LJ FB: Stratton look

Viking QB Jackson Stratton in warm-ups.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Jackson Stratton, the 6'2" sophomore, took part in 11 offensive possessions as Viking quarterback against Bishop's August 23--five in the first half, after which La Jolla led surprisingly, 7-6, and six in the second half.

"He's young, so he has time to develop," stated one observer after the Vikings' 18-9 loss.

Stratton threw a good spiral most of the time, which has been a rare event in the last 16 years of La Jolla football (this reporter's time covering the school's program). Only Collin Rugg, a two-season star who set a CIF San Diego Section record with 46 TD passes in a season, has excelled as a passer in that time. He's a worthy Hall of Fame candidate, should LJHS ever establish such a thing.

Trevor Scully, in 2017, transferred back from Mission Bay after his junior season there and put multitudinous aerials up for Viking receivers, many with success. He was also a scrambler, unlike the drop-back Rugg. Beyond those two, we have not seen anyone consistently complete passes under game conditions.

Cole Dimich, 2016 vintage, may differ with me. But Stratton, should he continue to do what he did against the Knights, and improve on it, would be in rarified Fay Street air.

Jackson started quickly, with completions to Finn Rice (11 yards) and Luke Brunette (7 yards), both up the middle, before tossing his first interception (to Clarence Freeman, who caused a lot of damage against the Vikings on both sides of the ball).

That was pretty much it for him in the first half, as head coach Tyler Roach employed the run, primarily, in three of the four subsequent series, including rotating junior Diego Solis in at QB.

In the second half, Stratton had three possessions in which he completed three or more passes, though all three ended in interceptions. They came in the fourth quarter, when La Jolla was down 18-7, then 18-9, trying to rally to come back. (The offense failed to score in the air during the game.)

In a drive beginning with just over nine minutes left and continuing till the 6:35 mark, consisting of eight plays, the sophomore QB connected on four of five attempts. They went twice to Luke Brunette (6 and 12 yards), and once each to Cooper McNally (8 yards) and Diego Solis (6 yards).

The next possession consisted of five plays, three being completions to different receivers: Devin Bale (5 yards), McNally (5), and Brunette (9). A nice keeper by Stratton for 10 yards was called back on a holding penalty.

In the final possession, ending at 1:52, Jackson went complete to Solis (21 yards on a great leaping catch), Brunette (5), and McNally (6) before an incomplete and a final interception--though the ball was deflected by a La Jolla player.

The nadir was a melt-down back at the beginning of the third quarter when officials called La Jolla's offense for four straight penalties for false starts and illegal procedure. Roach was apoplectic, as he yelled to officials from the sidelines, going out onto the apron of the field, "You give me a different number (of offender) each time." Stratton finally completed a pass to Bale, but Bale, the team's punter/kicker, then had to punt the ball away as the Vikings faced a fourth-and-15 from their own 26.

"You see that with young quarterbacks," an observer commented. "It's later in the game, the (offensive) linemen are getting tired and are slow to get up to the line and get set, the quarterback is trying to move things," and this happens.