The Pipeline: 2026

Saturday, September 12, 2026

LJ FB 14, LJCD 0 - halftime - 9/11

Photos by Ed Piper

Joseph Crudo (10) carries late in the second

quarter. Crudo scored the Vikings' second TD

just before the half to lead 14-0.

LJ's Kali Deberry (23) runs for more bruising

yardage in the first half. Deberry, a junior, and

Crudo, a senior, were the workhorses

in the first half.

Sunday, September 6, 2026

LJ FB: Stats vs. Point Loma 9/4

LJ tackle Zach Gergurich (75) makes a block

as Joseph Crudo (10, left) scampers by for

a 21-yard gain in the first quarter. The Vikings

went on to score on a 27-yard field goal

by Ryan Hassankani.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

Point Loma (3-0) 52, La Jolla (0-3) 25

Friday, Sept. 4, 2026

Week 3 (of 11)

Blastoff - home opener - Eastern League opener

1st Qtr 2nd Qtr 3rd Qtr 4th Qtr Total

LJ 3 0 15 7 - 25

PL 0 21 13 18 - 52

Total plays: LJ 72, PL 39

Total yards: LJ 388, PL 543

Passing yards: LJ 252, PL 356

Rushing yards: LJ 136, PL 187

First downs: LJ 18, PL 18

Third down efficiency: LJ 6-14, 43 percent; PL 2-3, 67 percent

Fourth down efficiency: LJ 2-3, 67 percent

Turnovers: LJ 1, PL 1

Fumbles lost: LJ 0, PL 1

Interceptions thrown: LJ 1, PL 0

Penalties: LJ 4, PL 5

Yards: LJ 21, PL 40

PLAYER STATS

Passing

Ty Tortorice (LJ) 20-26 passing, 190 yards, 1 TD, 1 pick, longest 37 yards

Brody Bukich (LJ) 6-7, 62 yards, longest 23 yardsg

Ryder Watson (PL) 17-21, 371 yards, 5 TD's, longest 85 yards

Rushing

Kali Deberry (LJ) 23 carries for 119 yards, 2 TD's, longest 19 yards

Ty Tortorice (LJ) 6 carries for 9 yards, longest 7 yards

Joseph Crudo (LJ) 5 carries for 6 yards

Brody Bukich (LJ) 1 carry for 2 yards

Ryder Watson (PL) 2 carries for 62 yards, 1 TD, longest 58 yards

T Spradling (PL) 2 carries for 55 yards, longest 58 yards

I Standley (PL) 7 carries for 44 yards, 2 TD's, longest 32 yards

N Lemus (PL) 2 carries for 26 yards, longest 23 yards

SCORING SUMMARY

LJ Ryan Hassankhani 27-yard field goal 3-0

PL Tanner Spradling 36-yard pass from Ryder Watson (kick) 7-3

PL Ryan Cleator 85-yard pass from Ryder Watson (kick) 14-3

PL Ryder Watson 7-yard run (kick) 21-3

PL Tanner Spradling 26-yard pass from Ryder Watson (kick) 28-3

LJ Emerson Rota 16-yard pass from Ty Tortorice (kick) 28-10

PL Ryder Watson 58-yard run (kick no good) 34-10

LJ Kali Deberry 1-yard run (Emerson Rota pass from Ty Tortorice for 2-point conversion) 34-18

PL Aiden Walsh 9-yard pass from Ryder Watson (kick no good) 40-18

PL Isaiah Standley 32-yard run (kick no good) 46-18

LJ Kali Deberry 9-yard run (kick) 46-25

PL Isaiah Standley 2-yard run (kick no good) 52-25

Saturday, September 5, 2026

LJ Cheer: Photos - Home opener/Blastoff 9/4

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ FB: Game story 9/4

Viking QB Ty Tortorice (1) shoots

a short pass to Joseph Crudo (10) for a

21-yard gain and first down on La Jolla's

opening drive against Point Loma Fri., Sept. 4.

The drive led to Ryan Hassankhani's

27-yard field goal. Headhunting for the QB

is the Pointers' Luke Gustafson (99).

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla showed good discipline on both offense and defense in starting its Eastern League and home opener against Point Loma Friday night, Sept. 4.

Deferring at the coin flip to receive the opening kick, sophomore quarterback Ty Tortorice directed a 10-play, 71-yard drive that resulted in Ryan Hassankhani's 27-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead with 6:12 left in the first quarter.

The drive featured running back Kali Deberry's eight-yard run for a first down early in the possession, followed by Joseph Crudo's similar nine-yard run for another first down. Deberry, a junior, then rushed for 17 yards to the Point Loma 17-yard line to put the Vikings in position for Hassankhani's boot.

A smaller student crowd may have been partially due to the three-day Labor Day Weekend, but the crowd was just warming up with enthusiasm and tension over the visitors' 2-0 record coming in.

To that effect, Pointer QB Ryder Watson could only get one first down--on his pass for 22 yards to receiver Clint Keckeisen--before Point Loma went three-and-out, punting from its own 42.

From there, the tone changed subtly. La Jolla couldn't follow up its initial possession with another successful drive, while in battling for "The Shoe", Coach Ryan Price's offense broke through to score on a 36-yard strike from Watson to junior Tanner Spradling for a 7-3 lead. Point Loma never trailed again, from that time early in the second period.

The dam kind of broke for La Jolla's defense, as Watson led his offense to two more TD's in the second quarter for a 21-3 halftime advantage.

Meanwhile, the Vikings' offense, which only mounted a near-comeback in the season opener two weeks ago at Patrick Henry to lose 35-30, has not been able to generate enough production when it counted in weeks two and three in a loss at Grossmont 24-17 and this one at home, 52-25.

LJ back Joseph Crudo (left) runs for more

bruising yardage between the tackles

in the early part of the first quarter.

Defending is safety Blake Lingard (15)

of Point Loma.

LJ FB: More photos 9/4

Photos by Ed Piper

Kali Deberry (23) takes off on 17-yard run

to the Point Loma 17 for first down.

Play took place in the first quarter.

QB Ty Tortorice (right) tries to gain a few

yards on a keeper on 2nd-and-12. Two plays

later, Ryan Hassankhani made his kick

from 27 yards for a 3-0 lead.

QB Ryder Watson (4)

of Point Loma completes

a 22-yard pass to receiver

Ryan Cleator (not in view).

The Pointers were not able

to score on this first

possession.

LJ FB 25, Point Loma 52 - Week 3 (of 11) - 9/4

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ running back Kali Deberry (center rear)

gains eight yards on the first play from scrimmage

for a 2nd-and-2. The Vikings scored on a field goal

at the end of the drive for a 3-0 lead.

Joseph Crudo (left, with ball) eludes a tackler

to go nine yards and first down on the Vikings'

opening drive.

Wednesday, September 2, 2026

Tale of two teams

By Ed Piper

Comparing two of the Viking fall sports teams I'm actively covering right now, one issue for one of the two teams--La Jolla High's initial CIF flag football team--is proving one's worth and hanging in there despite overwhelming competition.

I'm not saying the flag footballers are overwhelmed. They're holding their own, nicely. I'm saying, the Eastern League has a few powerhouses who have already been established for a few years, and it's reality that it will take a couple of years to gain the same under-fire experience and wherewithal to attain the same success.

Morse, who has already swamped Kearny 60-0 (Aug. 26) and University City (68-6), both veteran programs, classifies as a powerhouse this season. Coach Brian Wilson's squad is 5-0 and looking ahead to Lincoln and Hoover to finish the first round of league play.

Point Loma, who destroyed the Vikings in the latters' season opener 52-0 two weeks ago, has manhandled every opponent except the Tigers. The Pointers, under Coach Taylor Bobbitt, are 3-1 in the Eastern League, 5-1 overall. Bobbitt was not shy about speaking before that game about "the many things" her girls were going to do on offense.

Which is all a long way to say what I said in the Morse game story: La Jolla coach Matt Butcher's squad is only competing against themselves to get better at what they do well. They're not going to worry about loss margins or anything like that right now.

One thing they showed against the Tigers at home yesterday (Sept. 1) was quarterback Paige Dykhuis' ability to scramble to avoid being sacked before she could throw. The Morse rushers were aggressive and pulled her flag multiple times in the first half.

But Paige didn't get flustered. She just listened to good coaching from Butcher and her father, Art, who is the assistant coach. (Later in the Point Loma game, she threw some flutterballs.)

LJ flag FB: Game story 9/1

By Ed Piper

Let's put this into perspective. La Jolla lost its sixth game ever in CIF to Morse, 46-6, on a warm afternoon Tues., Sept. 1. First, the Vikings play in the Western League, a powerhouse league. Two, Coach Matt Butcher's team is in its first year playing in CIF. Three, the entire starting lineup for the red-and-black are sophomores and freshmen, with two juniors on the roster.

There, is that enough? La Jolla isn't making excuses, and Butcher was vigilant to make sure his girls were holding their heads up and working steadily in Tuesday's mismatch, even as the Tigers' score quickly mounted: 7-0 with 7:48 left in the first quarter; 14-0 a possession later; and so forth.

Morse, in contrast, has a roster populated with seven seniors, is playing in its third season in CIF, and has developed well over those three years. Senior quarterback Reylyn Sakamoto can "sling it", as they say, both short and long, with perfect spirals. Receiver/H-back Shariyah Hollingsworth, another senior captain, sends shudders down opposing teams' spines. And wide receiver Milani Buckett, yet another senior captain, ran like the lightning and caught many passes--often in the clear, because she's faster than many of her defenders.

In fact, you could detect a little hint of frustration on Morse head coach Brian Wilson's sideline (he disavowed writing any songs for the Beach Boys, despite his famous name) when the young girls from the coastal site put up resistance and maintained a long drive (they didn't score) just before the end of the first quarter.

Butcher and third-year assistant Art Dykhuis ("dye-kise") (the two coaches worked together before the CIF era began) made some adjustments when some Tiger defenders broke through. They had the offensive line bunch closer together (there's no blocking in flag football) to give Paige Dykhuis, a freshman quarterback, more protection.

In La Jolla's long drive near the end of the first period, Dykhuis ran on a keeper; she completed a pass to swift Eva Solsona for first down; after a sack, Paige connected with Callie Cobb to the right, then another to Solsona for a good gain.

Morse's defense got called for pass interference when Hollingsworth collided with intended receiver Ava Gorman of the Vikings on fourth-and-four for first down. Freshman Eib ("Abe") Brennan caught a pass before a blitz and another sack by the Tigers. Yet Dykhuis hung in there.

La Jolla had to punt after a third "sack" (flag stripped before the QB could release her pass). But in all, the lengthy drive--though unsuccessful--showed the Vikings could keep their composure and execute.

LJ flag FB 6, Morse 46 - Western League 9/1

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ freshman Khloe Spear (7) knocks away

a pass intended for Tiger senior Kaitlyn

Milano (2) near the end of the first half.

This is the kind of courage it took

to even stay on the field with Morse

(5-0, with a 60-0 victory elsewhere).

LJ running back Ava Gorman takes

the handoff from QB Paige Dykhuis

on the Vikings' first play from scrimmage

for first-down yardage.

Soph Emilie Crago (12, behind Callie

Cobb) punts a long one on fourth down.

Superhuman Shariyah Hollingsworth (5)

streaks for a gain down the left side

with 14.2 seconds left in the second

quarter.

Morse senior QB Reylyn Sakamoto (1)

shows off the form that helps the Tigers

lead the Western League at 5-0.

Tiger captain Kaitlyn Milano (2) speeds for

yardage after a reception. LJ's Samara Attie (14)

defends.

Monday, August 31, 2026

LJ flag FB: Good start

By Ed Piper

At this writing (Aug. 31), after the first two weeks of their initial season, the Viking flag-footballers look fast, athletic, and versatile.

Coach Matt Butcher's first official CIF team (after coaching four years at Muirlands) continued to execute in their season opener at Point Loma, despite a shellacking that they absorbed on the scoreboard. A first-year program against a fourth-year one--there should be differences in the two systems.

But quarterback Paige Dykhuis, comfortable at her position, continued dealing. The "interchangeable parts" of Butcher's offense kept working, against a veteran opponent: Emilie Crago, safety/end, fast receiver/defensive back Eva Solsona, and others remembered their assignments, found their places, and kept going--not like a new program without a clue.

More apparent was the Vikings' seasoning and growth in week two. Against Kearny on Tues., Aug. 25, the assistant coach for the Komets, in his halftime feedback to his team, used La Jolla as an example of "this school, this team" who were good and established--only, it is La Jolla's first season competing in CIF!

Nothing shameful here, but Kearny, in its fourth year, couldn't score a touchdown in the first half. The Vikings, at home, scored a TD late in the half and went on to won, 12-8, in a thriller that shows the many good things to come.