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