LJ FB: 7-v-7 vs. Steele Canyon, Mission Bay, Granite Hills - 6/16

Photos by Ed Piper

LJ reception vs. Steele Canyon

in the first rotation.

Rising soph Ty Tortorice, after a three-step

drop, launches a pass to  the right against

Mission Bay in an 18-12 loss,

unofficially.

Offense vs. Mission Bay (MB = black)

Rising soph Ty Tortorice

handled all of the Vikings'

QB duties, with junior Brody

Bukich out with a broken nose.

Chris Macy (L), 4th-year Vikings QB coach,

huddles with transfer Brody Bukich. The junior,

coming over from Mt. Carmel, was out with

a fractured nose. He started at QB for the

Sun Devil JV and freshman teams.

Viking completion vs. Steele Canyon.

Pre-workout pep talk by Coach Tyler Roach.

Junior Chase Weise is wearing red gloves,

third from left.

World Cup - SoFi Stadium

A young woman near my "family" on the third deck

of SoFi Stadium raises another "I-ran" cheer during

the 2-2 tie between New Zealand and Iran

Monday evening, June 15.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

When a security guard came around in the middle of the second half to clear the aisles, I told her, "We're a family." She: "Okay, just stay behind the (standing) counter, out of the aisle."

We had a good chuckle over my appeal to avoid being scattered. I wasn't trying to be mean or deceitful. It was all in good nature. Here we were on the 300 deck--the third level of SoFi Stadium in Inglewood--and standing the whole game was worth it, instead of going up yet another level to the 400's with a microscopic view of the action.

It built unity. Here I was, towering over the other members of "my family", a Mexican family of four, with Dad explaining the two team's maneuvers in the Iran-New Zealand soccer game to his young son in Spanish, and a middle-aged couple supporting the Kiwis. I said, "We all look the same."

When the uniformed security guard had arrived and said, "I want you all to go to your seats," I meekly said the line about being a family. She wasn't harsh-toned, just wanting to do a good job in trying to clear the aisles, especially in the event of a fire.

The referee lectures a New Zealand player

(in black, right) after he collided with an

Irani player (in white) in the first half.

"I'm the ugly duckling," I said when the other six and I resumed watching the 2-2 tie, which was narrated by the overwhelmingly pro-Iran crowd (L.A. has the largest concentration of Iranis second only to Teheran). A young woman nearby kept leading cheers, "Ee-RON, Ee-Ron".

"You're the little son who misbehaves," joked Mr. New Zealand, a kindly fellow. I was impressed his wife was willing to stand the entire two hours with him. Same with the two elementary-school-age kids. 

My new-found Mexican compadre smiled. He was a good source to bounce off comments from my decent but limited soccer knowledge. To his wife, I said, "You're a great cheerleader," she having helped start a wave that circled the stadium on all four decks among a sell-out of 70,000.

World Cup soccer: Day 1

Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, where I attended

a pro MX Liga semifinal doubleheader in the 1980's.

(Photo of TV image)

By Ed Piper

Anyone who knows me knows I'm not a soccer fan or knowledgeable writer about soccer, even though I have covered the La Jolla High girls and boys teams for over a decade. But I do like to stay current, and I began watching Fox's coverage of the men's World Cup yesterday (June 11)--a lot to take in.

Mexico, who I feel somewhat connected to, since I lived in Mexico City for over a year right out of college in my first job after college, put South Africa away in the opener. I can only imagine the fervor, the immense energy, the hopes of average people in Mexico City, in a culture that puts so much emphasis on the sport of soccer.

I'm also aware of the immense hype that Fox and its media ilk pour out for events they have sunk billions of dollars into. "Hype" in my generation meant over-emphasis; hype in the present generation has a positive connotation, building up enthusiasm for a team or school. I mean the former.

In the second game yesterday, I was closely watching the South Koreans as Son, the LAFC player, led them into battle in Guadalajara, 350 miles from Mexico City, the site of the opener, against Czechia. Czechia, averaging 6'3" in height--unusual for soccer--gave them a scare. An interesting note is how lately in media, South Korea is referred to as "Korea", as if the evil empire in North Korea doesn't exist. A political thing, I would guess. Just act like they don't exist.

One other quick thought: I once attended a pro doubleheader of soccer at Estadio Azteca, in the site for Mexico's win. I have the fondest memories. People in the nosebleed seats, where I  bought a ticket, shared snacks and even good food with me as we spent the afternoon on that far upper deck of the stadium. I had such a great experience as a gringo in Mexico. I was in my early 20's (this game was on a return visit to Mexico after I moved back here, as I remember it), I was very engaging, though obviously white and sporting a big beard and longish hair--very different from the Mexican culture. I tried to relate to people honestly, as who I was. I did speak decent Spanish at that time, having lived and studied in the culture. (I also taught Spanish back here in California in short spells as a credentialed teacher.)

LJ FB: 'Don't duck the grind'

Without missing a workout, rising

senior Joseph Crudo lifts hand weights

during Monday's session. Crudo

plays goalie in soccer, infield

in baseball, and running back/

defensive back in football.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"Don't duck the grind."

La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach told the assembled 20 to 25 athletes at the end of a two-hour strength and conditioning workout in the Viking weight room and on the turf triangle in front of the weight room, "From all my years playing and coaching, I know that if you duck the grind, it will come back and get you."

He implored the faithful--including aspiring freshmen fresh off the campus at Muirlands Middle School--to be diligent about the workouts, show up, and truly benefit from new Defensive Coordinator Stephen Dixon's planned-out, timed barbell and hand weight exercises.

Dixon, for his part, newly-returned after serving as an assistant under Roach from 2019-2021, then heading the football program at Escondido High School for three years, told the boys, "Prepare a taco bowl. Have a pound of ground beef, brown rice, black beans, corn," and other ingredients to the tune of 4,000 calories a day during summer workouts leading up to the fall campaign.

In re-introducing himself to a reporter Thursday, June 4, the former Country Day assistant reminded him, "I was here during the Southern California Regional championship season in 2019," when drop-back passer Jackson Stratton was quarterback, and 2021, when a shortened season under COVID restrictions resulted in Roach's squad going 5-0 in the spring and winning the league title, with no playoffs allowed.

LJ FB: Summer workout - strength and conditioning - 6/8

Photos by Ed Piper

Even with the obstacles put up to impede

the building of nests (see tiny wires affixed

to light shields), a baby osprey peeps out

over the football field (top - 2:00 position).

Perseverance.

New Defensive Coordinator Stephen Dixon barks

out commands during loud-music, high-intensity

strength and conditioning work on the turf

outside the weight room. This followed

targeted weight-lifting earlier in the 7-9 a.m.

workout. Dixon was an LJ assistant in 2019-2021.

Rising sophomore Travis McCarther

holds in position while his partner

lifts hand weights, then they switch.

McCarther graciously came up to a

reporter/photographer and introduced

himself.

Returning QB Ty Tortorice,

a rising sophomore, lifts

a barbell. Team members

worked on form to lift

the weight properly, not

arching their back and so forth.

New DC Stephen Dixon,

also strength and conditioning

coach, reinforces some of

his points about the workout

portion inside the weightroom.

Transfer QB Brody Bukich, a rising

junior, hefts the weight with an

expression on his face. In M-W-F

morning workouts, Vikings do different

things than they do Tu-Th afternoons.

LJ baseball + softball: Rare occurrence

By Ed Piper

Rich Cardenas, father of Andrew (baseball) and Emmy (softball), players from LJHS, remarked at least twice to me this spring, "When I read that article (about both teams winning league titles), I had never seen those two teams mentioned (in that way) in the same article." (The article appeared in the La Jolla Village News, which I write for.)

The spring was quite remarkable: an Eastern League title for the Viking softballers (8-0), and one for the baseball team (7-6). Gary Frank's baseballers went to the edge of the cliff against Lincoln, losing two straight games, before winning the title-decider May 15 after a three-run bomb by the Hornets' Dom Mendoza, a sophomore, in the bottom of the seventh. Nerve-wracking. I can still feel it now.

What's more remarkable, and fun from the Viking side, is that Rich's kids both experienced league championships during their years performing for La Jolla High. Emmy, a pitcher/home run hitter during her years on campus, helped win a league title during her sophomore year, 2021. (The previous season was mostly wiped out by the COVID pandemic, costing her games in which she could have furthered her then-home run record.)

Andrew (alternately known as "Drew", "Andrew", even "Andy"--Rich says he himself doesn't mind), of course, was a crucial part of the Vikings' pennant effort this spring. During La Jolla's nail-biter to win it May 15, the younnger Cardenas sibling hurled 6 2/3 innings of gutsy ball in an argument-filled (by Lincoln's coach) contest.

LJ FB: Summer workout 6/4

Photos by Ed Piper

Head coach Tyler Roach works out receiver

Preston Armstead, a rising sophomore,

at running back.

Joseph Crudo does the same.

Transfer Brody Bukich, from Mt. Carmel,

goes through his paces at quarterback.

Rising sophomore Ty Tortorice (gray hoodie)

works out at QB next to Bukich. They did a

simultaneous short-and-long drill, throwing

to receivers.