LJ FB 49, UC 8



Now you see him, now you don't:

Alex Dockery (3) appears to be

shut off by UC's Gavin

Rasmussen (upper left), then spin

move frees him for 52-yard gain.

(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

On a night on which 24 seniors were recognized before their last regular season home game, the La Jolla High football team put together a first half in which all their work of the past several weeks came together with a peaking level of confidence to take a 35-0 lead over visiting University City Fri., Oct. 28.

The Vikings went on to add two more touchdowns in the third quarter to rout the struggling Centurions, 49-8. Running back Alex Dockery stood out by scoring four TD's, three rushing and one on a spectacular punt return.

Who would have thought that the Vikings, the Little Engine that Could but an underdog in several previous games, would lead their rival down Highway 52 by the threshold that makes a running clock for the second half possible?

And who have dreamed that Coach Matt Morrison's first Viking team, 2-4 only three weeks ago, would finish the night 5-4, with a 2-1 record in the topsy-turvy City League?

Dockery, one of the two dozen seniors recognized on Senior Night in front of a modest home crowd, took his rushing game to another level in this contest. He went beyond his previous juking-and-jiving to show off a complete spin move that circled him past a Centurion defender for a 52-yard gain in the first quarter.

That advanced the ball to the UC 8-yard line, where the 5'8" powerpack, whose little brother and dad play for a Pop Warner title Sat., took the ball over from four yards out after a penalty, for a TD and a 21-0 lead to end the opening quarter.

Another outstanding play by the inspired speedster was a one-handed grab of a Cole Dimich pass with Alex's left arm completely extended to the side. He didn't even bobble the catch, curling it in as he was pushed out of bounds in front of the La Jolla bench.

The "Dock" play that probably caused the most head-scratching in the first half was a punt return in which he seemed caught in the clutches of a defender right after the ball came down, then somehow he exited left and, lo and behold, took the ball 55 yards upfield to the house for another TD. The Vikings, before a delirious and disbelieving crowd, now led 28-0 after Tai Nguyen's PAT kick, still with almost five minutes left in the half.

La Jolla scored on its first possession of the game, with Daniel McColl taking a reception 18 yards into the end zone. Nguyen made his first kick.

On their second possession, the Vikings parlayed a fake punt into a nine-yard gain by McColl on fourth-and-four. Johann Ponsaty plunged over from one yard out for the TD. Nguyen's PAT put the hosts up 14-0.

La Jolla padded its lead near the end of the second quarter with Dockery's third touchdown after Buster Hoy stripped the UC kick returner and recovered the ball on the Centurion 32-yard line. The edge was 35-0.

On defense, Ross Martin and Tino Mendez had sacks of UC sophomore quarterback Casey Granfors. McColl was also highly visible.

At halftime, seniors on the Viking cheer squad were also recognized, after a performance on the field by the LJHS band under teacher Michael Fiedler and a cheer and routine by Advisor Cindee Russell's cheer squad.