LJ g BB: Photos 12/27

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ g BB: Photos 12/28

Photos by Ed Piper

Vike forward Annalyse Abrams

(13) puts up a shot against

Rhyanna Velasco-Martinez (4)

in the third quarter.

A.J. Jacoby (25) takes aim

in the second half against

Central Union.

Carmen Jativa (R)

Soila Chadwick

Annalyse Adams

Coach Nia De la Pena-Thompson

Reagan Bennett (5)

Anatomy of a leg injury - Part 2: Rehab and recovery

Purple fluid visible below my ankle

(far right) Tues. morning, Dec. 31--

8 days after my calf injury.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Log documenting the occurrence and recovery from a common injury, a pulled left calf muscle. I missed the bottom two steps of our stairs and landed on the toes of my foot, causing piercing pain to shoot up through the back of my leg Monday morning, Dec. 23.

Day 3, Wed., Dec. 25 - Christmas Day

I continued my icing several times a day (preferably four treatments per day) with a Zip Loc bag of refrozen refrigerator ice on the painful spot. I could put weight on the foot day 2, Tuesday, after beginning icing.

By Wednesday, I was showing measurable progress toward walking and striding, though with a limp. The philosophy here: It is healthier to treat the leg and begin putting weight on it (though carefully) earlier, than to wait and allow the leg to linger in an injured, swollen state, which does provide assist the healing the body thrives on. As I limped on the left leg, I was already noticing a soreness in my well leg (right) from carrying the unbalanced weight.

Day 4, Thurs., Dec. 26

I began heat treatments after 72 hours (48-72 hours recommended), to be on the safe side. At first, I used an inefficient heating pad my wife has, that plugs into the wall. First, I plugged the heating pad in as I began to use it in hot-and-cold alternating treatments of a few minutes. But then I realized I would never be able to get enough heat on the leg to provide any benefit.

So after one three-to-four-minute period, I kept the pad plugged in, alternating cold (the refrozen ice bag) with hot, finishing with at least 20 minutes of ice (otherwise, the leg could blow up further in swelling).

Through the day, I could measure my improvement in the health of the calf pull by carefully walking on the leg.

Day 5, Fri., Dec. 27

My leg was stiff and sore when I woke up, making sure that I got enough sleep to help in recovery (and rest during the day, as well). It quickly gave way to more movement.

I switched to rubbing heat compound on my leg that I found in the drawer from years ago, the tube of ointment partially used. (I don't remember when I had an injury like this--probably applied heat to my neck or back instead.)

In the absence of Whirlpools or ice baths, I've had to make up my treatment to fit a household where there is no trainer (except me! I took a class at Chico State in treating injuries from the school's trainer). The heat rub is working fantastically--up to four treatments a day, walking on the leg, working toward a natural motion, not an exaggerated limp, which only puts more weight on the affected limb.

In the afternoon, we drove to DSW in Mission Valley for my wife to buy slip-in's (super-convenient). I waited my turn to use the Aetrex foot scanner, a computerized device that measures the length of my feet, the arch, and so forth. The machine prescribed me a 15.5--one less than I wear! I don't know how it got that.

When a little girl was put on the machine by her dad, a little alien creature came on the screen to talk to her--made it enjoyable for her.

While my wife tried on shoes, I stretched my calf (doing this frequently the last two days) by leaning against a wall while standing. Lots of pain, but I take the pain as an indicator of how much improvement I've had and where the calf is still knotted and tight.

Day 6, Sat., Dec. 28

I am making a point of doing four treatments per day, to keep my improvement going. I applied heat rub (Mentholatum Deep Heat) before an 8 a.m. meeting, then did one after I covered a La Jolla girls basketball game at Montgomery High in the South Bay, sitting in the car to apply the ointment (1:40 p.m.). That way, I could still do two more applications--5:10 p.m., then 8:40 p.m.

I sat taking notes during part of the first half of the 12 noon game, so I made a point of getting up and walking back-and-forth at one end of the court to stretch the muscle and do some conditioning (having missed, now, five days of walking, for the most part). When I applied the Mentholatum ointment, I used my fingers to dig in and apply as heavy pressure as I could on the muscle where it hurt the most--again, using pain as the indicator where the leg still needs attention.

I thought of a friend who had a knee replacement and didn't handle the pain well, thinking it was a sign of the surgery not going well. Not true.

Another thought I have carried is of the trainer at Occidental College, Barry Ryan, who treated me for my lower back injury (age 17, a freshman in college). He applied hot-and-cold. He also treated my (frequent) sprained ankles in JV basketball. Barry was a world-known trainer: Kjell ("shale") Isaksson, a Swedish pole vaulter, came to him for treatment. Barry introduced me one time. Kjell was much shorter than I, 5'8" maybe, but could fly. He was the world record holder in 1972, breaking the world mark three times within months.

I try to model my treatments after the ones our team trainers used with us at Occidental College, Moorpark College (juco) the next year, then Chico State (Tommy Little--while I didn't make the team at Chico, I did take a course from Tommy, as I've said).

I-C-E: ice, compression, elevation. Also R-I-C-E: rest, ice, compression, elevation.

8:40 p.m. On my last treatment of the day, I could measure, my recovery has been rapid. From Monday, Dec. 23, 6:55 a.m. (the time of the injury), to now, I have improved to be able to not only put weight on the leg, but also to walk more and more normally (as we went to Walmart to get cash for a damaged phone). Remarkable. It's a God thing, as well.

LJ g BB 42, Central Union (El Centro) 67 - Aztec Classic, day 3 of 4

Drew Bennett (left) fights for the ball with

Central's Rhyanna Velasco-Martinez (center)

and Janelle Thomas (right) in the third quarter

of the Spartans' 67-42 win Sat., Dec. 28.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The Vikings, with lead scorer Reagan Bennett on the bench due to foul trouble in the first half, lost the magic touch they had the day before in a win over Olympian, as Central Union (El Centro) (now 8-4) and sophomore guard Victoria Zamora shot threes to pull away for a 67-42 win in the Aztec Classic at Montgomery Classic Sat., Dec. 28.

Coach Nia De la Pena-Thompson's squad cut the Spartan lead to come within nine points in the third quarter. But Zamora's threes continued to rain, and La Jolla could not recapture the mix that led them to dominating wins on the first two days of the post-Christmas tournament in the South Bay.

Zamora scored 28 points, most from behind the arc. La Jolla fell to 10-6 on the season, with an early game scheduled for them in the Classic Mon., Dec. 30, on the final day of the tourney.

De la Pena-Thompson, in her first year as Viking coach, said, "We worked really hard," but they could just not overcome what grew to an 18-point Central lead in the frustrating second quarter.

"We played a box-and-one (on Zamora)," the coach said. Asked if the team learned anything in the loss, she said, "Effort. The girls took over the postgame locker room" and took ownership for their play.

In the early going, the game saw a duel between the two team's stars, Bennett driving for fastbreak baskets and Zamora answering with threes. La Jolla last led, 11-10, with 2:11 left in the first quarter, before the flood gates came down.

LJ's Elena Farrar (10)

drives for a basket.

LJ g BB: Photos 12/27

Photos by Ed Piper

A.J. Jacoby (25, far right) looks

for a rebound after teammate Reagan

Bennett (rear left) shoots.

Defending are Eagles Makayla

Collins (25) and Jenaline Cabute (23).

LJ coach Nia De la Pena-

Thompson holds a pregame

meeting on the court

at Montgomery High.

Vikes' Reagan Bennett (5)

leaps to send pass

to teammate on baseline

against Alyssa Agpaoa (0)

and a hidden Eagles teammate.

Viking team members listen to first-year coach

Nia De la Pena-Thompson (kneeling)

at the beginning of halftime with a 24-point

lead in hand. New assistant coach Ciera Ramirez

is standing to her right.

"We're triplets," say Reagan (left) and Drew

(right) Bennett, who are twins, and

A.J. Jacoby. Obviously identical

triplets.

LJ g BB 86, Olympian 57 - Aztec Classic, Day 2 (of 4)

Viking Reagan Bennett (white

jersey) defends against

Alyssa Lewis (3) of Olympian

bringing the ball up court.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Maybe the Vikings mixed up their holidays. Two days after Christmas, Reagan Bennett and company were sharing the love, which is very much in the season's spirit.

But it wasn't Valentine's Day, and who knows? Maybe they thought they were exchanging gifts because of the just-passed holiday.

In any case, first-year coach Nia De la Pena-Thompson's bunch shared the ball, passed for assists, and distributed the scoring behind Bennett's 27 points: fast Elena Farrar (who outruns her dribble) contributed 17, A.J. Jacoby came off the bench for 16, and senior Carmen Jativa had 8 points, a total of eight Vikings in the scoring column.

La Jolla out-heighted and out-quicked Olympia, 86-57, building a 24-point lead at halftime as Jacoby, providing her physicality, showed a deft touch underneath, receiving passes from Bennett and others to score.

Early in the second quarter, A.J., a sophomore, netted three of four Viking baskets as La Jolla moved out to a double-digit lead.

Asked about her teammate as a "scoring machine", Reagan acknowledged, "She's gotten better at finishing."

On the team's 27 assists, the high-scorer and captain said, "I think through the (young) season, we've gotten better at sharing the ball."

Drew Bennett, Reagan's twin and fellow captain, led the squad in play-making with 7 assists.

Jacoby pulled down 13 rebounds in part-time play, while Farrar added 10.

Guard Elena Farrar (10) fights to keep

possession of the ball against the Eagles'

Alyssa Lewis.

Cypress 63, Del Norte 53 - Torrey Pines Holiday Classic

Cypress guard King Birdsong (11) tries

to zip a pass inside in the opening

minutes of the Holiday Classic's

first game, a 63-53 defeat

of Del Norte Thursday morning,

Dec. 26. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Down 8-0 in the first three minutes, and 18-5 to Cypress (Orange County) at the end of the first quarter, Del Norte fought back to close within 10 points of the Cents, 63-53, in the opening game of the 38th Holiday Basketball Classic at Torrey Pines High School Thursday morning, Dec. 26.

Honestly, Coach Chris Johnson's team was never in the game, but the Nighthawks' fight after a long (and cold) three-quarter struggle was admirable. The local team wasn't going to allow themselves to register a blowout in this so-public hoops showcase.

The Nighthawks were still trailing 52-30 at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

Guard Ethan Rahmant, a senior, said the battle to come back was kindled by "energy--teammates giving each other energy". Quiet, head bowed after a post-game team meeting, the 5'11" backcourt reserve couldn't explain Del Norte's agonizingly slow start.

He acknowledged it, but said the late-game rally's strategy was "pressing, hopefully (resulting in) turnovers".

In the second game of their own Holiday Classic, Coach John Olive's host Falcons poured it on in the second half to win 58-35 over Spanish Springs (Nevada), after leading only 19-17 at halftime.

Torrey Pines guard Zander Ovies (white jersey)

scrambles on the floor for the ball with Spanish

Springs (Nevada)'s Trevor Landreth

in opening moments. The Falcons

pulled away in the second half

to win 58-35 in the second game

of the annual tourney.

Anatomy of a leg injury

By Ed Piper

6:55 a.m., Mon., 12/23

I missed the bottom two steps of the stairs down to the second level (three-floor townhouse), and landed on the toes of my left leg, bracing for the fall.

I kept my balance, didn't fall down, but the pain shot up through the back of my leg--a pain like I don't remember with any of my not-infrequent ankle sprains during my basketball-playing days.

I couldn't stand or put weight on the leg, as I shuffled short-step during the down.

7:15 p.m.

Ice 25 minutes or so three times during the day. I still couldn't really walk, but after the third icing 6:46-7:15 p.m., I knew--I could sense--that my leg had taken a leap forward (figuratively) toward healing. The limb felt much better.

Tues.,12/24, Christmas Eve

Encouraged by the improvement in my condition and wanting to stay on my regimen (one I learned well while playing basketball ages 13-38, during which I later bought two containers just big enough for my then size-14 feet for hot-and-cold treatments with ice and the hottest water I could stand, hanging my affected ankle over the tub to immerse my leg), I iced again three times on day 2.

By later in the day, I could simulate walking, with a tiny-bit-longer stride with my left leg. I'd get the occasional wince as I'd extend too far, or turn on the stairs or flat surface in a manner that my leg met me know I couldn't yet do.

Wed., 12/25, Christmas Day

Time to ice and massage. We opened some presents, but then I sat and pressed the re-frozen Zip Loc baggie of ice against the rear of my leg. Hard work, so after 10 minutes, I moved down to the bottom level of the townhome and stretched my leg out on the couch, ice bag underneath, towel under that to keep the furniture from getting two damp (vinyl).

2:30 p.m.; 3:00 p.m.

I used the fingers of my right hand as forcefully as I could in short spells to massage the knot in the back of the calf. Break it down as much as I could. I had trainers do this in sports therapy. Strong hands really make the difference. At this point, pressing against the knotted muscle is as important or more important than icing.

I've even done ice massage, using the bag of ice or blue ice to force the unrelaxed knot of muscle to break down.

Right now (3:30 p.m.), I'm walking much better, with marked improvement even in the past 45 minutes. I walked outside a short stretch as I felt how pain-free my calf was, to gauge where I was, and then do  more pressing massage against the skin with my fingers. Take a breath, do something else for a short time (clean the garage), then go back to a short massaging.

A month ago, I witnessed a teacher I sub for hobbling on her leg. I went up and said hi, and asked how her leg was doing. She had never had a sprained ankle before, and it had occurred one month previous! Both of which were amazing for me to hear.

I told her, "Ice the ankle 20-30 minutes at a time, as many times as you can, and you can be walking freely by tomorrow."

She apparently didn't have a sports background, and why her husband didn't encourage her and help by getting her to ice the injury, is a little beyond me. Not that everyone needs to know the I-C-E (ice-compression-elevation) approach, but it sure helps, and is such common knowledge now in sports circles.

I read yesterday or Monday where the coiner of the R-I-C-E acronym (rest-ice-compression-elevation) later renounced it, saying that he had come to understand that the inflammation was part of the healing process. I don't know how exactly that happens. I have always had quick, effective results by early-and-often icing of injuries.

The "high" of working out

By Ed Piper

I would run in the cold, wet--even rain of Chico--to work out, singing Chicago's "Feeling Stronger Every Day" in my mind or out loud (not much of one for headphones or air pods). Memories of the damp conditions, much colder than it gets here. Fond recollections.

I thought of this Chico State memory as I did my current workout just now, walking rapidly for 30 minutes. There is a liberation as the mind goes free, I suppose the endorphins are releasing. I have always enjoyed jogging (now walking), able to take in the outdoors without interference from podcast, music, other things piped into my ears.

Little did I know at the time of the workouts I undertook on the grass fields behind the athletic complex at Chico State, that my chance at playing NCAA basketball had passed. I enrolled at CSU Chico as a junior college transfer after my sophomore year, knowing that I had a chance--but it would be pretty competitive, even tough--to make Coach Pete Mathiesen's Wildcat team. And if I didn't, I made sure that Chico had a journalism program that I could invest myself into, to develop my writing and reporting.

The closest I ever came to competing in the NCAA was JV NAIA basketball at tiny Occidental College near Glendale, Eagle Rock (greater L.A.) my freshman year. Playing roundball was fun, enjoyable. I had no personal coach (they didn't exist at the time), I didn't undertake any special workouts. I did try to improve my jumping later, working out post-graduation in Santa Barbara at Nautilus, kind of a new thing then.

But nothing more. There was a certain joy in playing and competing for the enjoyment of it. Certainly, playing with teammates gave me a lot in the way of camaraderie and fellowship.

Singing the lyrics to "Feeling Stronger Every Day" (it came out as a single in June 1973; I enrolled at Chico in September), there was optimism, a bright look ahead. Youth. Energy. (Way more than I have now).

Not making Mathiesen's team, not even by a long shot, I poured myself into my journalism classes and reported on several sports the Wildcats played. One of my fellow JC transfers from Moorpark College in Ventura County was devastated when the roster was posted, and later dropped out from school and repaired cars (which he could already do) at JC Penney.

City league was a lot of fun--organizing a team, on a freezing cold night in Chico putting my hands alternately next to the car heater as I drove to a game.

Intramurals were a blast. Several guys like me, 6'5" or so who had been stars in high school, organized a dunk-ball game at a local elementary school on eight-foot baskets. We swept the blacktop court as best we could with brooms we brought, because there was slippy-slidy sand on it.

Then we declared anything goes: you could touch a ball in the cylinder, take a feed right over the hoop and slam it through, block a shot already arcing down toward the basket by swatting it away.

And--the elementary school court was so short, that on a fastbreak, one pass and the shooter would be either dunking or shooting immediately after a couple of steps going the other way.

The no-goal-interference rule made things wild, so you had to pretty much slam the ball through or it would be rejected before it nestled through the net.

A greater reward, not anticipated till I actually moved there, was playing men's basketball in Mexico City two years later, and winning a tournament in an Olympic venue (Mexico City hosted the Olympics seven years earlier in 1968). As I remember it, our guard Tito (this was pre-shot-clock days) stole the ball with 52 seconds left and laid it up for the winning basket.

"Feeling Stronger Every Day" blended the optimism for the future with the energy and effort necessary for working out in that cold, rainy environment that is Northern California.

LJ b BB: Stats

INDIVIDUAL GAME STATS POSTED

La Jolla 52, Army-Navy 47

12-17-24

Leo Hawkinson    7-18 19 pts; 4 assists

Brody Sessa    6-15 13 pts; 9 rebounds; 3 assists; 4 deflections

Lance Braga    3-9 9 pts; 7 rebounds

Carson Diehl    4-6 8 pts; 13 rebounds; 4 deflections

Eyal Amsalem    0-4 2 pts; 1 rebound

Seigo Lavinsky    1 assist

PREVIOUS GAME 12-14-24 @ Vincent Memorial, Calexico

La Jolla 60, Vincent Memorial 67

Brody Sessa   24 pts; 1 three; 4 rebounds; 3 assists; 3 steals; 1 turnover; 9 2-pt FG's

Lance Braga    14 pts; 16 rebounds; 7 2-pt FG's

Leo Hawkinson    11 pts; 2 threes; 3 steals; 4 turnovers; 2 2-pt FG's

Jeremy Cromwell    6 pts; 2 threes; 1 rebound

Carson Diehl    4 pts; 7 rebounds

Seigo Lavinsky    0 pts; 2 rebounds; 2 assists; 3 steals; 2 turnovers

SEASON STATISTICS

SCORING

Leo Hawkinson  (13 games)  19.1 ppg

Brody Sessa  (13 games)    15.8 ppg

Lance Braga (6 games)    11.3 ppg

REBOUNDING

Lance Braga    9.2 rpg

Carson Diehl (6 games)    6.8 rpg

Brody Sessa    6.3 rpg

L Mannheimer (4 games)    6.0 rpg

Wyatt Olmert    5.0 rpg

PLAYMAKING - Assists

Leo Hawkinson    2.5 apg

Brody Sessa    2.5 apg

STEALS

Brody Sessa    2.9 spg

Eyal Amsalem    2.6 spg

Leo Hawkinson    1.9 spg

Seigo Lavinsky    1.3 spg

Lance Braga    1.2 spg

Wyatt Olmert    1.1 spg

BLOCKS

Lance Braga    1.3 bpg

Carson Diehl    1.0 bpg

Brody Sessa    0.9 bpg

TURNOVERS

Leo Hawkinson    4.5 tpg

Brody Sessa    2.9 tpg

Lance Braga    2.7 tpg

Eyal Amsalem    2.5 tpg

SHOOTING PERCENTAGE

Lance Braga    65%

Wyatt Olmert    51%

Leo Hawkinson    48%

Brody Sessa    48%

Carson Diehl    45%

Jeremy Cromwell (12 games)    41%

DEFLECTIONS (totals)

Leo Hawkinson    35

Brody Sessa    35

Wyatt Olmert    25

Eyal Amsalem    16

LJ b BB: Photos 12/20

Photos by Ed Piper

5'8" junior Leo

Hawkinson guns

a three from

the right side.

High Tech star

Sebas Blackaller (10)

fires a shot

from the right.

Timeout finds Brody Sessa (far right) speaking up,

with (L-R) Carson Diehl, Leo Hawkinson,

and Eyal Amsalem.

Traveling call on Leo (4)

beginning the second quarter.

"The Hawk" shoots with hand

in his face. This one didn't

drop.

Hawkinson (4) and Storm

nemesis Jah Robinson (5).

LJ b BB 82, High Tech SD 56

Viking forward Carson Diehl (22)

defends inbounds pass by

High Tech's Jah Robinson (5)

early in the first quarter.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla coach Paul Baranowski is licking his chops. Carson Diehl, a leaping big man, is finally healed up from his ankle problems coming over from football, as evidenced by his play Fri., Dec. 20.

Diehl, combined with fellow big Lance Braga, complement the already-explosive backcourt pair of Brody Sessa and Leo Hawkinson, who have lit the Vikings' fuse of fast-moving, breakneck play that results in flurries of quick baskets.

Baranowski unleashed this foursome on visiting High Tech San Diego in a final non-league game before the winter break, and it was awesome.

La Jolla, now 12-2 following a two-losses-in-two-days interruption after 10 wins in a row, over-quicked and overpowered a defenseless Storm contingent, 82-56.

The Vikes, with Diehl now oriented, grabbing rebounds and receiving passes for easy baskets underneath, went on a run from leading 10-9, to 26-14 the latter part of the first quarter. La Jolla led 42-28 at the half with Diehl's tip-in before the buzzer.

The pile-on took on jet speed opening the third period. Within minutes, Sessa and Hawkinson and crew built a 32-point lead, Brody on a full-court dribble down the left side to outrace his defender for a backhand layup. Meanwhile, the blur-in-motion Leo popped a trio of threes, all the time harrying and harassing ballhandlers to create confusion in the midcourt.

By the fourth quarter, Baranowski went to a pre-Christmas celebration of all-hands-on-deck, with everyone but new Sage Creek transfer Cole Hein getting into the act. (He sat at the scorer's table, not dressed out.)

Asked about his team's high tempo, Sessa said, "I think it's just the way we talk at halftime." Told the team is fun to watch, he acknowledged the "magic" he and Hawkinson are spinning in the backcourt, firing up the entire lineup with their energy.

Regarding his Euro step move, Brody said, "I learned it on You Tube."

LJ wrestling: Noah Pace - the method to his madness

Noah Pace, La Jolla 120-pounder and two-time

defending league champ, controls

Kaan Misirlaoglu of Cathedral Catholic

Wed., Dec. 18, 2024.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The cavernous, mostly-empty gym at Cathedral Catholic is quiet. One match in the varsity dual meet between La Jolla and the host Dons has resulted in a pin. The second is a forfeit.

Up steps the Vikings' Noah Pace without an echo in the gym. The 120-pounder, on referee Dale Hanover's opening whistle, suddenly launches into a takedown of opponent Kaan Misirloglu, then a series of near-falls, and the La Jolla junior leads 11-0.

It has all taken less than the full two minutes of the first period, and the only sounds besides thumps of bodies on the mat are the shouts of both coaches calling out instructions--not even a spectator (almost all parents and family of the wrestlers) making noise as Pace--"PAW-chay" if you pronounce it for his dad's Sicilian roots--aggressively and efficiently operates his magic on the mat.

A win comes partway into period two, as the long-blond-haired lower-weight grappler builds an insurmountable 18-0 lead over Kahn, a tech fall, in wrestling terminology.

Pace explained his methodology shortly after: "What I was trying to do was a takedown, then a series (or two) near-falls, then go for the pin."

A questioner asked him later, as Noah sat in his chair in a row of varsity wrestlers, to explain. "By going for the near-falls, I have a big advantage. That gives me a pad of safety as I go for the pin," he responded.

He didn't get the pin, but he came close with the near-falls, increasing his point total enough to win and stop the bout.

It's kind of a like a soccer team scoring more than two goals--a big lead in soccer. Or a 10-0 shutout in baseball; the other team is just not going to come back easily.

LJ wrestling: Williams captains, cranks out a fall

Jayden Williams (left), at 175 pounds, looks

like he is about to twist Buc Chris Wheeler's

head off on the way to pinning him

in a mere 44 seconds.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

With team captain Matisse Pickett absent, fellow senior Jayden Williams filled the role, taking part in the pre-dual captain's meeting with the referees at Mission Bay Tues., Dec. 17.

But that was the least of Williams' feats in the dual. In the 175-pound match--with La Jolla narrowly leading, 30-24, and only two bouts left--Jayden, who had a successful season as a junior, wheeled Chris Wheeler of the Bucs around in a counter-clockwise circle, using a "cow-catcher" move to finally drive his opponent into a prone position on the mat.

The maneuver worked, and in a mere 44 seconds, Williams had his pin. It was quick, and it was dominant. From the start of the match, he had control and never gave it up.

In a rule change this season, high school wrestlers receive three points for a takedown. But a potentially unseen result is that in aggressive wrestlers' desire to pile up points with multiple takedowns, opponents can also gain points as their aggressor lets them go--one point for each escape.

If the 175-pounder had lost his hold on Wheeler, the Buc could have scored. However, Williams was apparently never awarded points for a takedown. Is that possible?

Said the La Jolla senior as he went to the drinking fountain for water after the win, "It was a cow-catcher, flipping my arm over his back."

*  *  *

Leading up to Williams' pin at 175, and Asher Sternberg's at 190, La Jolla had plenty of firepower generated to move into the lead at Mission Bay.

Starting the varsity dual (after two girls' bouts), freshman Ian Fleming won by pin in :58, and junior two-time all-league Noah Pace took only 50 seconds. Fleming's match was at 106 pounds over Gracie Moteauto. Pace, at 120 after a forfeit at 113, showed no mercy to Logan Koland.

Later, two Vikings took decisions: Liam Kressin (144), 9-3, then Patrick Fitzmaurice (150), 10-3, over Mason Morgan.

Before the Williams-Sternberg one-two punch to clinch the team win, La Jolla sophomore Ori Mor held Mission Bay's Nestor Bautista's shoulders near the mat long enough for a near fall ending the first period, then pinned him 1:04.2 into the second period (total pin time: 3:04). 

LJ wrestling 42, Mission Bay 36 - dual meet

Junior Asher Sternberg (190) has his arm raised

by the referee after he came from a 16-8 deficit

to pin Mitch Gillespie (left) with 21.1 seconds left.

The fall gave La Jolla a thrilling 42-36 win

over Mission Bay in the dual meet.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla defeated host Mission Bay in a dual meet, 42-36, Tues., Dec. 17, and that was made possible by Asher Sternberg's dramatic pin with 21.1 seconds left to overcome a 16-8 deficit in the bout.

The 190-pound junior led 8-4 in the third period, but then his workload increased considerably as Mitch Gillespie, his Buccaneer opponent, piled up takedowns and escapes to take the commanding eight-point lead.

Sternberg's only hope to win was a fall, and he got it with time running out to nail the six team points. Those ensured that the visiting Vikings would win the dual in the last match. (La Jolla has no heavyweight, and so it gave up six points in forfeit to make up the final score.)

Sternberg (left) pins Gillespie after 5:39

of grueling combat. He was drained

after the bout; asked about his come-

from-behind, he gasped,

"I don't know how I did it."

LJ wrestling: Bowing out of El Cajon Invitational

By Ed Piper

Kellen Delaney, La Jolla's head wrestling coach, said Sat., Dec. 14, that the Vikings were not going to participate in the two-day El Cajon Invitational at Canyon Crest Fri.-Sat., Dec. 20-21.

"We're too decimated with injuries," he related. Also, La Jolla is holding final exams, so students will be occupied with those Friday, further inhibiting the Vikings' full-throated participation in the tourney at CCA.

Delaney, at the time of the disclosure, was coaching alongside assistant Scott Christy at the 38th Annual Marauder Invitational at Mira Mesa. Several La Jolla wrestlers made the trip, but several didn't make the trip, due to injuries.

LJ FB: Torrey Pines in Week 1

Scott "Juice" Hughley,

Associate Head Coach

of La Jolla football,

before the Vikings' 27-15 win

over Madison in the first round

of the D2 playoffs Nov. 8.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The other day Scott "Juice" Hughley--Viking Associate Head Coach--was talking: "Torrey Pines in week one" in Fall 2025.

A win over Torrey Pines was one of three key wins to open the 2024 campaign for La Jolla. It was the first time the two teams had met since 1991, when the Falcons won handily.

Hughley, a friendly big bear of a man, had a story. "That was the first time I met (Viking head coach) Tyler (Roach). He brought Max Smith and Ethan (last name?) over to Torrey Pines (where "Juice" was then coaching).

"He wanted to show them how a D1 team ran things."

Hughley met Roach, the Falcons' head coach, Ron Gladnick, left Torrey Pines for St. Augustine (since departed), and Scott came over to La Jolla to coach for Roach.