Friday, August 31, 2018
LJ FB 14, Santa Fe Christian 16 - Blast Off
 |
| Viking QB Carsten Fehlan gets some feedback from Offensive Coordinator Collin Eardley just before taking the field for the second half. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
La Jolla's football team got the ball back from visiting Santa Fe Christian, which had just taken a 16-7 lead on a field goal that hit the left upright before going through, with 1:58 remaining in the game.
In the next minute and 16.5 seconds, Viking quarterback Carsten Fehlan became a football player.
A key part of the 6'1" senior's makeup is his self-confidence, and in leading his team to a touchdown in crunch time to bring the Vikes within breathing distance of a comeback win, he proved to himself what he can do.
Fehlan, who sat last year as a backup after a successful junior varsity season as a sophomore quarterback, carried out Head Coach Tyler Roach's play calls to a "T" in the literal two-minute drill against the Eagles. From his own 20, he completed a four-yard sideline pass to Cooper McNally to stop the clock. He then ran, when he spied no receivers open, for seven yards and the first down, stepping out of bounds past the marker to again stop time.
 |
| Hundreds of Viking students in "Whiteout" white storm the field at halftime in a planned Blast Off event. One student commented, "That's the best Blast Off I've seen in a while." |
Despite his pass to Diego Solis going long, La Jolla--before a wild "Whiteout" student crowd at Blast Off--got a first down on the 50 on defensive pass interference. This time Carsten dumped a short pass to Diego's brother, Gabe, who had been bottled up by defenders somewhat, for 27 yards. (The elder Solis made it out of bounds to stop the clock with 1:03 less.)
You could just see Fehlan's self-assurance growing as he stepped into throws and maintained tight spirals on his tosses, which means he's feeling it.
After a shot to Gabe in the end zone was too far, and Diego's throw to Brown after a handoff dropped in a crowd to the ground, Carsten fired a long pass to Diego in the left end of the end zone. The younger Solis made the catch of his career, with his defender tight against him, and the education of Fehlan was complete: He could and did do it, putting the Vikings within two points after Nick Goehler's PAT kick.
Santa Fe Christian was able to run out the remaining 41.5 seconds and take home the victory. But it was an exciting finish, worth the price of admission, and none of the "Whiteout" participants left early after their crazy halftime flash mob onto the field as part of the night's Blast Off celebration.
It was a drive that their quarterback could take to the bank. And credit Roach, his head coach, for helping him get there--a remarkable rise from a flat, non-scoring debut as starter two weeks previous at Central Union of El Centro.
LJ FH: Serene
By Ed Piper
Serene Liu, the defensive center for La Jolla's field hockey team, shot out of nowhere as a sophomore last year to become one of the highlight players on the team.
"Serene is playing really well," some of her teammates told a reporter early in the 2017 fall season.
Liu has continued that climb in improvement toward excellence, and her teammates on this year's Viking team have recognized that by voting her as the sole captain of the three team captains who is a junior.
The 5'5" 11th-grader displays a firm persistence in defending opponents, like Scripps Ranch, which La Jolla opened its season against at home Thurs., Aug. 30. Despite a 2-0 defeat, Liu and her teammates checked the Falcons closely. They held the third-ranked team in San Diego to a single goal through nearly 46 minutes of play.
"Serene is a huge standout on defense," says Viking second-year coach Amanda Combs Warford. "Other coaches notice her as well. Yesterday (in the opener) the Scripps varsity coach said, 'Who's that player that plays center for you?' She is incredibly fast and gets super low on defense, and has great instincts for taking the ball from the other team."
Adds Combs, "Her team voted her as team captain, and it just shows that she is seen as a strong player and leader of our team."
Serene Liu, the defensive center for La Jolla's field hockey team, shot out of nowhere as a sophomore last year to become one of the highlight players on the team.
"Serene is playing really well," some of her teammates told a reporter early in the 2017 fall season.
Liu has continued that climb in improvement toward excellence, and her teammates on this year's Viking team have recognized that by voting her as the sole captain of the three team captains who is a junior.
The 5'5" 11th-grader displays a firm persistence in defending opponents, like Scripps Ranch, which La Jolla opened its season against at home Thurs., Aug. 30. Despite a 2-0 defeat, Liu and her teammates checked the Falcons closely. They held the third-ranked team in San Diego to a single goal through nearly 46 minutes of play.
"Serene is a huge standout on defense," says Viking second-year coach Amanda Combs Warford. "Other coaches notice her as well. Yesterday (in the opener) the Scripps varsity coach said, 'Who's that player that plays center for you?' She is incredibly fast and gets super low on defense, and has great instincts for taking the ball from the other team."
Adds Combs, "Her team voted her as team captain, and it just shows that she is seen as a strong player and leader of our team."
LJ FH: Morgan
By Ed Piper
Morgan Hansen, the all-Western League First Team midfielder for La Jolla High's field hockey team, comes from a family of athletes.
Her brother Dane, a couple of years older, starred for the Viking football and baseball teams. The two are a contrast in sizes: Her brother, providing the stretch at first base for errant throws, measures in at a tall 6'2". Morgan chooses to concentrate her power in a 5'5" frame.
Hansen continues to patrol the center of the field for Coach Amanda Combs Warford's hockey team. Actually, she ranges pretty far up and down field in helping to facilitate the Vikings' ball movement.
The 5'5" stalwart was one of the reasons La Jolla advanced to the Division 1 championship game last fall, losing only 1-0 to Mission Vista for the title. Statistically, she led the team in assists.
"Morgan is our most seasoned player. She's a senior captain for a reason," says Combs, who, beginning last year, has been developing a juggernaut-in-the-making in the LJHS field hockey program. At least, that is the hope of Viking faithful.
"She understands the game and is aggressive on the field. She understands individual and team goals, and that's what makes her so effective."
Hansen has also played soccer and lacrosse.
Morgan Hansen, the all-Western League First Team midfielder for La Jolla High's field hockey team, comes from a family of athletes.
Her brother Dane, a couple of years older, starred for the Viking football and baseball teams. The two are a contrast in sizes: Her brother, providing the stretch at first base for errant throws, measures in at a tall 6'2". Morgan chooses to concentrate her power in a 5'5" frame.
Hansen continues to patrol the center of the field for Coach Amanda Combs Warford's hockey team. Actually, she ranges pretty far up and down field in helping to facilitate the Vikings' ball movement.
The 5'5" stalwart was one of the reasons La Jolla advanced to the Division 1 championship game last fall, losing only 1-0 to Mission Vista for the title. Statistically, she led the team in assists.
"Morgan is our most seasoned player. She's a senior captain for a reason," says Combs, who, beginning last year, has been developing a juggernaut-in-the-making in the LJHS field hockey program. At least, that is the hope of Viking faithful.
"She understands the game and is aggressive on the field. She understands individual and team goals, and that's what makes her so effective."
Hansen has also played soccer and lacrosse.
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)