LJ FB: Defense

Senior outside linebacker D'yhar Sturgis confers
with Viking Defensive Coordinator Collin Eardley
before the game at Country Day.
(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Sports enthusiasts all know that statistics do not measure everything: heart, a mentoring attitude toward teammates, team spirit, teachability, and the other intangibles.

But, on the other hand, stats are a pretty good start to assessing performance.

And that's what this week's football statistics provide: a measure of the La Jolla defense's effectiveness. In the second-week 29-21 win over Country Day, the following defenders were statistical leaders:

Nick Goehler, a surprise new cog in the Vikings' machine, and senior captain Tucker Jacobs both had eight tackles. Goehler, also the team's place kicker, was on some kind of mission against the Torreys, with six solo tackles. Those were in addition to his sack of LJCDS quarterback E.J. Kreutzman.

Nick Goehler, kicking and tackling sensation,
at the Viking Intrasquad and Alumni Game.

Recording six tackles each were senior nose tackle Tino Mendez, sophomore Greg Nelson II, and senior Zach Garcia.

Following with five tackles was the unheralded D'yhar (pronounced "dee-AHR") Sturgis, then Johnathan O'Neal, the other senior captain, and Buster Hoy with four each. O'Neal trailed only Goehler in number of unassisted tackles, with three.

Contributing three tackles was comeback story Kenny Hayden, who rehabbed a knee all summer. Finally, with a pair of tackles were Sola Hope and big Kevin Lee.

Several of these are playing both ways, offense as well as defense.