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