LJ softball: Jacey named Player of the Year

Viking first baseman Jacey Taylor, shown here

batting during La Jolla's game in the Division 5

finals Sat., May 30, was named the Central League

Player of the Year. (Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Graduated senior Jacey Taylor, who recently set new school records for home runs in a single season (14) and a career (28), was named the Central League Player of the Year in a meeting of league coaches.

The left-handed power hitter, who started most games for the Vikings this season in the pitcher's circle, even though she doesn't specialize in pitching, led the Vikings in batting average and RBI's, as well. She normally plays first base, when she isn't pitching.

Taylor, who has a supportive family who attends most games, her dad famous for his series of signs that he holds up down the right field line to motivate his daughter and her teammates, plans to enroll at Baylor University in Texas and study kinesiology toward becoming an athletic trainer.

Even though some teams in the CIF playoffs avoided pitching to Jacey, due to her home run productivity, walking her multiple times intentionally, her home run totals can still increase with the Vikings' spot in the Southern California Regionals Tues., June 2, at home.

Taylor looks at an outside pitch during the Vikings'

11-1 win in the semifinals May 27 against

Orange Glen. She hit three home runs in one

game to propel her to the single-season

home run record (13) two weeks ago. The career

record had to wait another few games.

LJ softball 9, Monte Vista 17 - CIF D5 Finals - 5/30

Sophomore Ella Pearl (30) reaches third base,

standing up, on a booming triple in the bottom

of the seventh inning as Monte Vista third baseman

Alina Rodriguez (20) holds the throw from left field.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Give Monte Vista the credit--the Monarchs delivered hitting throughout their lineup, and freshman pitcher Luanne Castillo sufficiently throttled La Jolla's offense to maintain a lead from the get-go.

But in the Vikings' second straight appearance in the Division 5 Finals Sat., May 30, you always walk away with the what-if''s. What if they hadn't started off the game with a couple of walks to gift Monte Vista with early baserunners? What if the defense had played a little tighter?

In all, it has been quite a run for Coach Anthony Sarain's red-and-black, winning 12 of 13 to get to the title game at UCSD before the big crowd, the immaculate playing surface, the game announcer.

Senior Jacey Taylor, the school's newly-crowned home run record-holder, and sophomore shortstop Ella Pearl have helped lead a unit that has shown plenty of pop in the lineup--also Aviv Laska, the backstop, comes to mind--and savvy on the basepaths and in the field--senior Savannah Putnam, patrolling centerfield, and freshman Ellie Thomson, at third base, come to mind there.

The Monarchs scored four in the top of the first and two in the second, jumping out to a 6-2 lead they would never relinquish. The Vikes seemed a little awed by the bright lights, struggling as Monte Vista continued to spray hits and built leads of 8-2 (after 2 1/2 innings) and 13-4 (3 1/2 innings).

La Jolla faced early elimination under the 10-run mercy rule in the bottom of the fifth, trailing 14-4. Fortunately, they scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to stave off extinction: Laska led off with a double. Senior Maddie Ehlert, already gaining simultaneous college credits and no longer stepping foot on campus as seniors enjoyed the last week out of school, hit a grounder to short and the throw was mishandled at first, allowing Aviv to score.

Catcher Aviv Laska drove in a run in the third

inning and scored a run in the fifth, both with

doubles. The junior also had an RBI in the

sixth for a productive day.

After the steady Thomson popped out to pitcher Castillo, Melanie Smith, in the seventh spot, lined a single to center. Lily Carnaje drew a rare walk from Luanne Castillo with the bases loaded, forcing in Laska and staving off extinction.

Maddie Quach, the fourth already-graduated senior with Taylor, Putnam, and Ehlert, hit a groundball to shortstop Olivia Mendham, who got the force at second on Carnaje but "Maddie E." scored another run to make it 14-6. Savannah ended the inning with a groundout to shortstop.

With the Monarchs scoring three more runs in the top of the sixth, 17-6, Sarain's minions once again faced the mercy rule, requiring another run to extend the game to seven innings. They did so, by plating a trio of runs in the bottom of the sixth.

Pearl got aboard with a walk. Jacey boomed a double over centerfielder Reena Del Rosario's head in deep left-center, nearly reaching the wall, moving Ella to third. Laska, the catcher, singled to bring in Pearl, placing runners at the corners.

That run knocked out Castillo, Monte Vista's starting pitcher, who lasted five-plus innings. Coach Fili Tavarez did a double-switch, moving Del Rosario, a senior, in from centerfield to pitch and placing Luanne in center. Ehlert popped out to second for the first out.

Thomson grounded to second, but that brought in Taylor, and the Vikings were safe from the 10-run rule at 17-8. With two outs, Melanie Smith, who had to come in and relieve Jacey, who was relieving Ella, in the top of the inning, singled to left. That drove in Aviv, before Carnaje grounded out. 17-9, the final margin.

LJ softball: Photos 5/27

Photos by Ed Piper

The two Charlotte's--Putnam (L) and Vargas--

display their self-chosen nickname during

the 11-1 semifinal.

Third baseman Ellie Thomson, a freshman,

gloves a grounder in the bottom of the first...

...then makes an accurate throw to first

to retire Erandi Perez (not in view) of

Orange Glen to end the inning.

Ella Pearl pitched a one-run gem for six innings,

allowing four hits and striking out four.

She gave up one walk and one intentional walk

after the Vikings allowed 22 walks the day

before. Pearl hit two home runs in Tuesday's

game, a 14-8 win by the Patriots, setting up

Wednesday's winner-goes-to-the-finals thriller.

Ella Pearl (30), hitting in the second slot, blasts

a drive to right-centerfield (to right of palm trees

in the photo) that bounces over the outfield fence

for a ground-rule double, driving in Savannah

Putnam with the Vikings' first run. The action

came in the bottom of the first.

LJ leadoff hitter Savannah Putnam beats out

a grounder to third baseman Maribel Rodriguez

in the bottom of the first inning. The hit came

off Addie Bruzzi (11, background far right), a senior

who was a one-person show for the Patriots:

she pitched a 14-8 win Tuesday and hit a home run

Wednesday.

LJ softball 11, Orange Glen 1 - 10-run mercy rule - LJ goes to title game

Emily Hernandez rounds third base as Viking

coach Anthony Sarain (arm on left) points for her

to keep going and score at home plate. The action

took place in the bottom of the second inning,

La Jolla building a 5-0 lead against Orange Glen.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla coach Anthony Sarain said two weeks ago that his Vikings, having won 10 in a row through the Central League season, should go through the playoffs without too many obstacles and keep the streak alive.

Well, on Wednesday, May 27--after a 14-8 bump in the road against Orange Glen the day before--La Jolla returned to form behind the excellent pitching of sophomore Ella Pearl and downed the Patriots, 11-1, on the 10-run mercy rule in the bottom of the sixth inning.

Sarain's squad, led by senior Jacey Taylor and Pearl, now moves to the Division 5 CIF championship game at UCSD Sat., May 30 at 1 p.m.

The Vikings' offense scored three runs in the bottom of the first and two more in the second to regain familiar ground with an early lead. They added three more in the fourth, then, fittingly, on a single by graduating senior Savannah Putnam, ended the game with three runs to reach the 10-run margin (after five innings, it is automatic).

After giving up 22 walks to Orange Glen in an upset Tuesday, requiring another game under the double-elimination format, La Jolla settled into a healthy pattern. Patriot pitcher and captain Addie Bruzzi clubbed a solo homer in the top of the second, but that was the only run the visitors scored.

Several fine defensive plays kept the Vikes on track. Freshman Ellie Thomson was steady at third base. Senior Maddie Ehlert snagged a line drive out in the fourth. Shortstop Melanie Smith and Taylor combined on one play that consisted of good glove work, then Jacey digging out the throw on the other end of the sequence.

LJ baseball 3, Ramona 13 - CIF D3 semis - ends season

Viking Reed Turner (14) scores as teammate

Oliver Obler (6, behind umpire) gives him

the signal to come in standing up. The two

runs put La Jolla on the board in the top

of the fifth inning Tues., May 26.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Just before 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, several youth-to-high-school baseball careers ended, as La Jolla dropped a 13-3 decision at Ramona in a double-elimination semifinal situation.

With overcast skies and a 10-mph wind chilling spectators, the Vikings fell into a 7-0 hole. The defense let down starter Charlie Smith in the first and second innings, before catcher Colton Simpson crushed a two-run home run over the left field barrier in the bottom of the third.

But La Jolla coach Gary Frank wasn't giving up yet. In the top of the fifth, four pinch-hitters tallied three runs against Bulldog right-hander Alex Wilson, and the Vikings were on the board.

Oliver Obler, going to the plate for Hunter Durfee, drew a walk. After a fielder's choice moved him to second, Reed Turner got aboard on an error, putting runners at the corners.

Senior Harper Lane sees the pitch and will

drive it into centerfield for a two-run single

in the top of the fifth against Ramona starter

Alex Wilson.

In the one-slot, Carter Strauss got his second walk of the game to load the bases. That set up senior outfielder Harper Lane's two-run single to center.

Fellow senior Charlie Martin hit another ball into the middle of the infield, and that ball's mishandling brought in Strauss.

Luke Cripe, another late insert, walked to load the bases again, but the Vikings couldn't capitalize and failed to score again. Wilson, the Ramona starter, was replaced the next inning, but the hosts, undefeated in the playoffs, punched their ticket to Friday's Division 4 final.

LJ track: Janae takes 3rd in CIF shot put

Photos by Ed Piper

Junior Janae Stanley-Castillo makes

her second throw in the finals of the

CIF San Diego Section championships.

Her put of 39'2" at Mt. Carmel High

placed her third in the section, qualifying

for her first state meet Sat., May 30.

Stanley-Castillo gets input from her throws

coach at LJHS, Darius, before the

competition.

Her dad Ivan (center, in gray shirt) watches

her performance closely from high above

the shot put area on the trail above.

Janae and her coach, Darius, arrive before

8:30 for the shot put, whose first flight kicks off

at 9 a.m. The second flight, with the qualifiers

with longer distances, doesn't begin until 9:40 a.m.

LJ track @ CIF Finals 5/23

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ's Chiara Dailey (L) begins to pull away

on the turn of the fourth and final lap

in the 1600 as second-place Ayanna Hickey

of Bishop's looks back to see who is close

(no one) to the front-runners.

Anchor Leed Smoole (L) takes the baton

from Asher Sternberg in the 4x100 relay.

The Vikings foursome took fourth place.

LJ softball 14, Kearny 0 - 5 innings - 5/22

Jacey Taylor takes a walk in the bottom

of the first inning. Three innings later,

she hit the 28th home run of her career.

The big question had been whether she

would see any pitches in the strike zone

as she pursued the single-season (now 14)

and career (now 28) school records.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla advanced in the Division 5 playoffs with a dominating 14-0 win over Kearny Fri., May 22, and Viking senior Jacey Taylor swatted her 28th home run in the bottom of the fourth inning to set a new LJHS record for career homers.

The two recent times the first baseman/pitcher has set the single-season record (three home runs May 14) and career mark have come in "mercy rule"/five-inning shortened games, a hurry-up situation when you didn't know if she would get enough at-bats or enough pitches in the strike zone to have a chance to hit a homer.

Jacey upped her single-season mark to 14, after breaking Emmy Cardenas' record of 12 a week ago. She had tied Emmy for the career record with the three-dinger onslaught, at 27, and sat there for eight days, until Friday's contest at home.

Coach Anthony Sarain's title hopefuls scored five runs in the first, five in the second, and added a pair of runs in each of the next two frames to terminate the game against the over-matched Comets. Coach Aryn Hamilton readily admitted before opening pitch, "We're the underdogs. Most of our girls have never played softball before."

The Vikings extended their winning streak to 12 games. Sarain said last week that "we should continue winning" with that streak well into the postseason, as they are the top seed in a Division 5 that doesn't present a lot of obstacles.

LJ baseball 6, RBV 5 - CIF D3 playoffs - 5/22

A pickoff throw by Will Griebe-Arzate (not in view)

catches RBV's Zach Roe with too big a lead

before Viking first baseman Ryan Khourajian (22)

applies the tag. See the ball upper left, just in the frame.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

The irony of the Vikings' 6-5 comeback win over Rancho Buena Vista Fri., May 22, can't be overstated. It earns them the right to travel four hours to the place they "never wanted to go"--having forfeited only two days before, when the chartered bus didn't show up on time to take them to distant Blythe--on Sat., May 23, as they continue in the Division 3 playoffs.

In reality, the Harper Lane and Carter Strauss-led La Jollans did want to travel to Riverside County, along the Colorado River. They just couldn't get a ride to get them there.

So, with the forfeit chalked up as one of the two losses they are allowed in the double-elimination postseason tourney, La Jolla battled back from a 5-4 deficit in the bottom of the seventh inning to tie the Longhorns on Lane's double to right, driving in pinch-hitter Oliver Obler.

Then, in extra innings, the just-hitting-enough red-and-black tallied for the 6-5 victory when Strauss got hit by a pitch, forcing in the winning run with the bases loaded. It was a dramatic way to survive in the playoffs, but a sad one for RBV, who played four games in five days this week to get this far.

Hunter Durfee, who Coach Gary Frank inserted into right field last week "to get an extra bat in the lineup" in the struggles against Lincoln, tripled just inside the first base foul line with the bases loaded to put La Jolla ahead, 3-2, in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Junior Zach Gergurich followed with a sharp single up the middle, scoring Durfee. The lead was now 4-2.

After Viking starter Will Griebe-Arzate tired and gave up three runs to RBV in the top of the fifth on four singles, that set up the hosts for the late-inning comeback.

In the bottom of the seventh, La Jolla facing elimination, Obler, batting for shortstop Brady Wilson, hit a dunker into right to lead off.

Strauss, in the first slot, sacrificed him to second. Harper: "It was a fastball, middle-in. I was looking for it." Lane lined a rocket to right-center, bringing Oliver around. Tie ballgame.

Harper was thrown out at third base trying to advance on Charlie Martin's groundball to short, and the Vikings could do no more in the seventh inning.

In the first extra inning, Andrew Cardenas, called to pitch in another must-win game (6 2/3 innings versus Lincoln last Friday in the title decider), got the Longhorns out in short order, allowing a walk.

In the bottom of the eighth, after Durfee struck out, "Snacks" Gergurich walked. He was singled to second on Reed Hunter's infield hit gloved by shortstop Noah Lowman.

An intentional walk was issued to Brady Wilson, loading the bags. Strauss was hit by pitch by Collin LaVigne, RBV's third pitcher, and the Vikings had the walk-off win.

LJ baseball: The bats woke up

By Ed Piper

Every spot in the lineup got a hit except Harper Lane, who contributed plenty as the ballhawk he is in centerfield and two walks he contributed, the first leading to the Vikings' first run, in La Jolla's play-in victory Tues., May 19.

It was a welcome sign, after freshman righthander Sebas Estrada throttled the offense last Mon., May 11, then two different hurlers did the same in the Wed., May 13 game--both against Lincoln in the regular-season-ending series.

Catcher Carter Strauss had two RBI's, one in the fourth inning and another in the seventh when the Vikes added two runs for insurance. It gave them a little bit of a mental cushion when Vista came back with two runs in the last of the seventh.

Joseph Crudo, moved over to second base, had the two-run double that started things off in the top of the first, plating Lane and Charlie Martin.

LJ baseball: No bus = forfeit = rested starter

By Ed Piper

The Vikings' trip to Blythe for a playoff game Wed., May 20, turned out to be longer--or shorter, depending on how you look at it--than planned. Chuck Podhorsky, principal at La Jolla High, said at the Viking softball team's playoff game Wednesday afternoon, "(Head Coach) Gary Frank said the bus company said it would be two hours or more (before they could deliver transportation to the school)."

The baseball team's scheduled time for departure was 10 a.m., since the trip covers 148 miles via Highway 78, not a freeway at express speed.

By the two hours later, or more, it would have been impossible to arrive at Palo Verde Valley High four hours away in time to warm up and play the Division 3 game.

This is the first time any school I have been associated with, that I remember, in my lifetime had to forfeit a postseason game--or any game--due to lack of transportation.

The advantage: Starter Will Griebe-Arzate is rested, and ready for the Vikings' home game today, Fri., May 22, against Rancho Buena Vista, who lost their playoff game.

The disadvantage: The Viking unit goes in with one loss already against them, in a double-elimination format. If Harper Lane, Charlie Martin, and company win today's game against RBV, they earn the right to play again Sat., May 23.

LJ softball: Senior Game 5/14

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ softball: Photos 5/20

Photos by Ed Piper

Maddie Ehlert (13) leads off third base

in the bottom of the second inning. The senior

was stranded after La Jolla scored three runs

in the inning.

Hailey (left) and Jenny (right) Pace hold

baby Joey (named after his grandpa) at the

LJ softball playoff Wed., May 20. Joey makes

Viking wrestler Noah Pace an uncle (again).

Joey is five months old.

LJ softball 19, Orange Glen 3 - shortened 5-inning game - CIF D5 1st round

Shortstop/pitcher Ella Pearl (2) hits a ground ball

in the bottom of the second. The sophomore

ended up reaching base on a groundout

fielder's choice.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla, the number-one seed in the Division 5 playoffs, drubbed visiting Orange Glen, 19-3, in a five-inning game shortened by the 10-run rule after five innings. The playoff game took place on the Vikings' home field.

Coach Anthony Sarain's Central League champs (8-0) scored four runs in the bottom of the first inning, after Orange Glen pushed across a single run in the top of the frame. Senior Jacey Taylor singled to drive in Ella Pearl for the first run. Pearl had walked and stolen second base.

Catcher Aviv Laska, hitting in the fourth slot, got aboard via an errant throw by the third baseman, with Taylor coming around to score.

Maddie Ehlert, playing second base, then hit a single. Freshman Ellie Thomson bunted, causing further confusion in the infield, resulting in Ehlert also reaching the plate.

The Vikings, now gaining momentum, scored three more runs in the second. They exploded in the bottom of the fourth, plating a dozen runs to achieve a 10-run-plus advantage to invoke the mercy rule.

Taylor, tied for the school career home run record at 27, had two singles in four plate appearances, with two walks.

LJ baseball: The prize - 8 hours of driving

By Ed Piper

La Jolla, by winning Tuesday's (May 19) CIF play-in game at Vista, gets rewarded with an eight-hour, four-hours-each-way drive to Blythe today, May 20, to face Palo Verde in the first "real" round of the Division 3 playoffs.

Said Paolo Bregant, with an injured shoulder, at Monday's (May 18) Padres-Dodgers game at Petco Park, where I ran into him on the trolley, "Palo Verde is (supposed to be) pretty good."

Said someone in the Vikings' dugout Tuesday during the win over host Vista, "Even El Centro hates to play Palo Verde" (because of the long drive).

This reporter is not going to drive there. (In fact, at this writing, 12:27 p.m., I would never make the four-hour drive in time for the start of the game in Blythe.) Some of the La Jolla side attendees yesterday were talking about going: principal Chuck Podhorsky, who said motel rooms were $59 if he stayed overnight; Rich Cardenas, father of Andrew and Emily, wasn't sure, but I can't imagine him not going; Jose Arzate, the father of probable starter Will Griebe-Arzate, said he couldn't go due to work.

My Google Maps app on my iPhone says the 148 miles to PVVHS ("Valley" comes after Palo Verde) would take three hours, 40 minutes. My wife thought I was going to go when I called her driving home to Clairemont from Vista and told her the distance. I said no.

The route, which I have never taken from San Diego, goes east on I-8, exit near Holtville (for the annual wrestling tournament) on Highway 111, north on Highway 115, east on the continuation of the 78 (which begins in North County in Oceanside), and north on South Lovekin Blvd. Insane.

Instead, I'll take the easy drive from Rancho Bernardo, back to the Clairemont area, on to La Jolla High, for the softball team's opening Division 5 playoff game at home.

LJ baseball: Avenging a 17-0 loss

By Ed Piper

Johnny Agbulos, La Jolla assistant coach, said before the Vikings' play-in game at Vista Tues., May 19, "In 2016 (when he was a senior in high school), we lost to Vista 17-0. We got one hit.

"They (the host Panthers) earned it. It was in Division 1."

Said the fifth-year coach: "La Jolla lost to Poway in the CIF semis. Now it's up to the 2026 Viking team to avenge that loss."

Quite a history. An ancient era for today's student-athletes. But Agbulos let everyone know about the bigger picture, during Head Coach Gary Frank's tenure (which goes way back).

*  *  *

LJ baseball 8, Vista 4 - D3 play-in round - 5/19

Harper Lane (center) runs to the plate, followed closely

by Charlie Martin, as Coach Gary Frank (far right)

signals to hold up Ryan Khourajian (not in view)

at third base. Joseph Crudo had the big blow,

a two-run double in the top of the first

as La Jolla broke out to a 2-0 lead at Vista.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Joseph Crudo had a key knock with a two-run double as La Jolla scored three runs in the top of the first and went on to defeat Vista, 8-4, in a CIF Division 3 play-in round game Tuesday, May 19.

A teammate said Crudo had a "solid playoff day" or close to that after the second baseman hit the double, a single, and another double from the fifth slot in the order during the postseason game.

After experiencing offensive troubles against Lincoln in losses earlier last week, then scoring five runs in the fourth Friday to clinch the City League title by the narrowest of margins over the Hornets (half a game in the standings), Coach Gary Frank's Vikings put up three runs in the first inning, then three more in the fourth, to win going away over the host Panthers on a hot Vista day.

Against starter Seth Coleman, Harper Lane walked after Carter Strauss, leading off with a walk, was thrown out trying to steal in the top of the first.

Charlie Martin singled, then Ryan Khourajian--sporting a 1.148 OPS--followed with another single off the righthander to load the bases.

This is the view Vista batters had of Charlie

Smith on the mound. The lefthander mixed

curves and fastballs to keep the Panther offense

under control, allowing eight hits and pitching

only one inning in which VHS scored two runs.

Crudo, a junior hitting .404, looking calm but determined, doubled over leftfielder Sonny Prue's head to plate Lane and Martin. Frank, coaching third base, held up Khourajian on third as the throw came in.

The Vikings weren't done, though. Hunter Durfee bounced a hard single into right field, bringing Khourajian in to score. Reed Turner lined out sharply to third baseman Noah Huezo to end the inning. The visitors led, 3-0.

Panther the pig (my name for him) in the Ag Dept.

at Vista High waits before the start of the

Vikings-Vista play-in game Tuesday afternoon.

Good Bunny doesn't rap but he sits across

from the hog in the animal compound

on campus.

LJ softball: Open D5 playoffs Wed., 5/20

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's softball team (8-0 in the Central League, 13-11 overall) opens the Division 5 playoffs Wed., May 20 at home, riding a 10-game winning streak.

Starting pitcher Jacey Taylor, in the pitching circle because Coach Anthony Sarain doesn't have anyone else--except shortstop Ella Pearl, who usually takes over for Taylor in later innings as another member of the team playing out of position--will have another chance to break La Jolla's school record for home runs in a career.

Jacey (playing for the Vikings 2023-2026) hit three home runs Thurs., May 14, in LJHS's final regular season game against High Tech. That puts her at 27 for her quadrennium at the coastal school, tying Emmy Cardenas (2020-2023).

Taylor, with her third home run in a shortened five-inning game, broke Emmy's single-season record, 12 home runs, with her 13th shot of the season.

After her first home run on the day, a line drive to center-right, which this reporter witnessed, she came back to the Vikings' dugout and declared, "I didn't think it was going to be a home run."

"We go as far as our pitching takes us," was Sarain's basic statement as his team increased their league-winning advantage over Kearny (4-4), Hoover (4-4), High Tech (3-5), and Crawford (1-7).

Sarain's 2016 team won the CIF Division 4 title, and finished as runner-up the next year, 2015.

La Jolla's last league title was 2021, when Cardenas was a sophomore. "They just walked her the next year," said her dad, Rich, of the 2022 season, when the Vikings' cupboard was more bare of talent at multiple positions.

This team has anchors at catcher (junior Aviv Laska), third base (freshman Ellie Thomson), shortstop (Pearl, a sophomore), and centerfield (senior Savannah Putnam). Putnam was named to the all-league team last year.

Taylor and Pearl appear to be in consideration for league Player of the Year, determined by the coaches, usually the pennant-winner. They could be named co-Players of the Year, or one solo. It would be unthinkable that Jacey would not be named to at least share that honor. She is the only player in the Viking dugout with more than one home run, and her RBI total (66) more than doubles the next closest player (Aviv, with 31).

Pearl has 12 doubles, Taylor 15.

La Jolla's opponent Wednesday is Orange Glen, who is seeded eighth. (The Vikes are seeded first.) LJHS has home field advantage throughout the playoffs, since they go in with the top seed.

Southwest (SD) is seeded second and is playing in the lower bracket, to spread the favored teams across the brackets. To show you how fast the team quality falls off, no respect meant for the other squads, Hoover is seeded fourth. La Jolla demolished the Cardinals in league, 24-12 and 26-6.

LJ baseball: Vikings' comments before Senior Game 5/13

By Ed Piper

Before La Jolla's Senior Game Wednesday, May 13, head coach Gary Frank was asked the "mindset" for his players for the impending game against Lincoln, which had won Monday's game, delaying the Vikings' from celebrating the City League title.

Frank was serious--more serious than two days later before the third game against Lincoln.

"We're just going to try to play well and finish our last game," the 30-year head coach said.

Talk about your seniors.

"A great group of kids, like every four years. We've had a great run. We're going to miss them." Seven seniors were honored before the game, with their families walking from third base to home plate, and the individual players walked from first base under bats held over their heads--a La Jolla tradition whose origin this reporter doesn't know--by teammates on each side of the baseline midway to home plate.

Players joined family at the plate, after which Stephanie Alvarez took photos.

Frank was asked, when was your last league title?

"2022, Hank (Hansen's) freshman year." This year's seniors were eighth-graders looking up.

What is a key for today?

"Play our game. Note let the moment be too big. Get one more win today." The Vikings lost, setting up Friday's title-deciding game at Lincoln.

*  *  *

Ryan Khourajian, a midseason transfer from Cathedral Catholic, has had a stellar second half of the season, playing first base and catching.

In Wednesday's (May 13) game, Frank listed Khourajian to start behind the plate, moving Carter Strauss to second base. Ryan: "Obviously, I like catching. It's my main (position), but also first base. I've been playing it (first base) a lot lately. I'm tall (an advantage at first base)."

*  *  *

Seniors and their favorite MLB player, announced during the Senior Game festivities:

Andrew Cardenas - Jackson Merrill, Padres

Harper Lane - Clayton Kershaw, Dodgers (retired)

Charlie "Chubs" Martin - Michael Jordan (teammates laughed at this - not known for his baseball!)

Oliver Obler - Travis Jankowski

Luke Cripe - Fernando Tatis Jr., Padres

Zoran Shepanski - Jake Cronenworth, Padres

Renner Smith - Jedd Gyorko, former Padre

LJ softball: Jacey hitting homers 'was great'

By Ed Piper

Emmy Cardenas attended La Jolla's baseball game Friday, May 15, at Lincoln to decide the league title.

Cardenas, the LJHS solo record-holder for home runs in a season and in a career until last week (May 14), was asked about first baseman Jacey Taylor's three home runs in Thursday's game against High Tech High. The trio of blasts broke Emmy's single-season record of 12, setting it to 13. Taylor tied Cardenas' career record at 27 homers.

Smiling, she said, "It was great. I was asking her before the third one, 'Have you ever hit three home runs in a game?' She said, 'No.' I haven't either--I hit two in a game.

"Then she it it (the third homer)."

The first shot was a line drive over the fence in center-right. "I didn't think it was going to go out," said Jacey to her teammates when she got back to the dugout.

After a reporter left, her other two home runs went to center-left, one into the planter with palm trees beyond centerfield.

LJ baseball: 'Just another day at the office'

By Ed Piper

The stage was set, and La Jolla coach Gary Frank was standing outside the slim dugout on the Lincoln High School field Friday afternoon, May 15. He was asked what the team's mindset was, going into the title decider:

"To come out and play a good game, play to the best of our ability, and we should be fine.

"Just another day at the office."

Obviously, the long-time head coach was trying to project calm and to set a tone for his players. They had lost two straight to the Hornets in the three-game series to end the City League schedule, and they needed to change whatever they were doing.

The dugout, before Frank's response to a reporter's query, was eerily quiet. Hopefully, it communicated grit and resolve, but you didn't know if the silence was going to lead to an activated state on the field--after a pair of disappointments earlier in the week, 3-1 and 6-2.

Frank was asked, "Who is a key player or key players in the game today?"

"Every one on the roster. We're going to need 16 deep to win this game today." The Vikings did, by a breath, 7-6.

*  *  *

Senior Andrew Cardenas was slated to start on the mound for La Jolla. Pitching coach Koa Scott described Cardenas' pitch mix:

"Four-seam cutter, two-seam cutter, curveball, and changeup."

How does he have to use his repertoire to be effective?

"Low in the zone, try to get (outs)."

*  *  *

Frank, before that, said what his senior righthander needed to do:

    --"Command the zone."

    --"Pitch to poor contact."

    --"Let our defense do their work."

LJ baseball: Senior Game 5/13

Photos by Ed Piper