LJ FB: Hosted Helix, Madison, El Capitan in 7-on-7 passing

Viking QB Trevor Scully makes his

reads in 7-on-7 passing round-robin

Tues. (Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla's defense made a stop, and a Madison assistant coach scoffed, "This is their Super Bowl," not without sarcasm. Madison's football players have a chip on their shoulders, and the Vikings have something to prove. It all played out Tues., June 27, on the Edwards Field turf in 7-on-7 passing as new La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach played host to Madison, Helix, and El Capitan.

Roach told his players, "I want you to keep the competitive level up. These are schools from higher divisions," so play them well, and the benefit will carry over when La Jolla plays teams in its own division, Division 3.

Helix's offense, especially, was humming as the Highlanders scored more than once on one-and-done plays that took them to the end zone at the north end of the field. This was the third of the three mini-games La Jolla played, after starting against El Capitan, then rotating to face the Warhawks, before ending against Helix's highly-touted program.

Rising sophomore Greg Nelson (R) works for room

to maneuver after reception against Madison

in second rotation of round-robin.

But the small Viking unit had its moments on offense and defense. Building on a good effort Sat., June 24, in the 16-team La Costa Canyon tournament, quarterback Trevor Scully found receiver Gabe Solis in the end zone against second-year Coach Robbie Owens' Scots.

Scully took all the snaps in the round-robin, and he continued to show the arm strength, accuracy, and seasoning from his junior season last year sharing starting duties at Mission Bay under former La Jolla head coach Jason Carter. Kenny Hayden, right there on the depth chart with Scully at starting quarterback, continues to rehab his knee and was the one to toss the ball to Scully to start each play Tuesday.

LJ softball: Brownie

By Ed Piper, Jr.

"That's Linda's phone," Tracy Brown, her father, explained to a guest after starting up Motown tunes on the backyard patio at his daughter's combined graduation/18th birthday party at their home June 17.

"That's something we really share in common," the La Jolla High assistant softball coach said. "Music. We sit at night and listen to songs together. She likes the (Motown) stuff."

The father-daughter connection via music of his favorite era obviously warms Tracy's heart, and fit right in with the close, family nature of the party, which was attended by several good friends and softball colleagues of the Browns, who love their softball, too.

The occasion marked the end of Linda's record-setting career at La Jolla as a third base power hitter, knocking up to nine home runs in a season during her sophomore season. Both Browns saw the culmination of their dreams in the Vikings' CIF championship with a thrilling 2-1 win on a walkoff game-winning hit by teammate Josie Sinkeldam in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Linda greeted guests as they arrived, and the family provided a tasty buffet of carne asada and chicken tacos with all the trimmings.

What hasn't really sunk in yet with La Jolla players returning next year is that Tracy is not returning to coach the team. He is moving to Morse, where Linda's younger sister, Leilah, will be a pitcher as a ninth-grader.

LJ b BB 53, Madison 48

Viking assistant coach T.J. Parry dispenses counsel

during a timeout to (L-R) Behzad Hashemi, Jacob

Duffy, Diego Solis, Evan Brown, and

Nick Hulquist. (Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Relying on a lineup consisting almost completely of players from the Class of 2019, La Jolla assistant coach T.J. Parry led the Vikings to a 53-48 win over Madison in the Montgomery High summer league Mon., June 26.

Madison, a team La Jolla has owned the last couple of years, led by four late in the third quarter. But the Vikings held the Warhawks off, landing in a secure spot on Behzad Hashemi's pair of free throws for a nine-point lead with 1:26 left.

"I liked the energy in the fourth quarter," said Parry, filling in for head coach Paul Baranowski in a game played in the steamy MHS Old Gym in the South Bay.

The new Vikings, featuring Evan Brown up front for the graduated Daniel McColl alongside a plethora of disciplined guards, led from the beginning. In the second quarter, their edge stood at 17-6, then 21-9, before Madison fought back to a 21-18 deficit at halftime.

Nick Hulquist, a tall guard in the mold of Reed Farley at 6'5", had a block in which he gained possession, and Hashemi, a varsity returner, made all four of his free throws in the fourth quarter when it counted.

Jacob Ohara (right), one of only two rising seniors

on La Jolla's squad, listens as Parry remonstrates.

 

Shooting charts of La Jolla's offense revealed only two makes from outside, a three by Gabe Solis from near the left elbow in the opening stanza and a trey by Hashemi from the right baseline in the second quarter. That's an area where La Jolla might want to improve, with Hashemi, Hulquist, and Solis having outside shooting skills.

Parry probably wasn't complaining, though, at the fact the red and black burned Madison for repeated shots from close in. In the fourth quarter, rising senior Jacob Ohara--the lone senior present and accounted for--scored four buckets inside, Jacob Duffy had two from the left side of the basket, while Diego Solis, Gabe's younger brother and a rising ninth-grader, added another.

Brown, like his predecessor McColl in the front court measuring 6'2", will have to find a way to battle taller opponents along the baseline in the coming season. But on the junior varsity last season, he found a way to be extremely effective. Hopefully, he can translate his skills to the varsity level under Baranowski.

Ohara and Gabriel Solis looked like they benefitted from another year of growth and maturation. Ohara looked confident and aggressive. A natural righty, he scored on a left-handed layup in the final quarter. In the second quarter, he forced a travel call underneath the basket on good, aggressive defense. He'll be looked to for considerable leadership as a returner next winter.

Gabe has looked faster and quicker recently, in both the Vikings' participation in 7-on-7 football at La Costa Canyon Sat., June 24, and in the basketball game against the Warhawks. A receiver in football, he said, "Track helped me get faster and quicker. In track, you work on your starts. That has helped."

Commented Parry, "Gabe? He makes some plays. With him, it's staying under control (that's the issue)."

Asked what he has seen this summer, the assistant coach said, "We're playing in spurts. In the summer we don't play together everyday. They play together for four minutes, then they don't play together for four minutes."

Asked what the antidote is, Parry shrugged.

Duffy hit only two of his six free throws in the fourth quarter. That's an area where he's got to sharpen up. He made one of two earlier in the third quarter. He did grab a rebound in the second quarter, another in the fourth with a block.

Ohara sank two of four free throws in the opening quarter, one of two in the third. Ditto the need to tighten that up.

The Vikings play Mondays and Wednesdays at Montgomery through July 12. After a trip to Baranowski's native Arizona June 15-17 and their first weekend camp at Point Loma Nazarene June 23-24, they resume camp participation at UCSD this weekend, June 30-July 2, before enjoying the July 4th holiday.

Then La Jolla goes to Grossmont July 7-9.

LJ field hockey: Griffiths gone

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Lisa Griffiths, who headed La Jolla's field hockey program for two years, has stepped down from her position and moved with her husband to Denver for his new job.

"I've already picked up another school to help coach at this year," said Griffiths, who coached at Clairemont High for one year before La Jolla Athletic Director Paula Conway plucked her away to come to La Jolla in 2015. Griffiths, an Australian by birth, worked in financial management during her time in San Diego.

"The team is in good hands," said the former coach. "Amanda Warford, who runs the club Coastal Clash, is taking over from me and with her, this program is going to explode!"

La Jolla has had good athletes the last several years, including many under Conway, who directly preceded Griffiths, whom she hired. But the Vikings have never had a feeder program starting at the middle school level, as do Serra and Scripps Ranch, the powers in field hockey in San Diego County.

As a result, while the girls have been able to run, and are very competitive, they have lacked the polished stick skills that are mandatory for La Jolla to get over the hump to compete against the elite teams on an even level.

Without the years of experience required to perfect the ability to handle the field hockey stick, players on offense are often limited in their ability to attack by dribbling through traffic and forging their way aggressively to the net to score.

Griffiths, with her full-time employment around her school coaching, wasn't able to devote her time or expertise to the building of a youth program for girls in the area.

She will be missed by the girls, who quickly bonded with her warm manner and willingness to act as sort of a "big sister" in the coaching role, a contrast to Conway's manner, which comes with an extremely high level of skill and competitive experience and which to the high school girls comes more from above as the authoritative parental figure, rather than a friend type of role. There are definitely advantages to both types of coaching.

The great advantages the La Jolla program enjoys are that Conway can act as a kind of mentor to the younger coach and from time to time, as she did during Griffiths' short stay, pop in to coach the girls during a match or two to augment what the coach is doing.

'The Big O': No glamor

By Ed Piper, Jr.

With so much talk this past NBA season about Russell Westbrook's averaging a triple-double to match Oscar Robertson, let me clear this up: Back in the 60's when the "Big O" was operating, there was little glamor surrounding him on the woeful Cincinnati Royals.

He played on a lousy team, and as a result, they got little publicity. Nobody wanted to be the "Big O" back then, the way kids want to be Steph Curry, or K.D., or Westbrook today.

Back in those days, the concept of the "triple-double"--double figures in points, assists, and rebounds--had not even been originated. The term wasn't used until more recently in basketball, with the explosion of statistics-keeping and the heavy coverage of the sport.

Robertson, a great player, partly had those gaudy statistics because he played for a lousy team. The ownership of the team, as is the case with many pro franchises, didn't want to spend the money it would take to revamp the lineup and give the guard some teammates who could play at a high level. And so Robertson, stuck as the big fish in a little pond--Cincinnati was a media backwater--had to handle the ball every time downcourt and do most of the passing and a lot of the shooting. Hence the over-the-top statistics.

During the 1967-1968 and 1968-1969 seasons, the team didn't even make the playoffs.

The most publicity the guy ever got during his career was in the trade that sent him to the Milwaukee Bucks, joining the young Kareem Abdul Jabbar and leading to an NBA championship.

In a similar way, Westbrook, the OKC star, has to play stellar ball and either pass or shoot on most plays from his point guard position for the Thunder--because the talent around him, like in Robertson's case on the Royals, is thin.

Prep baseball: A conversation

By Ed Piper, Jr.

I was able to chat with a righthander the other day about his just-completed high school season and his club play.

He had a microscopic 0.70 ERA on a San Dieguito Academy team that had to vie with the likes of powerhouses La Costa Canyon, which won the Avocado West title, and Torrey Pines, which has been in the news of late.

What I took away from the conversation with the amiable young man was his calm, unexcitable nature, at least in the setting in which I interacted with him in, and the fraternal nature of the sport of baseball.

People often either love baseball or hate it. The ones who loathe it complain that it is too slow, etc. I get it. As I have chronicled in these pages, my brother and I played baseball for 10 years. So I knew about long doubleheaders, with a Colt League game in one city and an American Legion one miles away in another.

I knew about all the time sitting around, waiting and watching. It's not basketball, with scoring every minute. As a field game, it is spread out. There are afternoons of shagging flyballs on the outfield grass. There are warmups, throwing catch with teammates, until formal drills begin.

But the pace of the game is also its strength. It allows for, and encourages, reflection, chats about the weather and a whole host of other things. I can picture Reed Farley, he of La Jolla High basketball fame, in his baseball days on the field at Muirlands Middle School earlier in his high school days before he gave the sport up. I can see him and his teammates smiling and interacting. That happens a lot in baseball.

Now, with this young man who I had the conversation with, he earned a 2-3 won-lost record on a Mustang varsity that finished 9-20, which is pretty remarkable--moreso in view of his outstanding ERA in 15 appearances, both starting and in relief.

"I'm a starter," he allowed when discussing his summer plans to play for the San Diego Hawks until mid-July or so this year. He may be used in relief on his club team, because those will be the opportunities to pitch he will be afforded. He plans to matriculate at San Diego Mesa College, right across from my family residence above Boyd Avenue--probably a mile or less to the campus, as the crow flies, in the fall.

I think of the wear-and-tear on this young man's arm after all the pitching he has done. He didn't indicate he has had any arm troubles, which is fortunate. Some of us don't make it that far without injury. (I hurt my arm playing eighth grade softball at lunch at school from not warming up--not the proverbial curve ball or number of pitches.)

The curve ball theory, which was much in vogue when I was a youth pitcher, is debunked now. A recent study I read said the major concern for young pitchers' arms is the pure number of pitches they have thrown, no matter what kind of pitch. The arm can only sustain a certain number of throws with an overhand motion. (In an earlier column, I noted the ability of softball pitchers like the Vikings' Kyra Ferenczy to pitch endlessly with an underarm motion without suffering damage.)

I told this positive young man about the baseball options we had back in my days: youth league, Pony League, Colt League, then American Legion in Camarillo, California, circa 1965-1971.

Now American Legion doesn't seem to be prominent in San Diego, if active at all. There are multitudinous other organizations and club teams.

This young man said, "There are club teams that pop up everywhere. You don't even know where they came from." My experience observing coaches in school and out is that some are good, some are not as good. Most have the young players' interests at heart. Unfortunately, some seem to go on a power trip in their desire to build a great program in competition with other programs.

My overall point here is the positive aspect of baseball, this young man, and young people who work at a sport or other skill to grow in that sport or skill, to have a good experience on a team, and to move through the teen years maturing as people and expanding their horizons. Adults are not only resources for these young people, but in their proper role as the older people in the picture, mentors, guides, and encouragers.

LJ FB: Lifters

Ryan Lennard, Viking Strength and Conditioning

Coach and an LJHS alumnus, presents his program

to parents at football Family Day on campus.

(Photo by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

"A group of freshmen--Phillip Pacleb, Matt Kelly, and Finn Rice--have been off the charts in attendance at workouts from the first day," enthused Ryan Lennard, La Jolla's Strength and Conditioning Coach, about his charges who have taken right to the weights. The three are in the Viking football program.

Some embrace the weights--and the workouts--while some others may have more of a love-and-hate relationship with the resistance work, which literally tears muscle, only to allow it to repair itself bigger and stronger.

Lennard is a product of La Jolla High himself, so he came up through the same channels, though his alma mater didn't have any of the facilities he now can offer to rising sophomores Pacleb, Kelly, and Rice. The three were participating with their teammates in the first annual Family Day on the football turf, not really a day for scrimmages; rather, a morning for parents of present student athletes and prospective students and their families to watch an intense and entertaining practice and to meet the new coaches while being provided with a tasty bite to eat at the close of the program.

Outside of his meeting with parents, Lennard told a funny story about his last name. It turns out that Juan Sanchez, another Viking wrestling star, was, by Lennard's student days at La Jolla High, the head wrestling coach. Sanchez would write Ryan's last name with a capital "D" at the end. It ended up looking like an "O" instead of a "D", and Lennard got introduced as "Ryan Lennaro".

Fast-forward to last January's Holtville Rotary Invitational Wrestling Tournament at the remote Imperial Valley location. The program, listing past winners, spells Lennard's name just that way--"Lennaro".

So, an enterprising sports reporter called up the meet director following the event, and pointed out the spelling error, asking if he could have his mother-in-law, who keeps the records, make the correction. The coach's response: "I've talked with him (Ryan), and he never said anything about it. Yes, I will make sure the change is made."

So, the sportswriter reported back to Lennard that Coach Carl Johnston said he would correct the error. Then the strength coach gave the whole story, going back to Coach Sanchez's "LennarD" antics.

LJ FB: Family Day

Rising junior Abdul Sinjab is wide open for a

reception in passing plays against live defense

toward the close of workouts Sat.

(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

"I can't believe the atmosphere," said Robert Belnap's father, an attendee with his wife at the first Family Day for the La Jolla High football program Sat., June 3, put on in, on, touring, and in front of the beautiful athletic facilities hugging the western edge of the Edwards Stadium turf, appropriately painted in Viking colors.

Mr. Belnap pretty much summed the morning up, in which 20 eighth-graders--the core of next fall's Class of 2021 freshman team--met the coaches and got to take some heaves from projected JV quarterback Carlos Ramirez on the field. On the other end, parents like the Belnaps, who had their effervescent redheaded toddler, Robert's sibling, in tow, got to walk through Ryan Lennard's sparkling weight room and hear from him on the strength and conditioning program's undergirding and tie into the football program.

Just before a catered pulled pork sandwich barbecue, they got to hear from the new head man himself, Tyler Roach, the former Centurion, of late of La Jolla Country Day's defensive unit, returned to the La Jolla High gridiron where he helped direct the record-setting spread offense of quarterback Collin Rugg and receivers Carlton O'Neal, Brandon Bonham, and Trenton Fudge.

Roach, in front of a ginormous TV monitor in the Viking team room, spoke well and enlightened the supportive attending parents about the program's expectations, dates for physicals, and other things as he continues to provide a forward-looking face for the program after so much change over the past year and a half.

The varsity and junior varsity players anchored the three-hour morning program by undergoing a full workout, which they might have had the day before, on Friday, if it had not been a half day of school. Johnathan Jay O'Neal, Carlton's brother, as well as Daniel Souza, Sola Hope, and other returners and likely leaders of this fall's first battle contingent of now-Head Coach Roach went through their paces. They seemed especially spirited, having donned sharp-looking practice jerseys with a new design, and defenders fought receivers for passes thrown near the post by Carsten Fehlan and Trevor Scully, as well as a rehabbing Kenny Hayden, now off crutches, with throws by Ramirez, the rising sophomore, sprinkled in.

New Viking Head Coach Tyler Roach (black

hat visible in upper left, above red Nike cap)

holds forth with parents during first annual

Family Day.

But Mr. Belnap had it right: Never before have guests of the program been greeted by such impressive facilities, occupying space that only two years ago was a recovering pile of dirt where temporary visitors stands were brought in each fall and assembled, only to be torn down at the end of the season and dragged away. On the ample breadth of bare dirt spanning the visitors side of the field, a reporter/photographer would pull his truck in and park right next to the temporary stands to haul his equipment the shortest possible distance to the field.

Then, only nine months ago, former coach Matt Morrison's players were still working out of storage containers on the Muirlands Middle School campus.

All of this has been transformed, by the completion of the new digs, which opened as portions were completed beginning at the end of August 2016. Now, the new coaches office has two primo large screens Roach and his staff can review video on. (He showed some clips to his varsity/JV players before they took the practice field Saturday.) Helmets are neatly arranged on the walls of the same room.

The new spin room (with stationary cycles) is in full display at the end of the same building. What the alignment of buildings affords, that couldn't occur before, is everyone grouped in the same area and within eyesight and earshot of one another. The layout is conducive to getting the necessary work done. La Jolla footballers can now show off their facilities to kids and parents who are considering coming to the school, not known for football but certainly trying with this effort.

"You don't have to go to St. Augustine to be great," said Leslie Roach, the head coach's wife, shepherding little Marshall, active and sitting in Daddy's chair, not with rancor. She is a former Scripps Ranch Falcon, so she has made the switch to support her hubby in his new program. "This is his passion," the friendly, outgoing esposa said to some newly-made friends, when she was told he was holding forth very effectively before the parents in the team room.

"He is into so much more than the athlete just being a football player," Leslie Roach said. "He wants each one to grow as a person, to have good character, to be a good citizen, all of those things.

LJ softball: Reminiscences

Viking softball players take instructions before

entering the paintball battle area for

mortal combat. (Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)



By Ed Piper, Jr.

I was emoting to my wife Sat., June 3, driving home from the La Jolla softball team's paintball team party on Clairemont Mesa.

It was a happy time, being invited to hang out with the players and their families in the after-season event.

But it was also emotional and tinged with sadness, because some players and staff will move on. Dylan Thomas (a Brit who never played softball or baseball) said you can never go home again? I was going to my home, but I will never see this concoction of softball players and coaches again as they have been this night and for the past four years.

Anthony Sarain, who was the Vikings' head coach the last seven seasons until this year, was welcoming to me from the first time I wandered onto the La Jolla softball field with my (now-retired) mega-camera way back when.

Tracy Brown, the team's assistant coach and Viking helmet wearer the past four years (until the helmet was retired and pitcher Kyra Ferenczy brought her giraffe stuffed animals, Pancho and George (and Geo for the semifinal and final), carried on the friendly tenor--which people don't always do to a media person sticking a camera in their face--I can tell you stories.

Tracy, among the coaches, went above and beyond the normal, treating me as a personal friend, which I consider him. Emily Alvarez, she of the video skills who plays first base, and Ava Verbrugghen, the much-improved left fielder, both brought me on board and made me an honorary team member.

Teammates Hailey Ramos (in front) and Ava

Verbrugghen (behind) grin as they receive

verbal directions on paintball Saturday.

At the semifinals at the Poway Sportsplex, as the Vikings' win over Coronado became more evident in the later innings and the players could start thinking--though it's dangerous to do--about being in the finals two days later, one of them called out in the dugout, "Ed, you're one of the team." I said, "Even though I was gone a long time and just came back?" (My wife and I took a trip and were gone two weeks during the regular season.) "Yeah." I think it was Emily.

Having played 10 years of baseball, I know enough about baseball that transfers to softball. This year I sometimes offered counsel and advice to players, and no one said, "Stop doing that." So I felt more comfortable to jump in there and say something when it would seem to help.

Keep in mind, there are girls on the team who had never played softball before a teammate asked them to join the team.

What's kind of funny is that in baseball, with Gary Frank's team, the ethic is much different. Any baseball team is like this now: You don't say too much, there is a rule that says you don't step out of line and emote a la Bryce Harper on the Washington Nationals. So, to go from Nick Ferenczy's Viking baseball games, where I keep my mouth shut and attend to my scorebook, to his sister Kyra Ferenczy's softball games is quite a mindbender.

Earlier in the softball season, before our trip, when I attended a few games, I was surprised at how emotional and involved I got in the Vikings' games. I was calling stuff out, and getting choked up. As a player, I was never a yeller or shouter. It really surprised me.

In other words, I have felt welcomed and included on this team more than any other team I have covered in the past 13 years at La Jolla High. Oh, what a feeling. I'm going to miss this particular group.

LJ softball: Era end

Linda Brown (left), Viking power hitter, helps

her mom put on protective equipment before

the team's paintball party.

(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

This is a tale of two third basemen. Basewomen?

One stayed at the hot corner. One got moved to catcher.

Linda Brown and Stephanie Alvarez have some similarities. Both are powerfully built, so as to yield the many home runs that they respectively hit for La Jolla High's softball team.

Both are easy-going. Highly competitive, but people easy to approach and talk to. People-persons, I guess you could say. Both are amiable and used to being around family and friends.

Stephanie probably smiles more, but Linda is not averse to that facial expression.

Both were at the Vikings' paintball team event in Clairemont Sat., June 3. So, later, as I reflected on the fun time the CIF-winning team, the 2017 edition, had together one more time, I thought of some of these things.

It's the end of another era, with Linda and her fellow seniors, Ava Verbrugghen and Sara Tyrus, graduating in a handful of days on the Edwards Field turf.

It was a bittersweet evening the other night, because Linda and her dad, Tracy, have come as a package deal from the day Linda started softball at La Jolla in Spring 2014. "Grandpa", James Brown--great name--has also been a frequent flyer in the team's spectating area.

Just the same way certain things changed the day Stephanie, two years her elder, ended her slugging Viking softball career in 2015. Stephanie graduated with teammate Katya Sarain, the team's pitcher. Katya's dad, Anthony, coached one more year, then this year "did the schedule and some behind-the-scenes things", Anthony said the other day after stepping down after seven years as head coach. Andrea Denham moved up from JV coach to take over his position this year.

Linda Brown (center left, background) takes part

in captains' meeting before 7-2 win at Mar Vista

in CIF second round. Vikings are (from left) Sara

Tyrus, Brown, Josie Sinkeldam, and head coach

Andrea Denham.

 



 

Linda got a CIF title. Stephanie didn't. It wasn't Stephanie's fault. She came in when the softball program was barely afloat. The team hadn't won for years. There were hardly enough players to field a team and avoid forfeits.

Stephanie, her skills honed in club softball, began crushing the ball right off the bat (to use a pun). She played at third her first year. Then, when the need arose, Coach Sarain moved her behind the plate.

Stephanie, I think, has enjoyed being around the team during the playoffs this Spring as they made their way to the CIF title. According to the coaches, this is the first CIF title for the La Jolla softball program. Stephanie gladly came with her younger sister, Emily, who is the present team's first baseman, finishing her junior year, to San Diego Paintball to strategically fire a few paint blobs at one another.

I'm happy to report that Stephanie is presently pursuing her favorite sport at St. Mary's in North Dakota. She's back playing the infield, first base mostly.

Linda, in her own team context, had to switch positions, too. She started at shortstop her freshman year, as I remember it. Then fellow phenom Josie Sinkeldam, a shortstop, came in a year later, and Linda moved to third, where she has stayed the last three years.

Linda's and Stephanie's value to their team could be quantified by the numbers. Their statistics are impressive. Linda, over the past four years, hit .417, .442, .490, and .447. Her homers, by year from her freshman year, were 2, 9, 7, and 5. Before her two homers in the semis this year against Coronado in a 12-3 thrashing, Anthony Sarain observed from behind the backstop, "Linda's homers have dipped this year, but not her hitting." She then crushed both shots over the netting strung in centerfield at the Poway SportsPlex. The barrage was part of a 19-hit team-wide power display that sent them straight into the finals at UCSD, which they won over Mission Bay in a thrilling walk-off win in the bottom of the seventh, 2-1.

Linda's RBI's tracked 11, 25, 38, and 35. Keep in mind this is in 23, 29, 30, and 28 games. So after her freshman year, when she and Stephanie had no one on base hardly to drive in, she averaged about an RBI a game. In the major leagues that would be all-star, even Hall of Fame worthy. These two should both be in La Jolla's sports Hall of Fame, should such an institution ever be started.

Linda got 25, 46, 50, and 42 hits each of her four years starting on the varsity--close to two hits per game, on average, during her upper three years.

Starting two years earlier than Linda and overlapping with her during Stephanie's junior and senior years, Alvarez hit .380, .370, .400, and .500. Her homer totals were 3, 1, 2, and 9. RBI's: 21, 18, 18, and 29. Hits: 27, 20, 24, and 46. Ditto same impressive per-game ratio as Linda.

Stephanie, though, had to suffer through horrible seasons with her teams the first three years, with won-lost records of 4-24, 4-21, and 3-24. Even though Linda came aboard Stephanie's junior year in 2014, the Vikings were still dreadful at 3-24. Just having those two stellar players wasn't enough to lift them out of the muck and mire.

Linda played her latter three seasons during the present "golden age" of La Jolla softball. The Vikings' program has been helped by the present structuring of CIF teams by performance rather than school enrollment. This has meant they could play in Division IV the past two years, reaching the title game each season.

You could say Stephanie put in the hard work in the mines to help set the stage for the current success of Linda and her teammates.

LJ FB: Summer passing leagues

By Ed Piper, Jr.

La Jolla's football team is going to host several opposing teams in 7-on-7 passing dates this summer, according to new head coach Tyler Roach.

After traveling to the passing league at San Diego State Sat., June 10, and facing La Costa Canyon at LCC the following Sat., June 17, the Vikings will begin a string of at least three dates on their home turf at Edwards Stadium.

The teams coming to La Jolla will vary.

On the last Tuesday in June, June 27, at 4:30 p.m., the Vikings will play host to some football giants of San Diego County: Helix and Madison, as well as El Capitan.

After the no-contact period between coaches and players through the week of July 4, the Vikings will
bring in different opponents Tues., July 18, and then Tues., July 25.

A change from past years is that La Jolla will not travel to Southwestern College for the large 7-on-7 tournament there.

Seven-on-7 passing tournaments "are not football", as one coach said. But they do provide practice against opponents for quarterbacks and receivers, as well as passing defenses. Such tourneys or leagues have proliferated in the last several years in high school football.

LJ FB: The word of experience

Tyrell Williams (right), Chargers' number-two

receiver, shares with the La Jolla football team

during a break in Spring workouts Wed., March 31.

From left are assistant Armon Harvey and

Vikings head coach Tyler Roach.

(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Receivers coach Armon Harvey invited his friend, Tyrell Williams, a receiver for the Chargers, to speak to the La Jolla High football players during a break in Spring practice Wed., May 31.

"Take care of the books, because then you won't have to worry about that part," advised the 6'4" wide receiver, who grabbed 69 receptions last year for 1,059 yards and seven touchdowns in his second season for the then-San Diego Chargers.

He was introduced as "Tyrell Williams of the L.A. Chargers" to the team, and one assistant coach noted the earlier part: "So, how's L.A.?", snickering, in the course of a question-and-answer period on the middle of the Edwards Stadium field.

"It seems a little rough," replied the tall Williams with a chuckle. "I'll go there because it means playing football," he said diplomatically.

Harvey acted as a kind of emcee in hosting his friend before the high school players. He brought out the theme of Williams, who had ability out of high school, attending a smaller college, Western Oregon, an NCAA Division II school, then going undrafted by NFL teams after completion of his college career.

Did you ever doubt your abilities? "I always had confidence in what I could do," said the quiet-spoken pro athlete.

He graduated from Cascade Senior High School in Turner, Oregon, a school with only 766 students.

After going undrafted in the 2015 NFL draft, the Chargers signed him to a contract. They then waived him. Three days later, in September 2015, he was signed to the practice squad.

Center Lucas Smith listens attentively

alongside Viking teammates.

 



On November 1, 2015, the Oregonian was promoted to the Chargers' active squad. In other words, he bounced around a little and success didn't come immediately. That was what Harvey tried to help bring out to the youth hanging on the words of this pro star.

With Chargers star receiver Keenan Allen returning from injury next season, Williams likely won't see as many passes from quarterback Phillip Rivers as he did in 2016. "...[B]ut he should see plenty of work as the no. 2 receiver," says a scouting report on the website Rotoworld.com.

Williams, sharing with the Viking players, dwelled on the lessons of working hard, keeping a focus on goals including completing schoolwork, and maintaining self-confidence even in discouraging times.

La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach spent quite a bit of time conversing with the Charger receiver after his chat with the team.

LJ FB: Eardley a BMOC

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Collin Eardley is a big man on campus.

Literally.

The former Valhalla offensive lineman serves as the new Defensive Coordinator for La Jolla High. He has the body of an O-line player.

He can also be a man of few words, at least to media.

"What's this for?" the BMOC said when a media person asked him a question, eyeing the reporter's pen and notepad ready in hand.

He shied away--physically--something he evidently doesn't teach his new players on the Viking defensive unit.

Does the defense have a nickname yet? A visitor wasn't able to discover that from the word-few Eardley.

But new Head Coach Tyler Roach, who will serve as Offensive Coordinator, has tapped Eardley and his wealth of experience to be his counterpart on the opposite platoon this season.

Eardley was an assistant coach at Mission Bay High last year. Previously, he served in the Offensive Coordinator capacity at his alma mater, Valhalla, which has a prominent football program.

The big man played at Grossmont College following his prep days, then he stepped up to play his college ball at Southern Utah University.

"He was going to coach here with Jason (Carter) and me (two years ago)," said Roach in giving background on his DC.

"We're a little light on linemen," said Roach at Spring workouts Thurs., June 1. Prominent among those available for the Vikings is Tino Mendez, who Roach said will play nose guard, heading up the defense, and an offensive guard position, either right or left. Lucas Smith will be the center he'll be lining up next to on offense.

Alex Scrivener, who is recouping from an injury, will be another returning lineman.

Also visible among the defenders in Spring workouts last week and this week, pointing toward Family Day scrimmages Sat., June 3, at 10 a.m.--barbecue at 11:30 a.m.--include Johnathan O'Neal, Daniel Souza, Sola Hope, Abdul Sinjab, Buster Hoy, D'yhar Sturgis, Isaiah Sandoval, Gabe Solis, Michael Wells, Philip Pacleb, and Zach Garcia.

LJ FB: Old Spice and new growth

By Ed Piper, Jr.

In Tyler Roach's first Spring workouts as head coach at La Jolla High, there is some "Old Spice" and some "new growth" among the players participating in the annual rite on the Edwards Stadium field-- returners with recognizable faces, and newbies up from last year's junior varsity and freshman team.

First off, rising senior Lucas Smith is going to be his center. "That's what it looks like for now," said an engaging Roach, keeping up the tempo of the segmented workouts, keeping the music going on day number six, week number two of Spring practice, Wed., May 31. Thursday is the last day, before Family Day scrimmages and barbecue Sat., June 3.

On a digital display large enough to see easily from the center of the field, the four minutes or six minutes or whatever length of time a particular segment lasts tick down. The music offerings, which keep the energy up, Wednesday included something Mexican in Spanish, some soul, some urban--no ballads. All beat. Every team seems to practice to music these days, be it the Golden State Warriors or whoever.

Not many linemen were present Wednesday. But running back hopefuls going through drills included returnees D'yhar Sturgis, Gabe Solis, and others.

Defensive backs among returning players included Daniel Souza, Sola Hope, Abdul Sinjab, and others.

The running backs had to tip-tip-tip-toe quickly in tiny steps on their toes in a tight formation around small cones placed a foot apart in a line, exaggerated form mandatory, then pass one defender (a coach) on one side, circle around a second hostile defender trying to bat the ball away, then pass by the first defender on the opposite side against hostile action.

There wasn't as much sweat as on a sunny day, but the intensity was there and the breathing recovery between drills was apparent.

LJ FB: Forcier cont.'

By Ed Piper, Jr.

Remember I wrote, without having talked to him, that Chris Forcier, a former star quarterback at St. Augustine and the new La Jolla High quarterbacks coach, was "unsmiling" and presented a "fierce" visage on the practice field during Spring workouts?

I walked up to him yesterday (May 31) and told him about this, and had written without having met him first.

He smiled.

I said, "That's the first smile I've seen you do."

He said, as we began chatting amiably, "Maybe I should smile more." I replied, "No, that would break the aura."

Really, we talked football, which I'm always a student beginner at, since I didn't play it as a youth. He talked technically about stuff, and while throwing with one of his tutees, rising senior Trevor Scully, before the formal Wednesday workout, he explained to me why he has the player practice twisting his upper torso at the waist and lifting his throwing arm up: "This is without pads. With pads on, they are going to force his arm down. So you want to do this motion in an exaggerated way, so that he will have good throwing form in the game." Or basically that.

It was informative, clear, and understandable.

Wow, to be one of the athletes soaking up all this teaching. I keep telling people, when I was a senior in high school, the head baseball coach told us, "Concentrate. Swing hard." That was the level (or lack thereof) of technical coaching we got 46 years ago.

What I relished about our conversation that carried into the early part of the workout, while players warmed up at the end of the field, and that Chris--no trademark Nike cap on backwards, with the sky being totally overcast all day, long hair pulled and tied together at the back of his head--visibly seemed to enjoy was talking about the opportunity to play football in Milan, Italy, and soak up the culture.

Forcier, whose brothers Jason and Tate were also star quarterbacks, said, "The money I made playing football, which wasn't much, went to travel."

Having lived and taught in a foreign culture (Mexico) right out of college, I didn't need calisthenics to warm to the subject.

"How many people get to pursue their passion, and live in a foreign culture, soaking it all up?" he said as Scully, his lone tutee at quarterback this day, stretched with the rest of the Viking returnees and hopefuls 40 yards away on the north end zone paint.

"I could work out for a couple of weeks and be ready to play," he said, not seeming boastful. He means right now. Forcier looks fit, moves like it with his athletes, and maintains a tall, wiry physique that must have aided him in looking over opposing defensive lines to search out his sprinting receivers.

He just graduated from St. Augustine in the Class of 2012, so the scenario doesn't seem that far-fetched.

I interjected a little humor, and prefaced my question so that he wouldn't take it in a bad way. After all, it is the first time we have ever exchanged words.

I asked, "LaVar Ball vs. your dad" (who guided him and his brothers to get "the best training as quarterbacks as he could" when they were young)--"is there any comparison?"

Forcier laughed. Not really. "I wish I had $495 shoes," he said, in reference to Ball's new brand he is marketing to basketball players.

Was your father some kind of Rasputin? No. "He was a quarterback" in his playing days, and not being a quarterback coach himself, he arranged for coaches to tutor his sons at the position.

There was an overlap among brothers' years in high school, so dad arranged for Tate, the youngest of the trio, to transfer from St. Augustine--where Chris held down the starting quarterback job--to Scripps Ranch, where he started at quarterback and starred.

Chris's own journey went St. Augustine, UCLA, transfer to Furman University (where he started), NFL (Jaguars), CFL (Montreal Alouettes), then Europe. He said he chose Italy "because of the weather". There are teams in Germany and Austria, where coaching staff colleague Armon Harvey played and coached, but Forcier opted for Milan.

A fellow Viking coach called him after I posted my original story on Forcier yesterday morning. So at least two people read my story. I'm just kidding.

"That's cool," said Forcier. "We have a beat writer."

Won-lost records in CIF: Who cares?

By Ed Piper, Jr.

I was just looking at the sports page this morning and I noticed Grossmont High's 15-18 won-lost record in baseball, as the Foothillers were eliminated in the CIF Division I playoffs by Parker, a team that has a winning record.

Seeing as how I don't have a first period to sub in, and the block is an hour and a half long, I'd rather tap away at the keys than sit staring into space (or at my cellphone, which is about the same).

Here's my thought. I've blogged about it before. It is not uncommon for a team in the post-season playoffs to have a losing record. A team that has lost more games than it has won, and whose winning percentage is under .500, by definition is not a winning team.

In the olden days, we would have said that that team doesn't deserve to move on with the winning teams into the post-season.

But these are no longer the olden days. We are getting used to, more and more, the presence of such teams among those fighting for a CIF title. Unfathomable a handful of years ago, we have seen last year's La Jolla High boys soccer team garner a championship despite ending the season on the southern side of a .500 win percentage.

And, you know, I'm ready at this point to say more power to them.

As I wrote in a post yesterday, there aren't any glum faces after their team has won the CIF title. Everybody is too busy whooping and hollering in delight.

The respective school is thrilled to present the championship team--which, after all, had to win its last match to win the title--at an assembly, or for a photo opportunity with the banner loudly proclaiming "CIF Champions". Or just on the school media--website, or whatever.

It's a thrill. It's rewarding for the kids. More than a participation trophy, the student athletes did win something in competition to gain the laurels.

As I think about it at this early hour of pre-subbing reverie at CCA, I am ready to say, mix 'em all in. Fill the brackets with enough teams, even though in the old view that meant "diluting" the quality of competition.

It's a different era, we're not going back to the old, stodgy way of doing things, and, really, the discussion of dilution or deserving teams really belongs to the CIF officials and league and school representatives to ponder.

A reality of the San Diego Section is that there are far fewer teams to be as selective as larger CIF sections (Southern Section and L.A. City Section, both population giants) in placing teams in playoff brackets in multiple divisions.

The reality of SDS is that by the time you work your way down to Division 3, Division 4, and the Small Schools, those teams have played a number of schools from higher divisions. That means that they will have absorbed a number of losses, which, true, doesn't make their won-lost record look so impressive.

But that's the way SDS rolls.

The kids love it. There is nothing like playing in an important game that sends one team on, and eliminates another.

More power to them. Fill up the brackets. Keep the kids playing.