LJ FB: 'Whitt' new with CB's

Damarious "Whitt" Whitten,

new cornerbacks coach for the

Vikings. He snagged 9 picks

and was named Marine Corps

"Defensive Player of the Year"

in his playing days.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"Defensive Player of the Year" at cornerback in the Marine Corps, and someone who played at Steeler great Ben Roethlisberger's high school alma mater--those are things to get people's attention.

Damarious "Coach Whitt" Whitten steps in as new staff for the Viking corners. The courteous mentor with braids, on the sidelines for La Jolla's games at the USD Camp 7-v-7 games Sat., June 21, allowed as how he starred at Findlay (Ohio) High, where QB Roethlisberger spun a few passes years ago.

He also played at Old Redford High in Detroit, Michigan, during his prep days.

Damarious recorded nine interceptions from the cornerback position to garner the Marine Corps award. A reporter noted that that was same number of picks current Viking senior Carson Diehl led the county with during his sophomore year in 2023. "That's the real challenge, is when you're known and they're coming at you," commented the assistant coach.

The Viking staff will have other changes in 2025, as Randy Cowell will occupy the Defensive Coordinator spot opposite Head Coach Tyler Roach's direction of the offense.

Associate Head Coach Scott "Juice" Hughley, a big favorite with players during his five years coaching at La Jolla, has moved over to Del Norte's football program, where he also works during the day as a campus supervisor.

LJ FB: USD Camp game story

The Vikings' most recent offseason competition

took place June 21 at the USD Camp, the campus

on a hill in San Diego, (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"Not our best showing," commented La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach. "We were just a little off all day."

Roach was reacting to his team's 2-3 showing in the USD Camp 7-v-7 tournament Sat., June 21. The Vikings, with senior quarterback Hudson Smith targeting receivers Nico Bardaro, Aiden Farrell, Logan Clark, Emerson Rota, and others, lost their first game at 9:30 a.m. to Charter Oak (Covina), 13-4, without scoring a touchdown.

After the 20-minute timed game, La Jolla had a short rest on a warm morning until 10:33, when the Vikings' scheduled game kicked off with their opponent, Pinnacle (Phoenix), again getting the ball on offense first.

This time, Smith and crew got off to a better start, tying the contest 6-6 on their first possession with a TD reception by Kaden Pomare. The extra point attempt failed.

The La Jolla defense, featuring middle linebacker Charlie Martin, cornerback Lukas Grismer, and linebacker Joseph Crudo, among others, stopped the Pioneers on their next possession, with three "time"'s being called--the equivalent of a sack, without tackling in 7-v-7.

Then Huddy found Bardaro in open area where Nico had room to run for touchdown number two, 12-6, before the extra point pass in the middle of the field to the same receiver was off.

After Martin's pick, La Jolla came back with a Smith-Grismer connection toward the left sideline on the first down played, 18-6. Smith's throw in the center to Rota on the extra point failed.

Roach's offense, with a "bigger" QB, as La Jolla's program described the senior earlier this offseason, had more points up its sleeve with Hudson's TD completion to Aiden Hogan. The final was 24-6.

La Jolla went 1-2 the rest of the day.

LJ FB: More photos - Charter Oak game 6/21

Photos by Ed Piper

Nico Bardaro takes in a Hudson Smith

pass in the middle under close coverage.

Corner Aiden Farrell (behind) makes the stop

on a Charter Oak receiver on first-and-goal.

Hudson Smith, with a year of seasoning as

the starting QB, cocks to fire.

On the fifth pass of the game, Charter Oak scores

a TD as coverage gets leaky. CO won the 20-minute

game, 13-6.

LJ FB 4, Charter Oak (Covina) 13 - USD Camp 6/21

Photos by Ed Piper

Tight end Nico Bardaro takes a completion

for first down with less than five minutes

left in the 20-minute game, down 13-4.

Senior Lukas Grismer (R) defends on a pass attempt

near the goal line. Ball is knocked away.

Grismer (6), a cornerback, completes the stop

on a ball that seemed to be in the Charger receiver's

grasp for a moment on a good, physical play.

Soph cornerback Aiden Farrell (L) positions himself

to cover his man on Charter Oak split wide to the left.

Coach Tyler Roach tries to light a fire under his

players after the loss in the 9:30 a.m. contest.

Junior Joseph Crudo (rear left), a linebacker,

lines up with fellow senior Drake Weise (21)

and Aiden Farrell (white cap) before a play

midway through the LJ-Charter Oak encounter.

Vikings take a break on the USD lower field sidelines

after the game. JV coach Chris Macy (R) sits on a

bucket.

From left, freshman assistant Ben Martin (also head

track coach) and varsity assistant Chris Velez, in his

sixth year with LJ, watch the scrimmage.

Vike head coach Tyler Roach (R) takes a break

after the first game with Marshall (L), his 10-year-old

son who just celebrated his birthday June 18.

Junior tight end Nico Bardaro, split left, barks out

some communication as the Vike offense sets up.

LJ FB: USD Camp 7-v-7 - Vikings 24, Pinnacle (Phoenix) 6 - 6/21

Photos by Ed Piper

Receiver Kaden Pomare (foreground)

prepares to go out as QB Hudson Smith

looks his way.

Senior quarterback Hudson Smith (1)

lets loose with a long pass against Pinnacle.

Vike head coach Tyler Roach (L) advises

receiver Emerson Rota (4) as QB Hudson

Smith (1) listens at the end of the second game.

Logan Clark (5) defends as a Monarch

makes a flying catch.

Vikings huddle before the second game, with

Hudson Smith (center rear, hand up) leading

the close. Linebacker Charlie Smith is far right.

LJ FB: Campus osprey puts on show as Vikes work out below 6/20

Photos by Ed Piper

The LJHS campus osprey, Onid, swoops over the football field

while Viking hopefuls work out below Fri. morning, June 20.

Onid the osprey carries a fish in his talons

as he transports it across Edwards Stadium

from the east side to the nest atop a light

stanchion on the west side of the field.

Zach "Snacks" Gergurich (far right) rises from

a prone position to sprint 50 yards downfield

as part of the workout under coach Ben Martin.

Fellow junior Emerson Rota (red shirt) and

senior teammate Dane Tyvoll (next to him)

wait in their group to do the drill.

Football assistant and head track coach Ben Martin

(on the bullhorn) runs the practice. At far left

are QB Hudson Smith (white T-shirt)

and middle linebacker Charlie Martin.

Two team members arrive on their e-bikes

before the 7 a.m. workout.

LJ FB: 2nd in bracket at SDSU Camp

The campus osprey (upper left) keeps an eye out

next to the nest atop the central light standard

during weight-training Wed. morning, June 18.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla went 5-2 and took second in its bracket at the SDSU Camp in 7-v-7 games June 7-8, according to new DC Randy Cowell.

The Vikings came up against Centennial (Peoria, AZ) in the final, losing that contest on the campus at San Diego State. Cowell is installing new defensive patterns in his role as Defensive Coordinator.

This weekend, June 21-22, the Coach Tyler Roach-led offensive players will go to the USD Camp locally.

Middle linebacker Charlie Martin, sporting a visible 2-to-3-inch vertical scar on the outside of his right wrist from surgery earlier this year, said, "It's getting better. I still can't lift (weights)," as he ramps up with his teammates for the Aug. 22 season opener at Torrey Pines High.

Cowell, the DC, coached at Valley Center for 20 years. He then was an assistant at Escondido Charter most recently.

Roach begins his ninth season at the helm. He served as a defensive assistant at La Jolla prior to that time.

LJ FB: Bear crawls up Rushville St. 6/18

Photos by Ed Piper

Jon Lemery (far left) runs a workout that includes

bear crawls up Rushville St. next to the stadium

at 7:30 in the morning. Lemery is strength

and conditioning coach.

Lunges preceded the bear crawls, both after

a neighborhood run at 7 a.m.

Rising junior Nico Bardaro (C), "Snacks" (R).

Then, backward bear crawls - grueling.

Rising junior Zach "Snacks" Gergurich (R)

has his belt adjusted during morning weight-

lifting.

Adult league baseball: Pete's weekend warriors

 

The Vandals, 43 years old and up, were formed

this spring by Pete Wilkinson (24, front row

middle), who lives in Linda Vista-Clairemont.

Player-manager Pete Wilkinson,

second baseman who grew up

in Redlands. The team plays at

San Pasqual, Orange Glen, and

Escondido high schools

on Sundays.

NCAA suit settlement: What it means

By Ed Piper

What I've been reading about the settlement in the House vs. NCAA suit will change Division 1 college sports and provide a structure to pay past and present athletes.

The decision, handed down Friday, June 6, stipulates that 22 percent of colleges' athletic revenues will be distributed primarily to football and men's basketball team members--because those are the revenue-producing sports.

A small amount of that money will be split among the remaining sports, including Olympic sports like track.

In addition, past athletes will be paid out of a fund of $2.8 billion over a period of 10 years for their participation from 2016-2025 as a sort of make-up for the NIL (name, image, likeness) endorsement issues.

Beginning July 1, universities can pay current athletes up to a total of $20.5 million in NIL annually.

How do I feel about it? One, universities made billions of dollars off young athletes for decades, which wasn't right. There were cases where a player received a sandwich from a booster when his scholarship stipend ran out in the offseason, and this violated NCAA rules. That was ridiculous.

Another anecdote was from the story of Connie Hawkins, the NBA Phoenix Suns basketball player who was banned from the NBA for a time while he was stuck playing in the old ABA. On college scholarship in Iowa, Hawkins, a 6'8" athlete with tremendous natural talent, was paid for making sure seaweed didn't grow in the school's athletic stadium--obviously, seaweed doesn't encroach on facilities in the Midwest, because the ocean is thousands of miles away.

Do I like young athletes making millions off NIL? No, I'm not thrilled. What sense would you have, without wise family and investment counselors to advise you, at age 18 and a pile of money lands in your lap? Not a pretty picture.

Just take Mikey Williams, the basketball phenom from San Ysidro High. As a high school player, he was living in a million dollar home (I think in Jamul) when friends came up for a visit. Out of jealousy over a girl, he put four bullets into an occupied Tesla. Lawyers worked out a pleaded-out probation so he could move on to play college basketball, where his future is still being decided.

The articles I've read state that smaller colleges--without major football and basketball teams--could benefit by building up teams in lesser-known sports, and thereby prosper in athletics. That may be so.

With roster limits going up to 105 players on D1 football teams and 15 on men's basketball teams, this could drain a lot of the $20.5 million wealthy colleges can pay to their student-athletes.

The lesser sports--non-revenue-producing--could suffer. For example, Long Beach State has a top-flight men's volleyball team that won the NCAA title this year. Its status is in question; where does the program come up with money to pay expenses?

The NCAA doesn't whistle the tune anymore. The conferences, led by the Big 10 and the SEC, are really the movers-and-shakers, as we've seen in the realignment--for gigantic media rights money--the last few years of groupings. The old Pac-10 has dried up and been reborn with lesser teams. The wealthy conferences do whatever they feel in the pursuit of millions and billions of dollars.

LJ track: Starter King 'was a surfer', CIF champ hurdler

Annie King (far left), the starter, checks the discus

setup before the Vikings' meet April 24 against

Canyon Hills. At far right (behind) stands

La Jolla soph Janae Stanley-Castillo, who

ended up winning the Eastern League title.

By Ed Piper

Serving as the starter for the first time at a track meet at her alma mater, La Jolla High, for the Viking-Canyon Hills meet April 24 was Annie King, who graduated in the LJHS Class of 1981. King was the CIF champion in the 100-meter hurdles.

"I ran hurdles. I was a surfer in those days. I came to campus to run," said King as she arrived early at the meet, checking the discus area that it was shipshape. (I told her I had never seen another starter ever check at a meet that the throws area(s) was set up and in compliance. I am probably wrong, but I never witnessed such an official come by to check on an event on the perimeter.)

It was King's first time serving as the starter at her alma mater, she said. She, not immodestly, responded to this reporter's question, "What did you run?", that she was the CIF champ in the 100-meter hurdles--"the first year," she said, "they had high hurdles".

Annie went on to run at Mesa and UC Irvine. "I met Edwin Moses (legendary Olympic hurdler) in college," she told someone of a similar generation who recognized the name.

(Unnamed) Stadium: A 'gut-wrenching' experience

My first pancake in 10 days.

By Ed Piper

"You're going on a liquid diet (for stomach troubles)," the doctor in Urgent Care told me. I replied, "Oh, that'll be quite an experience. We're going to (name of Major League ballpark) tomorrow."

And so I did: Driving to an (unnamed) MLB park for a weekday game, 1 p.m. start--most of the driving, especially in traffic, because my wife doesn't do traffic.

What an experience.

We got there in plenty of time. We enjoyed the game, she in Cardinals red hat and "Musial" jersey (3XL, my size, looking like her nightwear, as one fan told us) with "Stan the Man"'s number 6 on the back.

By 6 p.m., stuck in massive traffic, cars barely moving, we finally hit the wall. Dianna hadn't had anything to eat since noon. Me, on a liquid diet--I bought Sprite in a souvenir cup, sipped some (I'm allergic to sugar) and my wife a little, then threw the rest out, keeping the ice and filling the cup with water from the drinking fountain.

I had finished the five or so vegetable-and-fruit pouches I had brought, so I was stranded with nothing else to eat.

I Googled directions to a Vons, we got off the I-5 at Firestone Blvd. in Norwalk--I realizing that I had to break my liquid fast after a day-and-a-half and eat some protein to keep driving--and instead, found a Target.

I ate a peanut butter energy bar, two hard-boiled eggs (finally, proteina (I'm using Spanish). At the Starbucks counter inside Target, Dianna ordered something (I'm having memory-blank-flashback--not really) and I ordered a sausage-egg-cheese breakfast sandwich (at 6:15 at night!).

We sat down and enjoyed them. A few tears, but we had hit the wall and overcome it. We regrouped, there sitting at the table inside Starbucks inside Target.

And that is the story of the first Major League game I have ever gone to on a liquid diet. I looked longingly at Di's cheeseburger she ate at (unnamed) Stadium.

We experienced all of it, and came out alive.

Oh, and by the way, the (unnamed team) came back and won the game, 6-5. Michael Conforto, Italian-American like my wife, struggling at the plate, had a run-producing single in their late rally to help win the game.

LJ track: Javelin All-American Mitchell begs to differ

All-American javelin thrower Andrew Mitchell

(second from right, rear), LJ Class of 2017, chats

with athletes and coach before the Vikings'

meet at home against Canyon Hills April 24.

(Photos by Ed Piper

By Ed Piper

"La Jolla (besides having good runners) hasn't had anybody good in the throws until (sophomore) Janae Stanley-Castillo," Viking alumnus Andrew Mitchell was told.

He reacted strongly to that. "I did the throws here (standing on the Edwards Field infield)," Mitchell told a reporter. "I graduated in 2017."

Sorry, never covered him much. The well-proportioned former Viking football player--listed in LJHS football back in 2016 at 6'2", 200 pounds as a lineman--went on to gain NAIA (small college) All-American status at Southern Oregon University.

Andrew, who had been called by a friend to run the discus throw at the La Jolla-Saints-OLP meet March 27, his first time returning to campus in three years, threw the javelin 221'7". He was competing against guys who had been throwing the javelin for years, which he didn't get exposure to during high school. 

In the NAIA national meet at Indiana Wesleyan in Marion, Indiana, last May, "Mitch" also threw the discus. His best mark in that event was 151'5". Those were the two throws he vied in at the nationals.

Best mark in the shot put during college: 45'3.75".

Andrew spread out his college eligibility over seven years during the COVID mess. He attended Mesa College after high school graduation and threw there. He went on to Southern Oregon, where he was a three-time All-American.

Asked what he weighed while throwing the javelin, Mitchell replied 235 pounds. On the football roster at La Jolla High in 2017, his junior year, as a lineman, he was listed at 205 pounds.

Regarding the javelin, he said, "It's hard. I first found it at Mesa. It took a while. It's hard (to do)."

A limitation is space--you need a not of room to throw a javelin, and people can't be in the way. "In California, you're not allowed to throw it in college (or high school)," he said. "Maybe it's okay in club competition."

"I think danger and safety are concerns," he went on. "You're throwing a (sharp) stick in space. In Oregon, it has more space."

Andrew made a funny substitution-of-words when asked how it was visiting his alma mater again. "It's lethargic," he first said. I asked him, "Do you mean there is low energy here?"

He replied, "No, I mix up words sometimes. What's the word? I mean I'm nostalgic" at being on campus again.

During his football-playing years for the Vikings, he played under Coaches Jayson Carter and Matt Morrison. Carter is now associate head coach for Lincoln, a dominant program. Morrison coached one year here, then took his dream job, coaching with his father at his alma mater, Francis Parker, where he had always wanted to coach.

After Morrison left, that meant La Jolla had three different coaches in three seasons. That's a lot of transition and interrupted continuity.

Back in San Diego, living with his godparents in Point Loma, Andrew was hired April 24 as Sea World's head of Environmental Supervision. His major in college was Environmental Science.

After running the discus at his first meet back at LJHS, Mitchell agreed to help out coaching some of the girls and boys in the throws. Hopefully, we'll see more of him in 2026.

Mitchell (left), who starred at La Jolla in football

and track, talks with Annalyse Abrams

before the April 24 meet against Canyon Hills.

LJ baseball: Luke Cripe - the untold story

Junior Luke Cripe (right) receives his 2025

Viking season booklet from head coach

Gary Frank (left) at the team's banquet

Sat., May 31. In the background are

assistants Johnny Agbulos (rear right)

and pitching coach Koa Scott (rear

far left). (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla head baseball coach Gary Frank told a story at the team banquet Sat., May 30, that had him dabbing his eyes in emotion.

Luke Cripe, a junior, had had a good offseason preparing and was ready to play in the outfield on the varsity.

In the second game of the season, "Luke was all set to play left field," related Frank. He had had some back issues. Gary said, "We realized that Luke wasn't going to tell us" each time it was an issue.

He was inserted in the lineup, but right before his at-bat, he told the coaches his back was feeling a little tight. Frank had to substitute for him. "I figured he would go home and put some ice on it," to take care of it.

Instead, "Luke propped himself against a wall in the dugout, to get comfortable, and spent the rest of the game involved and cheering on his teammates."

It was, obviously, an occasion that Frank would not forget, and he related that at the breakfast, as individual team members were recognized.

So, even though Luke didn't come back from the injury to play left field every game and pile up statistics, he was still a valuable member of the team. That was the upshot.

Aerial gymnastics: Pickett does it all

Matisse Pickett

performs to

"Get Lost" from

"Moana" in

aerial

gymnastics.

(Photo by

Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Matisse Pickett, captain of the La Jolla wrestling team who starred at the school for four years, performed an intricate and beautiful set of maneuvers hanging from a cord attached to the ceiling at an aerial gymnastics showcase two days after her high school graduation.

Matisse, who qualified for CIF Masters in wrestling in February, took part in performances to "Get Lost" from the "Moana" movie, then "Maleficent" from "Sleeping Beauty" Sat., May 30, with fellow students for a private aerial gymnastics program. The routines took months of practice to master the flips, drops, and twirls--all the while suspended in mid-air in an impressive display of athleticism and strength.

The showcase for parents in Kearny Mesa included performances to music--including upside-down moves--using silk pieces that look somewhat like drapes hanging from the ceiling; hoops; and straps.

LJ baseball banquet 5/31

Photos by Ed Piper

Seniors

SS Hank Hansen received

the Brent Woodall Award

at the year-end school

awards ceremony.

Vicki and Rick Eveleth applaud during awards

at the Viking baseball breakfast. The Eveleths

are both "Coaching Legends" from LJHS

in the Breitbard Hall of Fame.