Tuesday, July 30, 2019
LJ FB: Special teams a key in opener
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| Viking head coach Tyler Roach (right) confers during practice Tuesday. (Photo by Ed Piper) |
La Jolla High head coach Tyler Roach, in a conversation about what the Vikings need to focus on to begin the season, assented that being quick and minimizing mistakes are crucial.
But he also put an accent on the importance of the special teams performing well.
"In the desert (at Central Union High in Imperial Valley) last year, they put us in a tough spot," the third-year coach remembered during practice Tues., July 30. "Our special teams have to be strong to start the year."
In the season opener August 17, played in the evening with 104 degrees on the thermometer, punter Carsten Fehlan left the game as a precaution after he took a blow at quarterback in the third quarter.
Nick Goehler, athletic and talented, was the Vikings' starting place-kicker, and only a backup as punter. With the third quarter nearing its conclusion, and the visitors trailing only 14-0, their lives figuratively flashed before their eyes.
In the span of about 10 seconds (the stadium clock was on the fritz), Goehler had his first punt blocked, then run in for a touchdown.
In the series immediately following, Nick, ruffled by his experience on his first attempt, fumbled the hike from center. Spartan Jonathan Jazek scooped up the loose ball and scampered into the end zone.
Suddenly, a 14-0 lead had ballooned to 27-0. The home crowd, filling Central's stands to capacity, delirious with joy, made a lot of noise about it.
Though quarterback Diego Solis led the Vikings to score twice, La Jolla was doomed. They left town suffering a 40-14 defeat to open the season.
Roach doesn't want a repeat.
LJ FB: Jackson in the driver's seat
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| Sophomore QB Jackson Stratton during drills on day one of Fall football practice Tues., July 30. (Photo by Ed Piper) |
With 24 days until the season opener, La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach's starting quarterback is sophomore Jackson Stratton.
"In spring and summer football, Jackson played with the 1's (on offense)," said Roach when asked during practice Tuesday afternoon, July 30. "He was our 1. (Junior) Diego Solis was 1b. Diego is rotating in playing quarterback, but he is also playing other positions (as a defensive back).
"On Day 1 (of Fall football), Jackson is our starting quarterback."
This is quite a switch from prospects last spring, when Solis stood as a returning starter at the position. Stratton, who played quarterback for the freshman team last year, still appeared to be in development.
Kevin Hurt, the Vikings' new kicking coach who played at Ole Miss, commented at practice, "Jackson has looked really good."
There was a point during seven-on-seven tournaments in the summer when Solis, who had been a shooting star in both football and basketball, his two sports, ever since stepping on the basketball court before his freshman year two years, began throwing interceptions.
It happened in the Hilltop tournament. Then, it began again in the big Southwestern passing tournament, with the normally calm, confident Diego shaking his head at his own miscues.
Meanwhile, Stratton took over quarterback duties full-time during that first day of the two-day Southwestern tourney. La Jolla ascended to the championship game the following day before falling in the finale. It was heady territory for the Vikes, and their offense had played a role.
Everyone who knows Solis, though, knows his total team commitment. It's evident in summer basketball, which just concluded a couple of weeks ago. It's evident on the football field at Edwards Stadium. Diego loves sports, and he fits into the team ethos. He will contribute, whether he plays some at quarterback or not.
In practice Tuesday, as temperatures remained cool after last week's heat wave, he was busy working with the other defensive backs during drills. He will live to play another productive season. Roach knows that.
Saturday, July 20, 2019
Vikings American Legion lose playoff games 4-3, 14-0
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| Johnny Meyerott leads off second base after his double in the top of the seventh in the first game. He hit .455 in Legion games. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
The La Jolla Vikings American Legion ended a good summer run Fri., July 19, losing their second and third playoff games 4-3 and 14-0 at the hands of West Hills and Patrick Henry, the latter whom they had beaten the day before 3-2 in an opening playoff thriller.
"It was a great summer," said Jimmy Meyerott, an LJHS alumnus who was at the coaching reins for the back-to-back games played at Mission Bay High with Coach Jake Grosz committed elsewhere. "The guys played their butts off. I've got to go take a shower," the older brother of left fielder Johnny Meyerott said in an evening wrap-up.
After the Vikings lost a heartbreaker, 4-3, in the bottom of the seventh to West Hills in the 11 a.m. opener, negating lefty Devin Brown's 105-pitch effort, Johnny Meyerott had an encounter with the outfield fence on a spectacular catch try early in the second game and was removed as a concussion precaution with a cut on his face.
"He didn't feel too good," said his older brother. Unfortunately, his removal also took part of La Jolla's offense with him, as his two doubles in the earlier game were the only hits along with Cooper McNally's base knock.
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| Vikings starter Devin Brown toils through 5 2/3 innings, throwing the maximum 105 pitches. |
Simon Baker went five innings against Henry, but the Vikings just didn't have enough pitching to sustain success in the playoffs, which culminate in Patrick Henry and West Hills facing off for the San Diego championship at 1 p.m. Saturday. Both teams have already qualified for the state tournament next weekend.
Johnny Meyerott and Jake Klimkiewicz absolutely tore up American League pitching during the season, hitting .647 and .455, respectively. "Klim", who like several other Vikings was on vacation during the playoffs, batted a Strat-O-Matic 11 for 17, with 10 RBI's in six games, including two doubles and three triples.
Meanwhile, the younger Meyerott went 15 for 33 in unofficial stats, with seven doubles and a team-leading 14 RBI's for a 1.289 OPS in 11 games.
Devin Brown recorded a 1.17 ERA during the season, going 2-1 on the mound in six appearances with a 0.94 WHIP in 18 innings.
A particularly satisfying win for the Vikings during the Legion season was downing La Jolla Country Day 13-6 in a final regular-season week game for the right for the third slot for the Marine Division in the playoffs. In that game, Grosz's squad piled up seven runs in the first two innings on the way to a blowout win on their home field at Muirlands Middle School.
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| Shortstop Cooper McNally reacts after Connor Evans (right) slides into second safely in the fourth inning after his pop fly into short right drops between two Vikings. |
Friday, July 19, 2019
Vikings American Legion 3, Patrick Henry 2 - Opening playoff game
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| Owen McNally pitches in the bottom of the sixth of a two-hit, nine-walk win over rival Patrick Henry in the opening game of the American Legion playoffs July 18. (Photo by Ed Piper) |
Left-hander Owen McNally pitched six gutsy innings of two-hit, two-run ball, despite giving up nine walks, to lead the Vikings to a come-from-behind 3-2 win in the opening game of the San Diego American Legion playoffs Thurs., July 18, at Mission Bay High.
Senior Calvin Hyytinen drove in Simon Baker from third on a double play groundout in the top of the seventh for the winning run.
Coach Jake Grosz's Vikings go with another left-hander, Devin Brown, in their second game of the playoffs Fri., July 19, at 11 a.m. on the same field. The local championship concludes Saturday.
"I walked the first guy (Ryan Miller, Henry's leading hitter during the school season with a .407 average)," said McNally, as the postgame celebration went on around him on the Bucs' field. "Then I started pitching."
The junior threw 104 pitches, the most, he said, he has thrown. "I maxed out at about 90 pitches in a game against Patrick Henry during the JV season" in the spring, McNally recalled.
Hyytinen was pretty stoked after the win. "Dope," he said of the feeling of the moment, though knowing the playoffs had only started. "This game's a big rivalry game against Patrick Henry," which has been known to be a team that gives out some chatter.
Of his grounder to plate Baker, the outfielder said, "I just put the ball into play. There were no outs, so even with the double play, it scores the run."
And the more relaxed Legion atmosphere last month and this month? "Playing with my friends" has been the highlight, Hyytinen said. "The atmosphere is way different--100 percent."
The Vikings were able to overcome a 2-0 lead the Trojans (named after a Marine military plane) achieved in the bottom of the first, on an umpire's call in the top of the sixth to tie the ballgame.
In their half of the sixth, with two outs and runners on second and third, D.J. Lindroth hit what looked like a routine groundout to shortstop. But the umpire's ruling was that the Henry first baseman pulled his foot too soon, and Connor Hobbs and Cooper McNally crossed the plate.
That made the score 2-2.
After the Vikings went ahead on Hyytinen's double-play groundout in the top of the seventh, Trey Metz came on in relief of Owen McNally. After getting two quick outs, the right-handed junior walked three Trojans in a row to load the bases.
He got pinch-hitter Kyle Wilsie swinging on an 0-2 fastball to close out the game.
Sunday, July 14, 2019
LJ b BB: Game recap 7/14
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| Jared Knobloch (red and black), a UC transfer, drives during some rare minutes early in the first half against the Foothillers. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
In their final game of the summer, La Jolla's basketball team beat host Grossmont 46-44 on a putback by forward Max Raulston with 3.8 seconds left Sun., July 14.
Raulston followed teammate Diego Solis' missed fall-away 10-footer from the left baseline, taken with nine seconds on the clock, for the tie-breaking bucket.
The game was the second of the day for the La Jollans, and fifth 40-minute running-clock contest in three days in the annual Grossmont affair, played over two weekends a month apart.
"I am so glad to be done," said Grossmont coach Frank Foggiano said as the conclusion of the final day's schedule approached. "I'm so tired. I've been going for six weeks--I added another week this summer. Plus I've been doing a freshman league."
He wasn't thrilled with the result, many of his players on the floor young and inexperienced, like several of those of opposing coach Paul Baranowski. But it was all done in the name of getting more reps, getting more game experience under the belts of their respective youthful charges.
Grossmont led the entire game until the final minute. Raulston's layup came as time ran out to break the only tie of the tilt.
The Vikings, as the day before, fell behind at the outset, this time 7-0. Baranowski played with different lineups, starting Blaise Colburn and Ryan Lancaster alongside previous starters Solis, Raulston, aned Brennan Ross.
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| The Vikings' Diego Solis (far left) forces the issue as he drives to the baseline midway through the first half in La Jolla's 46-44 win. |
He then subbed in another platoon with six minutes elapsed, La Jolla having failed to score, with Knobloch, Harry Kaseff, Luke Brunette, and Deandre Vaz playing alongside Raulston.
Four minutes elapsed later, the 29-year coach (seven at LJHS) brought his starters back in, the score 9-2.
As Solis' older brother, Gabe, who was in attendance, noted after the game, "It was a slow first half."
Diego Solis canned a turnaround eight-footer to trail Grossmont 13-7 with 5:17 remaining in the half. The younger Solis scored again two and a half minutes later on another turnaround to his right, La Jolla trailing 15-11.
The half ended with Foggiano's Hillers in the lead, 21-15.
In the second half, the Vikings didn't start out a whole lot more effective. Brunette, who just returned from a broken thumb, drove for a layup in the set offense. La Jolla was still down 24-17.
Raulston played pick-and-roll with Diego for a bucket, and the Vikes came close at 27-24 at the 15:21 mark.
Finally, with 2:45 left, Solis, in his most productive game this reporter has seen this summer, laid the ball up, 43-40 Grossmont narrowly hanging on.
The Vikings still trailed 44-42 with 1:24 left. The stage was set for Raulston's heroics.
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| Junior Blaise Colburn sizes up a free throw opportunity in the initial stanza. |
LJ b BB game recap and team assessment
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| Junior Ryan Lancaster (black jersey) drives in on the baseline in the first half July 13. (Photos by Ed Piper) |
The potential lineup for La Jolla High's varsity basketball team next winter is coming into more focus, based on Coach Paul Baranowski's roster and use of players during recent summer league play.
The Vikings have four returners. The rest of the roster is young and will be new to the varsity level.
As indicated during La Jolla's 53-44 loss to Rancho Bernardo in the first of two games at Grossmont High Sat., July 13, and games the previous two weekends at various team camps, here is one sportswriter's assessment of the squad:
Juniors Diego Solis and Christian Gamboa, the first a combo guard and the second playing mostly point guard, as well as sophomore Max Raulston, a forward, constitute the Vikings' three returning starters who will resume their spots next November.
Harry Kaseff, a 6'4" big man whose primary skill is shooting from the outside, is the fourth returner.
Baranowski has employed two young newcomers, 6'3" freshman Vincent Ricchiuti and 5'8" guard Brennan Ross, as starters. They provide outside shooting, plus developing ball-handling skills to complement Solis and Gamboa, the latter who was absent Saturday.
Two juniors, 5'10" Ryan Lancaster and now 5'10" Luke Brunette, who just came back from a broken hand sustained in spring football May 31, showed Saturday they can grow into reserve roles in the backcourt. Brunette, whom this reporter had not seen play basketball previously, didn't seem like varsity play was moving too fast for him--and Rancho Bernardo was relentless in applying pressure.
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| Sophomore Brennan Ross works upcourt against Rancho Bernardo early in the game. |
Juniors Deandre Vaz and Blaise Colburn have had cameos, so they could land spots on the roster come November 1.
Daniel Dessert, who was present July 6 in games at Canyon Crest Academy, could factor in. He was unable to be present Saturday.
That makes 11 players. Baranowski may carry 13 players or so. Senior Phillip Pacleb is a guard. Transfer Jared Knobloch, from University City High, is a junior forward. That might constitute the 13. Cole Black, present on previous weekends, is a 6'5" junior.
The Broncos bolted out to a 12-0 lead in the first half before La Jolla knew what had hit it. But the Vikings regained their footing and settled down to scratch back to a 22-21 lead at the half, their first advantage of the game coming on Raulston's layup off a set play Baranowski called in a timeout with 9.1 seconds left.
Rancho Bernardo, with more seasoned players, blitzed La Jolla early in the second half with 13 straight points to go away winning a 53-44 decision.
With Gamboa gone, Solis and Raulston provided much of the strength in the Vikings' comeback from being down 14-3 and 19-9. The Broncos, early in the first half, were able to score each time down the court, virtually at will.
Baranowski made adjustments. The Vikings got some baskets off pressure, including when a ball went up in the air, Solis, a defensive back as well as quarterback in football, going up and tipping the ball against an opponent, then streaking for the basket on a breakaway as a teammate launched him the ball. That particular sequence made the score 21-18.
In the second half, Rancho Bernardo had too much firepower. La Jolla was only able to whittle a 13-point lead down to as few as eight before succumbing.
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| Freshman newcomer Vincent Ricchiuti (right) gets some counsel from Viking assistant coach Jake Baranowski during halftime break. |
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