon after the half, Joseph Duran scored a touchdown on a long punt return. These reversed the trend of the previous two weeks in losses to Bishop and Fallbrook by getting off the mat to come back and score in the second half. That's something to build on.

Almost fittingly for a game scheduled at 5 p.m. that didn't kick off until 6:16 after a long 32-32 tie between the two schools' junior varsity teams, the stadium lights shut off promptly at 9:00 p.m. on a timer with 1:29 left in the game. Officials called the game, with the final score in the Wolfpack's advantage, 42-22.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b BB: Update

The La Jolla High boys varsity basketball team has games in the Miramar Varsity League the next six weeks, according to Coach Paul Baranowski's information on leaguelineup.com.

With the regular season beginning in early December, the Vikings have preseason action consisting of six games at Canyon Crest Academy from September into November.

La Jolla plays the Barons of Bonita Vista Sat., Sept. 19, at 7 p.m. Then the Vikings play a pair of games Oct. 3, against the Nighthawks and Eagles. After a single game Oct. 10 against the Broncos, LJHS wraps up with a doubleheader Nov. 1 against the Wolverines and Eagles.

The posted roster includes the following names:

Among returners: guards Reed Farley, Eddie Parker, and Tony Coan; and frontcourtmen Alex Pitrofsky and Morgan Albers. Newbies at guard include Francisco Ramos and Bijan Hashemi. Others are Charlie Gal, Jacob Ohara, McClain Thiel, Quinn Rawdin, Garrett Brown, Nathaniel Gates, and Marcus Loebenstein.

Varsity prospects now occupied with football include Daniel McColl and Nick Hammel.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ g golf: Season update

Sisters Waverly (L) and Nicole

Whiston (R) of La Jolla's

golf team. (Photo by Ed Piper)

"(We've) caught lightning in a bottle," says Aaron Quesnell, fourth-year La Jolla High girls golf coach, "with a few really good freshmen coming in to complement a good senior and junior class."

The Vikings set a school record for lowest number of strokes in a match by shooting 191 against Torrey Pines, the defending CIF champion, at La Jolla Country Club Sept. 1. Quesnell said the old record was 196, which the La Jolla girls set just last year.

The seniors are Madeleine Garay and Rebecca Ryan. The juniors include Waverly Whiston and Gabi Anastasi. The freshmen coming in are Nicole Whiston and Brea Tyrus.

The two sister pairs make up La Jolla's power-packed top four: the Whistons and the Garays. In team matches, six golfers play. The top five scores count. Therefore, Ryan, Anastasi, and Tyrus play a key role in their play in the number five and number six spots. They have been consistent enough to keep the Vikings' team scores low.

Their next major challenge is a match against Rancho Bernardo, the current favorite, next Wed., Sept. 23, also at LJCC.

Quesnell is pleased with his team's performance a month into the season. Golf starts in mid-August, so the Vikings have already had nine matches, and the school is only in the second week of fall classes.

"Very good season so far," Quesnell said. "Our first goal is to win league. Cathedral will be our toughest competition." La Jolla is looking to finish in the top two in CIF post-season play to qualify for CIF Regionals.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Feeling it

I'm feeling Jason Carter.

Anyone who has spent any time in the Jason Carter Sphere of Influence knows that the third-year coach of the La Jolla High football team lives and dies with each game.

This is not to make any statement about previous coaches of the Viking program, or any other coach.

But two things are different for me: One, I didn't have a blog before Carter began coaching at LJHS two years ago. Two, at one of the first Viking football scrimmages at Parker, Carter stopped, turned and greeted me by name, "Ed", with a handshake, and from that moment allowed me a window into his program.

I covered most of La Jolla's games that season for the La Jolla Light. Those stories provided an impetus for me to check in either before or after each game with the head coach and hear what he was thinking. I started my blog midway through that school year.

My point for this column: Carter has been riding a roller coaster during the first three games this season. In the opener, La Jolla defeated Country Day, where Carter had been offensive coordinator, handily. But since then, the Vikes--at times short-handed--have suffered two blowout losses, first at the hands of crosstown rival Bishop's, which is the defending CIF Division IV champion, and then most recently, Fallbrook on Fri., Sept. 11. Each of the two losses ended with a running clock.

A coach's work is so public: The score of each game is displayed on the stadium scoreboard, published in the newspaper, posted on websites, and discussed around the water cooler. 

On 9/11, Carter said something I had not heard from him before: As I sat in my chair near the end zone at University City High before the latest game, resting my feet prior to the kickoff against the Warriors, the coach walked by. I called out, "Good luck, Coach." He replied, "We're going to need it."

Ouch.

I had never heard him say that in my two years plus three games covering his team from the sidelines. Which is why I said at the outset, I'm feeling him.

He has not kept me away from him. He has not hid his feelings. Sometimes he makes brash predictions about his individual players. But he has always been willing to answer questions.

I worry about him a little, this man who welcomed me to cover the program and even hang out with the team during ankle-taping before formal warm-ups (that was before the game against Kearny at Madison two years ago). He said Friday that he had been up since 4 a.m., and I think, 2 a.m. the day before.

He is a coach who coaches from emotion. And I would guess that's how he played, too--through a career as quarterback and receiver in high school, then college at Texas A&M, finally as a receiver in the NFL. My own experience as a leader--school teacher and other roles--has taught me that riding too high a wave, arriving at the event after little sleep the night before, having done a steady drain of what energy one does have for many hours before the event is a tough way to carry out my duties. It's easy to crash and burn.

One's perspective is definitely affected by riding adrenaline. A lack of restfulness can contribute to an edginess and skewed emotions, and sometimes over-reaction.

The kids are a precious commodity. I know Jason Carter knows that. I just sometimes wish he didn't lead so much from emotion. But that's probably his strength. From the day he first set foot on the La Jolla High campus, that's the way he's done it. He has built up enthusiasm where there had been a lot of concern. In his going ahead and having the walls knocked out to reconstruct the weight room, he symbolically broke down limits on what people thought LJHS football could be after several down years.

There are going to be rough patches, and this is one of them. The Vikings have gone from record-breaking passing and receiving numbers the first two seasons, to a struggle in games two and three this season. It was bound to happen after losing so many seniors who starred, first, as juniors in Carter's first group in 2013, then got even better last year.

I like Jason Carter for his leadership and the humanity he shows to his players. I believe he cares a lot for the young men in his program. He invests a ton of time in them--as do other coaches.

The difference for me is that he has allowed me a glimpse into him personally, and into his program in general. I respect that access and am thankful for it. I only want the best for him, his staff, and the players as his program moves into week four of this young season.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB 18, Fallbrook 59

Casey Brown (7) hands off to running back

Joseph Duran (10) for a gain in the second
quarter. (Photo by Ed Piper)

Casey Brown turned the corner in his confidence as quarterback at La Jolla, which had been shaken ever since the Bishop's defense the week before met him--and every other Viking--at every turn.

Brown, a fleet 6-foot senior who had amassed 300 yards in passing in La Jolla's opener against Country Day, went back to some of what he knows best: rolling out and either keeping the ball or darting passes to his backs or ends.

Notwithstanding the lopsided score with Fallbrook, Casey led the Vikes on a successful drive from their own 27-yard line during the end of the first half, showing himself that he could be effective again.

"I quit thinking. I just started letting my legs do it," he said on the sidelines, an expression of partial relief on his face.

La Jolla got poked, 59-18, by the visiting Warriors. And the touchdown drive through four-plus minutes of the second quarter only brought the hosts back to being down 31-12.

But it was a step forward. And everyone on the team, even the La Jolla crowd, felt the lift of the moment. Soon after, before the start of the second half, the La Jolla student section chanted "I believe that we will win" repeatedly, even with the conditions pretty dire by then.

For the second week in a row, the Vikings finished with a running clock in the fourth quarter. But Brown, only three games into being a varsity starter, righted his thinking. He passed 14 for 35, for 123 yards. He gained another 35 yards carrying the ball, for 158 total yards.

And others activated to a certain extent: running back Jonathan Levenson picked up 64 yards rushing on seven carries. Levenson also returned four kicks for 101 yards, while Joseph Duran ran back two kicks for 58 yards. Though some of it was in garbage time in the fourth quarter, seven different receivers took in passes for anywhere from 34 to 11 yards.

On defense, La Jolla didn't quit, the way it appeared some did in the preceding week's 42-7 loss to rival Bishop's. The numbers reflect that heart to fight, even when things appear hopeless: Duran topped the Vikings with eight solo tackles and one assist. Levenson piled up seven solo tackles. Tyler Hope made four solo stops with three assisted tackles. Dane Hansen continued his consistent play with three solos, three assists, while Daniel McColl delivered three solo tackles and four assists.

Others included Alex Lopez, going both ways like several of his teammates, making two tackles with four assists, and William Mathie with two solos, two assists.

During the scoring drive that Brown led in the second quarter beginning with 5:30 on the clock, the LJHS coaching staff called another unusual play: Brown passed laterally to Cole Dimich, normally the backup quarterback who was set up to his right. Dimich then threw the ball back to Brown, who looked for his opening and gained 11 yards for a first down.

Five plays later, on 4th-and-7 from the 19, Brown ran down the right sideline and threw up what looked like a Hail Mary. Tanner Watson grabbed it for the touchdown.

La Jolla's previous score came early in the second quarter on Levenson's 42-yard run to the left. The scoreboard read 17-6, Fallbrook in the lead.

One thing apparent in La Jolla's third pre-league game of the year is that the Vikings' offense gains a little confidence as it sees itself run plays and experience success.

At the end of the third quarter, even as the Warriors' grinding offense continued to pile up points, the La Jolla offense was gaining steam on a drive beginning on its own 33-yard line. Alex Dockery made a reception after dropping one while wide open two plays earlier. Then Brown went to Dockery again after a quarterback keeper.

But a toss to tight end Reilly Rowan to advance the Vikings to the Fallbrook 42 was nullified by a penalty, taking the ball back to the La Jolla 41, putting the Vikes in a first-and-27 hole. They gave up the ball on downs after three incomplete aerials.

The evening on University City's field was billed as "Kickoff", rather than the traditional "Blast Off" in sensitivity to those who might have been sensitive to such a title on the 14th anniversary of the attacks on 9/11. Advisor Cindee Russell's cheer squad provided a sharp multi-part routine at halftime.

And the administration arranged for three food trucks to park on the south end of the field to offer pulled pork and other tasty treats during LJHS's home game. It was the first La Jolla football game for new Assistant Principal Cindy Ueckert, who along with her fellow new A.P. Tony Meeks--whose first game came earlier in the season--patrolled the sidelines, keeping the world safe for democracy.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FH 1, Westview 0

La Jolla's field hockey team shut out Westview on the Wolverines' home field, 1-0, Wed., Sept. 9.

Senior midfielder Trisha Turner scored the only goal of the game in the second half. She described her shot this way: "Corner shot, push pass from the right side on the 16-yard (line), angled to the left side of the goal from my perspective."

"It was a good win for us," new Coach Lisa Griffiths said. "The girls really stuck to their structure for the game and looked for the options on the field. They slowed the game down to regain control."

La Jolla lost a couple of games in the Otay tournament last weekend.

But in the win over Westview, "They knew what they needed to do. They gave 120 percent and got the desired result," said Griffiths.

A sidenote is that Griffiths' email address contains the word "gromit". A gromit, according to the Urban Dictionary, is an up-and-comer in skateboarding and other sports. She and her team certainly are gromits.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ b water polo 8, Fallbrook 3

La Jolla's boys water polo team defeated Fallbrook, 8-3, in both teams' season opener Tues., Sept. 1, at Coggan Pool.

The Vikings next entertain Grossmont in a 3:30 p.m. match Fri., Sept. 11.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Rugg update

Collin Rugg, La Jolla's former quarterback who recently matriculated at William Jewell College in Liberty, Missouri, on a full-ride football scholarship, said he is adapting to western Missouri and a football situation that is different from his experience.

He is hoping for his chance to show off some of the skills that he displayed for the Vikings in 2013 and 2015. But he also realizes that as a true freshman, he has three other quarterbacks to contend with, and he may have to wait.

The Cardinals from William Jewell are in their fourth year as an NCAA Division II school. Their new head coach, whose program recruited Rugg, is Shawn Weigel, a long-time assistant. WJC plays in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.

Asked about things that are popular in the suburb northeast of Kansas City, Missouri, Rugg replied: "A lot of bbq!" Kansas City is renowned for its style of that palate-delighter, barbecue.

With Rugg traveling with the Jewell football team Fri., Sept. 4, to Des Moines, Iowa, for the Cardinals to play at Drake Saturday, and the interchange conducted by text, answers were understandably terse. The interchange occurred before Rugg's alma mater Vikings' game against crosstown rival Bishop's.

Asked what Liberty and Missouri are like, he typed: "It's pretty flat with some hills but it's very green and pretty humid! Wow that('s) crazy."

Asked if he was enjoying college, he said: "Yes! It's a lot different but I'm getting used to it!" Rugg and his family are know to be extremely close.

On football, he said: "It's alight (alright). A big adjustment!"

Regarding the possibility he may redshirt for the season, he said: "Yeah I'm not sure yet because I am traveling with the team. However if I go on the field for a play I can't redshirt."

Queried if he wanted to redshirt, he responded, "Not really."

Asked what number he was on the team's depth chart, with four quarterbacks on the roster, he declined to answer.

The three quarterbacks ahead of him have all been redshirted previously, according to the team's website: two redshirt juniors and one redshirt freshman. The redshirt juniors are starting their fourth year in college, the redshirt freshman his second year.

Teammate Bull Graft, a running back from Bishop's, is the number-two back for William Jewell. That's got to make it a little harder for Collin as he navigates the four-deep quarterback waters.

Another freshman teammate from San Diego County is Cesar Jacobo, a linebacker who played at Montgomery High in the South Bay.

Asked what's different in Liberty, Rugg said, "The games are on Saturdays now," referring to Friday nights being high school game night. He said students play foosball in the dorms.

Jewell head coach Jerod Kruse resigned in January. So Rugg's recruiting was going on last winter as Weigel, Kruse's former assistant, was in transition taking over as head coach. Several new assistant coaches were brought in, as well.

Redshirt junior quarterback Nick West completed one touchdown pass in the Cardinals' 44-30 season-opening loss at Drake Saturday. Jewell is picked to finish seventh in the nine-team Great Lakes Valley Conference this season, after going 5-6 last year under Kruse.

Jewell has many players from within Missouri, as well as several from neighboring Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Toto, Collin isn't in La Jolla anymore.

Interestingly, Drake, Jewell's opponent in its season opener last Friday, plays in the Pioneer Football League with USD. Drake is a Division I-AA school, in the FCS subdivision (below Division I-A football teams like SDSU, USC, and UCLA).

Rugg is undoubtedly going through the adjustment of finding that, like him, his teammates were stars in high school. In addition, most of them are upperclassmen who already have game experience playing at Jewell in previous years.

But Collin is grounded, not given to partying or out-of-control behavior. In fact, his father Scott said his son's goal is to complete college without consuming alcohol or caffeine.

He has a photo of himself at quarterback with a cross as his profile picture on his Facebook page.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Quotes

La Jolla Offensive Coordinator Tyler Roach:

--On what junior center/guard Dane Hansen brings to the line: "Toughness and smarts."

--On Alex Lopez, another two-way player: "He's one of our few seniors and only senior lineman. He is a tough kid that always plays hard, high motor."

--On La Jolla's effort in the season-opening win over Country Day: "Our offensive line played well."

--Before the Vikings' game against Bishop's, on the O-line: "We will need another big night from them."

Head Coach Jason Carter:

--"We're a heavily junior-laden team."

--On quarterback Casey Brown's debut in the season opener: "We've known he has a lot of talent. He had 300 yards passing yardage. For me, it was average. (Everyone thought it was great.) Me, I thought it was average."


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: Injury update

Trenton Fudge, a Viking wide receiver and punter/kicker, was limited to PAT duties against Bishop's Sept. 4 after trying one punt. "I wanted to play, but my parents held me back and my doctor wouldn't release me" to play on offense, he said in the shadows in front of Mission Bay's stadium as La Jolla's team waited for the team bus to take them back to campus after the loss.

Fudge injured the AC joint in his shoulder when he was tackled on a pass reception during the opening win at Country Day Aug. 28. He said when he went down, "It twisted." The area hurts, and he said he could feel it "especially on punts."

The two-sport athlete, who also starred for La Jolla's Division II title-game baseball team last spring, punted once Friday for 32 yards, but then was replaced by backup punter Cole Dimich, who had three punts for a total of 105 yards.

Fudge did take point-after-touchdown duties after Daniel McColl scored La Jolla's sole touchdown in the second quarter.

In week one, Fudge decimated the Torreys with 190 yards receiving on 11 passes from quarterback Casey Brown. He stayed in the game even after sustaining the injury.

Immediately following the game, after Carter conducted a postgame interview with a reporter, Fudge informed Carter he was going to Scripps Hospital with his parents to have the AC joint looked at. His father said, "We're going to Scripps. Do you know a better place?", shrugging his shoulders. By then, it was after 10:30 p.m. The game at Country Day lasted three hours, 15 minutes.

Back at Mission Bay, asked if he would be able to answer the bell for Blastoff against Fallbrook Fri., Sept. 11, on University City's field, Fudge shrugged, "I don't know."

The fleet senior, who originally only did kicks for the varsity as a sophomore until Coach Jason Carter saw Trenton's success in limited action as a receiver, is receiving therapy for the injury. Early in Fudge's receiving heroics, Carter mused, "We probably ought to use him more."


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB 7, Bishop's 42

Coach Jason Carter's son was one of the young kids playing on the La Jolla sideline during the Vikings' football game against crosstown rival Bishop's Fri., Sept. 4.

That created some of the more entertaining action of the evening, at least from an LJHS standpoint, as the young kids simulated UFC kicks and blows.

Meanwhile, next to them on the football field, the Vikings went down early to a Knights juggernaut, giving up a quick score in the air, then in short order two on the ground, and trailed 21-0 at 5:18 p.m.--after an 5 p.m. start on the Mission Bay field.

La Jolla dug a bigger hole in the second quarter, falling behind 28-0. The Vikes' only score of the night came on a novelty play, Daniel McColl's ramble 10 yards to the end zone. The Knights were used to seeing number 55 on the line, so when he set up just back from the line they didn't take note. But the Bishop's coaching staff yelled "Reverse! Reverse!" to no avail as the big junior straight-armed a defender and slipped across the goal line at the far left sideline.

Disappointingly, La Jolla never mounted any charge to fight back. A drained Carter, after the game, agreed it had been a long day, his having begun when he got up at 4 a.m. in anticipation of the game. But he consoled his team by telling them: "It was a speed bump in the road."

"We got out-played, out-coached in every facet of the game," said the coach as a girls field hockey game was starting after the football contest. His one consolation for the weekend was his beloved Texas A&M kicking off its season by throttling Arizona State the next night.

A bright spot, besides lineman McColl's touchdown and 5 solo tackles and one assisted tackle on defense, was linebacker Yohann Ponsaty's name being called frequently over the P.A. for yet another tackle. Ponsaty was a man possessed, getting better each week so far. He led the Vikings' defense with seven solo tackles and a sack.

The 180-pound junior's sack of Bishop's quarterback Jeffrey Jackson came on a 2nd-and-goal at the Vikings' 7-yard-line. It stymied the Knights from scoring yet a fourth TD in the inaugural quarter and gave La Jolla some lift and temporary breathing room.

The fourth quarter ended with a running clock due to the wide score differential. By then, sophomore Jackson was able to complete 25 of 33 passes for 255 yards, 4 touchdowns and 1 interception. Senior A.J. Britanico added two rushing TD's on 19 carries for 173 yards. Finally, another sophomore, Mozes Mooney, punished La Jolla by making 11 receptions for 115 yards.

Said Bishop's coach Joel Allen before the game for the Pearl Street Trophy, "We'll find out how good we are." The prior week, the Knights opened against a hapless team from Tijuana, Instituto Mexico, and demolished them 68-0. So it didn't really give Allen a true measure of his team's ability.

Unfortunately for black and red faithful, the private school now holds the rivalry trophy for a second year, after the identical score of last year's shellacking.

Lessening some of the disappointment is the fact La Jolla won its opening game against Country Day. So there is one tally in the win column. The season is still young.


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper

LJ FB: "Levy"

Jonathan Levenson (1) signals quarterback Casey

Brown (7) for the ball in the first half.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Senior Jonathan Levenson realizes his responsibility to help lead his younger teammates on the La Jolla High football team.

"I've started on varsity since my sophomore year, and I've seen how the seniors really lead the team and make a big difference," he said prior to the Vikings' week-two game against Bishop's. "I believe it's my job as a senior to be a positive role model and take charge of the team. I think my personal role is to be the enforcer and to be very vocal."

"Levy", as he is called by teammates and coaches, has been audibly and visibly vocal with his teammates during warm-ups before La Jolla's scrimmage against Imperial Aug. 22 and the Vikings' opener at Country Day Aug. 28.

Looking ahead to the Knights Fri., Sept. 4--Bishop's is the defending CIF Division 4 champion--the 6'1", 170-pound two-way player said, "I think we have a lot to improve on, but from last week our team learned our strengths and weaknesses.

"Our strengths being that we are a very tough team and like to play scrappy, and a weakness being the small amount of players we have.

"This week I feel confident we're going to come out strong and ready for anything they throw at us."

The fair-haired running back and defensive back, 17 years old, likes history in the classroom. His favorite food is pizza, and for dessert "definitely" frozen yogurt. He listens to all genres of music.

He says he's faster than last season, and he has added considerable muscle and mass, increasing his weight in the off-season from 150 to 170 pounds--a 13 percent uptick.

"I feel a lot more confident on the field," said Jonathan, "and feel the power."

Evaluating himself in the win over Country Day, he said, "I think I did good on offense getting open and making plays. I want to work on being a little more aggressive off the ball defensively."

"We believe that with their (Bishop's) low numbers that the game will be won in the second half," said Levenson. "We preach a lot on conditioning and being in shape, so we can tire them out throughout the game and put points up. "Also, Trenton Fudge will be out this week with a shoulder injury (AC joint), so our receivers will step up big."


Copyright 2015 Ed Piper