La Jolla's football team is preparing diligently and wisely for the greatest regular-season challenge the Vikings have faced in the last 23 years (the time of this sportswriter around or directly covering the program)--their game at home Fri., Oct. 9 against Cathedral Catholic.
Even LJHS Athletic Director Aaron Quesnell alluded to the fact that La Jolla has to be realistic and know that facing the Dons will probably lead to a defeat--maybe even a big defeat. He said during last week's win over Scripps Ranch, "We have a good chance four of the next five weeks," in reference to the Vikings' 1-4 record at the time (2-4 after the game).
But no athlete or coach is going to go into a contest, having put in a week of good preparation and work, thinking like that. You go in to play your best, and give what the game gives you. The game could go any direction.
Steph Curry doesn't prepare for this year's Warrior season thinking, "You know, we're not going to be very good. Let's just try to play well." He is exerting body, and mind, and soul, and spirit to invest in conditioning, knowing Coach Steve Kerr's offense, learning teammates' tendencies, and all the like to the highest level in advance of the opener. He aims to win. He aims to excel at his game, and leave the reporting of the results to the paparazzi.
The next biggest challenge I can recall in my 23 years of La Jolla High football is facing Mission Bay several years ago, when Dillon Baxter played quarterback for the Buccaneers. This is long before Tyler Roach became the Vikings' head coach (this is his tenth year), and La Jolla was pretty weak.
Dillon Baxter ran over, through, and around the Viking defenders for six touchdowns. He ran and passed for his scores. His performance was incredible. The best I have seen in a high school football game in memory.
The Vikings need to stay within their abilities, be wise, make good decisions while blocking out all the noise. Cathedral is ranked way up there in the county. So what? It's about Vikings competing against themselves to perform the best they possibly can. There is integrity in that. There is glory in that. Each individual can come out victorious, and work with teammates to lift them up and help them to play the best version of themselves.
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