LJ FB 32, Serra 0

Alex Dockery shone on Homecoming night, including

on this 27-yard punt return in the second quarter that

set up his own TD minutes later. Vikings led, 20-0.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Seniors Alex Dockery and Cole Dimich provided all the scoring as La Jolla's football team, renovating its won-lost record to a more respectable 3-5, clobbered lowly Serra 32-0 amid Homecoming and ribbon-cutting ceremonies for newly renovated sports facilities Fri., Oct. 14.

The Vikings, on the attack from the opening kickoff, immediately recovered an onside kick, then scored on their first two possessions behind Dimich's eight-yard quarterback keeper and a spectacular 69-yard pass play from Dimich to Dockery before a large crowd that included 30 inductees onto the new coaches' Wall of Honor.

Earlier in the afternoon, the new tennis pavilion was unveiled next to the playing field as former San Diego City Manager Jack McGrory, well-known for "moving Fay Street so the pool could go in", introduced coaching honoree Maggie Mulkins and the son of Russ Lanthorne--also known as Russ Lanthorne--an LJHS tennis coaching legend who is deceased.

"Illegally," McGrory laughed during the ceremony on his successful maneuver to clear a way so that Coggan Family Pool could be constructed.

But tears at the junior Lanthorne's memories of his father and mother were soon converted to cheers as La Jolla's current football contingent avenged a disappointing 20-18 loss at Patrick Henry last week in the Vikings' first-ever game in the new City League.

Big Daniel McColl excited the home crowd by dragging multiple defenders with him on several plays to pile up yardage for the offense. Actually, his first time getting his hands on the ball came on a 27-yard pass in the flat from Dimich on La Jolla's second play from scrimmage after the successful onside kick to open the game.

Serra QB Joaquin Quintana-McKinney (12), as seen on

this pass pressure, never had a chance against

an effective La Jolla defense.

 



That set up Cole's short run up the middle for the Vikings' first score. Determined to generate offensive sparks, Coach Matt Morrison--in his first Homecoming at La Jolla--then called a fake kick, but Dimich's pass for two points fell incomplete. It was 6-0 in favor of the hosts.

On first-and-10 from their own 31 on their next possession, "Dock"--enjoying a juking night of fancy moves that drew oohs and aahs from the assembled--raced up the near sideline for his 69-yard catch-and-run. La Jolla led 13-0.

Serra barely put up resistance, struggling to a 1-6 record and sitting at the bottom of the City League pile with pitiful Hoover, both without wins in league play. Tiny back Brian Pratt was the most active, but the Q's weren't much of a threat to score the whole night, even after a dominant 20-0 halftime lead by La Jolla pretty much spelled garbage time for the second half.

Dockery's five-yard scamper in the second quarter increased the bulge from 13 points to the halftime margin. Then, in the third quarter, Dimich ran 60 yards for one touchdown, and a short distance for another, but it didn't really matter by then.

At halftime, class floats mounted on golf carts--to protect the new track surface--and class princes and princesses preceded the presentation of the Homecoming court.