LJ FB: Water polo

Members of the LJHS football squad mix it up in the

pool in an informal water polo tournament to build

team unity. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Kenny Harden sidled into position, with the offense in front of him. In a relaxed, casual manner, the left-handed rising junior lofted an easy toss to an open spot.

No, the quarterback wasn't throwing to one of his favorite receivers on the La Jolla football team. Instead, he was making himself comfortable with the first of back-to-back goals as Coach Matt Morrison's squad took a break from weekday workouts to have a little fun in the Coggan Pool on campus, playing water polo instead.

On the opposite side of the pool, while swimmers under coaches' directions down the way took lap after lap in roped-off lanes, Joey Liss set up in front of the opposing goal in a totally different manner. The lineman, accustomed to blocking big bodies, put his back to the net and quickly flicked the ball backwards--completely catching his teammate defending goal completely off-guard.

"[Joey] played seven years of competitive water polo," said Morrison later, arriving after equipment was checked out to football team members for fall workouts beginning Aug. 1. The team is approaching its move-in date to the new lockers on the field at Edwards Stadium, but for now the old lockers are good enough.

Carsten Fehlan (L) and other members

of the Viking football program look on

as water polo tourney progresses.

 



Some of the bronzed gods strutting on the pool deck this day would make any coed swoon: Hayden, who will see action at defensive back while he seems to sit third on the depth chart at quarterback behind senior Cole Dimich and junior Trevor Scully, looked like he lives at the beach or pool. Dimich visually fit the La Jolla beachside role, as well. Liss, on the other hand, looked untouched by tanning rays.

Junior Sola Hope, who has quickly carved out a visible role on offense and defense in workouts in the summer before his first year on the varsity, held sway in goal in early going in the informal water polo tournament. Then he got picked apart by a shot here or there that got past him, and he surrendered to teammates at the keeper position.

"We've been going really hard in workouts, so this is a chance for the players to relax a little," said the head coach as action in the pool continued.