By Ed Piper
Today, August 30, is Blast Off, and La Jolla High's football team (0-1) faces a possibly emotionally-driven Mission Bay counterpart (1-0), which is coming off a win over San Ysidro in the season's first week.
While Coach Tyler Roach's Vikings were leading rival Bishop's 7-6, in a turn of events that surprised many of its observers, halfway into the third quarter, eventually succumbing 18-9, the Buccaneers also had a suprise of their own.
Many are now aware of the tragic story of Mission Bay's preseason. Their coach did not appear on July 29, the day for the distribution of equipment, and on the following day, July 30, the first day of official Fall workouts, he also failed to show. His body was found after that time, when an assistant coach realized something must not be quite right.
Roach, aware that his team was scheduled to play the Bucs in the season's second contest, informed his players of the turn of events that Wednesday, July 31.
Who would have been able to predict how the members of the Mission Bay football team would respond under such circumstances? Well, they answered that by beating their first opponent.
In published reports, it was said that a member of the team exhorted his teammates during the San Ysidro game to "play for our coach". In any case, it worked, and the Bucs came back to deliver in crunch time and come away with a victory.
In the local metropolitan paper, again this week the report was that "no cause" had been determined for the cause of death. But the word this reporter received, though not involving any inside sources privy to special information, was that Mission Bay's coach had committed suicide.
When I was a young teacher, something similar occurred. A fellow teacher didn't return from Spring break, the administration looked into it, and the instructor's body was discovered in his home.
These are always tragic events, and their impact on the young people they involve is important and sensitive.
As we approach tonight's Blast Off game between the Vikings and Buccaneers, we would want to take a similar view of support, compassion, and the wish that both teams can just compete, playing their hearts out in a healthy way in a hard-fought game.
We wish all the players for Mission Bay and their families and classmates the best, that they will be gentle on themselves in this difficult season and that they would receive wise, caring coaching from the entire staff of the football program there.
Regarding the football that will be played tonight, I would venture to say that Mission Bay will not present some of the challenges that Bishop's presented to La Jolla in week one. Though Ty Buchner, the Knights' highly-regarded quarterback committed to Notre Dame, was a bit "rusty", even though he accumulated almost 300 yards on both the ground and through the air, Coach Joel Allen's team is well-coached and has some excellent athletes.
The Bucs, hopefully, will present the Vikings even more opportunity for a victory. The program continues to rebuild after their long-time coach was forced out over a year ago.
Here's hoping for a good game for both sides, with Roach's squad achieving its first win of the season behind Max Smith, Jack Wiese, Dirk Germon, and company.
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