By Ed Piper
A scary thing late in La Jolla's game against SDHS (the only City Schools member older than LJHS) on Sept. 30 is that Coach Tyler Roach's squad led by only 14 points with 4:01 left. That's not a lot of points, in view of the fact I'm told that the Vikings almost gave away their lead against Scripps Ranch (which was missing their top quarterback) in a 28-21 win in week 2 of the season.
On the other hand, La Jolla's offense quarterbacked by junior Jackson Diehl scored right off the bat on their first possession in the first four minutes of the game to lead the Cavers 7-0. That's a good way to go. When the Vikings (1-0 in the Eastern League, 4-3 overall) score that quickly, they show that they're ready to perform, and it sort of slots them into a way of thinking that is forward-thinking and can bode well for further into the game.
On that opening drive, Diehl completed four passes--distributing to Matthieu Princen (13 yards), Ryan Weinberg (10 yards), Hank "Glue" Hansen (seven yards), and Hansen again for the touchdown of four yards.
Meanwhile, Roach's mix of calls supplied runs by workhorse Justin Scully (14 yards), Weinberg (seven yards), Diehl himself on a keeper on first-and-10 from San Diego's 22-yard line (17 yards), and Scully back-to-back before a "wildcat" hiked straight to Justin just before Hansen's TD grab.
On the drive, Roach, with his awareness of his personnel and desire to create movement and activity, kept Diehl and company gaining yardage and moving forward. I think he wanted to ensure that activity started early--to create new momentum after the previous week's blowout loss at Point Loma.
San Diego, with Coach Sydney Reed guiding, was trying but not putting any points on the board early in the game. That helped La Jolla, who didn't lose ground even when the Vikings couldn't reach the end zone on their second drive, which ceased just after San Diego City Councilman Joe LaCava's proclamation of LJHS's 100th-year anniversary to Principal Dr. Chuck Podhorsky on the field and the start of the second quarter.
Evan Martin kicked a 27-yard field goal midway through the second quarter to make it 10-0, La Jolla.
Then finally the hosts made good on a TD drive with 7.3 seconds left in the first half, before a halftime of 100th-anniversary festivities featuring Vicki and Rick Eveleth and their son Ty Eveleth as Grand Marshals, the parade they led, and the presentation of the Homecoming Court on the field.
On a 13-play drive beginning on the La Jolla 7-yard line with 2:13 left, Diehl completed four passes to the usual suspects (Weinberg and Hansen). There were five successful rushing attempts, including three keepers by Diehl and two carries by workman Scully. La Jolla led at the half, 17-0.
All in all, the eventual 36-16 win helped La Jolla, in a ship that capsized in week six, right the ship and start out the Eastern League schedule with a win, leading up to league game number two at Patrick Henry Friday night, Oct. 7.
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