LJ rugby 26, Coronado 31

Marc Oriol kept up his fine kicking with a

sky-high two-point conversion on this kick

with three minutes left to tie the game, 26-26.

Coronado went on to score a try

three minutes later to win the game.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Coronado scored on a try with 11.2 seconds left to beat host La Jolla, 31-26, in a well-played rugby game that started with a two-score burst for the Vikings and key plays by all the right people for the home side.

Islander Elias Valdivia lunged to touch the ball down right near the tie line, as time ran down and La Jolla's early 12-point lead on tries by John "Big Country" Hartford and Leed Smoole, with conversions by star kicker Marc Oriol, became a distant memory.

The closely-fought contest, down to the wire after a 19-12 halftime lead by the green-clad Coronadoans, was a huge contrast to the two teams' scrimmage on the fields next to Coronado High Jan. 6. In that setting, after a long-delayed start, the inexperienced Vikings were man-handled by the better, more adept Islanders. La Jolla played without big man Hartford, Oriol was limited, and others just didn't have the freedom to pass and run that they exhibited in this game.

La Jolla is now 3-2, following a split last weekend in San Juan Capistrano against San Juan Hills--a loss--and John Muir (Pasadena), a 31-12 win.

L.T. Roby-Cano (lifted up, right) makes an

awesome grab, despite the ball looking like

it came loose, midway through the first half.