LJ FB: Game story 10/18

Lancer QB Daniel Gilmor, a southpaw,

was hounded by Viking defenders

a lot, until a running clock

was implemented early in the

third quarter with the score 44-8.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Have you ever invited guests to a party, and they misbehaved?

Francis Parker School put on their biggest party in recent years Friday, October 18, "HoCo 24" at Homecoming, displaying their sparkling new buildings, and varied culinary fare including Indian food, Chinese, nachos, and Crumbl at booths in the front parking lot, with everyone welcome, including hundreds of younger kids and their families.

But the centerpiece of the evening was the football game against visiting La Jolla--and oh, did the Vikings spoil the party. Aidan McGill ran for two rushing touchdowns in the first half, and added a third passing reception for a TD in the third quarter after a 37-8 halftime score.

Still in the "serious" part of the game, receiver Kai Fukuda took a Hudson Smith aerial 23 yards for another TD in the second period.

Finally, in addition to an earlier field goal by steady kicker Evan Figueiredo, giant lineman Jett Thomas--all 295 pounds of him--took the ball on the two-yard line, nobody from Parker really wanted to get in front of him, and he busted through for a touchdown at 30-0, when things were getting really out of hand.

And the Parker party was ruined once and for all.

A student told her parent at the 7-11 next door after the game, "We played La Jolla. We got crushed."

Smith, himself, after all his hard work this fall in his first season at the QB spot, got the frosting on the Slurpee with his own keeper from five yards out, topping off first-half scoring at the aforementioned 37-8.

As to the question why the bad boys from La Jolla ever scheduled Coach D.J. Walcott's Lancers to begin with, La Jolla Associate Head Coach Scott "Juice" Hughley explained before the lopsided contest that scheduling came down to the following options: El Camino (Oceanside) in week five, a "random school from Nevada" in week one or two in Arizona at some kind of kickoff event, or Parker.

Earlier this season, Hughley said, "We love to ruin other teams' Homecomings. We've done it more than once."

Meanwhile, for Eastern League superiority, undefeated Scripps Ranch totaled University City at UC's own Homecoming, 31-13, basically deciding the conference race with two games to play:

1. Scripps Ranch

2. La Jolla and UC (tied)

4. Point Loma (LJ must defeat the Pointers Oct. 25)

5. Mission Bay

A near-full moon shadows the Homecoming

at Francis Parker, a sad event for the Lancers,

a high-scoring walk in the park

for the visiting Vikings, who

crashed the party.

SCORING - La Jolla at Parker

1st Quarter

Aidan McGill 6-yard run, 7-0

Evan Figueiredo field goal, 10-0

2nd Quarter

Aidan McGill run, 17-0

Kai Fukuda 23-yard reception, 24-0

Jett Thomas 2-yard run, 30-0

Parker: Avondre Kelley 3-yard reception, 30-6

Parker: Winston Huber run, 30-8

Hudson Smith 6-yard keeper, 37-8

3rd Quarter

Aidan McGill 22-yard reception, 44-8

4th Quarter

Parker: Avondre Kelley 8-yard run, 44-15

PAT's by Evan Figueiredo