LJ b BB 39, Steele Canyon 47

Rising senior Charlie Gal (R) waits to inbound

the ball against Steele Canyon in the

first half Monday night.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Evan Brown, La Jolla's rising junior frontcourtman, overheard talk about the evening's Major League Home Run Derby.

"When did this happen?" asked the 6'2" forward, intent on getting the news about Aaron Judge slugging his way to the title.

"How was Giancarlo's (Stanton) performance?" he asked, relaxed and alert, looking forward to driving himself home from the Montgomery High venue where his team had just dropped a 47-39 summer league tilt to Steele Canyon. Told that the hometown favorite of Marlin fans, the franchise hosting the derby and the All-Star Game, busted up to five drives of over 500 feet to win his semifinal matchup, he expressed pleasure.

Brown, looking to be a major part of Coach Paul Baranowski's varsity come next December, obviously is a versed baseball person, as well, immersed in the sport. His older brother, Garrett, who just graduated last month, is known to play an inning or two of the sport. The younger brother's pursuit is the roundball.

Evan Brown looked aggressive under the basket and contributed to his team's effort, despite the loss.

La Jolla led by seven after the first quarter, and built up a lead that reached as many as nine points, at 15-6, early in the second period. But the Cougars, settling in while the Vikings stopped moving as much, outscored their opponents 29-10 through the latter second quarter to 1:47 of the third quarter.

La Jolla never got closer than six down the stretch.

Guard Jacob Ohara scored on three straight possessions near the end of the second quarter, getting behind the defense and beating Steele Canyon in transition.

Brown had a bucket under the hoop in the final period.

During the third quarter, the Vikings could hardly buy a basket, imitating "The Gang That Couldn't Shoot Straight", ending up on the short end of a dismal 20-4 period.

In the opening quarter, Ohara, with Charlie Gal the lone seniors alongside myriad rising juniors, scored thrice on his patented drives to the basket.

Gal, growing an inch to 6'6" since last season by his own measure, blocked a shot in the first quarter to go with a pair of defensive rebounds to lead his team in that category.

Guard Jacob Duffy looked confident as he showed aggressiveness in driving to the basket.

Baranowski's unit plays its final game in summer action Wed., July 12, at Montgomery. The Aztec gym has a newly-refinished floor, which is beautiful, matching the newness of the rest of the building, only two years old. Games had been taking place in the "Old Gym" across campus during the refinish.

LJ g BB 24, Imperial 30

The Viking five plus Coach Darice Carnaje (R):

from left, Kat Kurtchi, Petra Eaton, Sina Anae,

Skyla Loux (face hidden), and Katie Nguyen.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

 



By Ed Piper

It was five against the world, as La Jolla's girls basketball team continued its play in the Grossmont High summer league Thurs., July 6, on another toasty day.

Imperial, driving a long way from the heat in their valley, had players to spare on the bench--at least four extra. Coach Darice Carnaje, on the other hand, had only four Vikings warming up until close to the 3 p.m. game time in the Foothillers' so-called "Old Gym", a sweaty place if there ever was one. A fifth, Sina Anae, walked in with time to spare.

La Jolla's quintet jumped out to an early lead, 6-2, then 10-6, on aggressive play by veterans Katrina "Kat" Kurtchi and Petra Eaton. But the Vikings' last lead was 10-8 as the Tigers, led by players who were obviously more experienced and more disciplined, finally regained their balance after the long commute and went into the lead, 14-11, at the end of the initial half.

It was a lead Imperial never gave up, despite a battling comeback by La Jolla midway through the second half. The Tigers prevailed on the day, 30-24.

The encounter pitted two stellar coaches in the county against each other. Carnaje stabilized and built up the girls basketball program at Our Lady of Peace, her previous coaching stop. Rich Ponchione, going into his 15th year at the helm at Imperial, has posted a 181-79 record with the Tigers. The last two seasons have seen him compile a phenomenal 55-6 win-loss record.

You could tell by the skills of his lead players, and by the specific conversations Ponchione held with individuals from the sidelines during the game, that these girls are working at a high level. "Go ahead and shoot the ball if you're open," he scolded two players after they passed up or hesitated to shoot from distance.

LJ FB: La Costa Canyon 7-on-7

Returner D'yhar Sturgis (middle) prowls

the sideline during the Vikings'

7-on-7 play at La Costa Canyon.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

New La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach told his troops they met his goals for the day, including "having fun" and "competing", as rising junior receiver/defensive back Gabe Solis was awarded the game ball and got to go shopping for a Ford Explorer with Mom afterward. The event was the La Costa Canyon 7-on-7 passing tournament Sat., June 24.

In pool play in the morning on a sunny weekend day, the Viking receiving unit with quarterback Trevor Scully and the pass defense played well against La Costa Canyon in losing its opener, got swamped by a talented Ramona contingent, then swept Rancho Bernardo in a successful finish to the morning.

The single win against two losses earned La Jolla a 12:35 p.m. game in the "B" (lower) single-elimination bracket against Westview. The Vikings played well in losing by two touchdowns to the Wolverines, knocking them out of the tournament.

Prominent in the defensive effort included rising seniors Johnathan O'Neal, Sola Hope, Abdul Sinjab, and Tucker Jacobs, and rising juniors Gabe Solis and Michael Wells.

Also playing significant snaps were rising seniors Buster Hoy, Daniel Souza, and D'yhar Sturgis, and rising junior Israel Sandoval.

LJ b BB 52, Point Loma 41

Guard Jacob Duffy (left) and frontcourt man

Evan Brown after an efficient night

to defeat Point Loma. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Point Loma has some behemoths on its varsity basketball team this summer--three who appear to measure 6'6" or taller, with the girth to match.

Yet La Jolla's contingent, with no one taller on the floor than Nick Hulquist, who measures about 6'3", and no one in the front court taller than Evan Brown, who is shy of that at 6'2", held its own and constructed a 19-point lead after three quarters in a Montgomery High summer league game Wednesday evening, June 28.

Coach Paul Baranowski's bunch held on for a 52-41 win, staving off the Pointers even though they looked more confident in the fourth quarter and more in line with the talent that seemed to be on the floor.

La Jolla took a slim 20-16 lead early in the second quarter--running 10-minute quarters are the order of the day in the Montgomery league--and zoomed to a 48-29 advantage at the end of three periods, outscoring Coach Josh Aros's team 28-13 during that stretch.

Viking guard Jacob Ohara, the lone rising senior present, scored two baskets in the second quarter and three around the basket in the third as he contributed the biggest chunk of scoring from his side.

Fellow guard Hulquist hit two three-point bombs from his sweet spot at the extension of the left elbow in the second stanza.

Brown, one of the several rising juniors moving up to the varsity from last year's junior varsity, had two smart plays on defense. In the second quarter, he drew an offensive foul through good body position. Then, the next quarter, he forced a travel. Both defensive plays showed good basketball I.Q.

Rising freshman Diego Solis, a lefty, continued playing alongside the varsity members with confidence, getting a lot of minutes from Baranowski and sinking a three from the right baseline and one from Hulquist's favored spot in the second and third quarters, respectively.

After one of Ohara's fierce drives to the basket, a member of the Point Loma coaching staff called out to Pointer players, "You know he's going to drive when he gets the ball."

A good sign for Ohara was that he continued slashing to the basket despite having two shots blocked.

Jacob Duffy hit both of his free throws in the opening period, then one of two in the second quarter for a solid night from the free throw line of three for four.

Ohara, on a drive in the first quarter, made his way through two defenders to make give the Vikings the lead, 13-10.

On the next score, Jacob followed his own miss to score for a 15-10 lead.

No single player dominated the statistical sheet for La Jolla, as Baranowski used all eight players present and dressed.

LJ FB: Helix redux

Receiver Gabe Solis (R) faces off with

Madison defender after taking pass

from Trevor Scully.

(Photos by Ed Piper, Jr.)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla saw the face of Carson Baker, and survived.

That's pretty dramatic, I know. He's not God. But the Viking football players don't get to face off against many teams like Helix and its quarterback, Baker, who passed for 2776 yards last year.

New LJHS head coach Tyler Roach's charges saw a thing or two, but they also showed a thing or two, as earlier reported on the four-way 7-on-7 passing event hosted by La Jolla at Edwards Stadium Tues., June 27.

Not only was holy Helix there--when second-year head coach Robbie Owens was hired a year ago, it merited front-of-the-sports-section coverage--but also Rick Jackson's Madison team, which La Jolla had to face every season in the old Western League.

The boys from the "Madhouse", shall we say, sometimes do things in a unique way. When Jason Carter was head coach at La Jolla, he and the Madison coaching staff had some choice words after the Vikings roughed up the Warhawks' star quarterback, Terrell Carter, three years ago, putting him on the sidelines for part of the game.

Viking defender Michael Wells concentrates

before start of play in four-way round-robin

on Edwards Field.

 

Not that I'm saying the fiery Carter was in the right.

Anyway, as mentioned in the previous piece, rising junior Gabe Solis took a pass across the middle from quarterback Trevor Scully and slipped into the end zone during the informal passing round-robin. That was a good close for La Jolla's offense for the day, having already gone head-to-head with El Capitan, then Madison, before the Highlanders.

Baker had the final word on the day, scoring a touchdown on a pass on the first down in Owens' bunch's next series from the 40-yard line.

The Helix quarterback doesn't have a classic passing motion, swinging the ball back behind him before bringing his right arm around in a big arc. But it's good enough, as Helix went through its league season undefeated last year. He's 6'3", looked very relaxed and confident as he labored against the host team.

La Jolla assistant John McColl, asked for his input, said, "I see what you mean about his motion. But he's probably a good athlete, and he's the best they have." Which is saying plenty, if you're talking about Helix football.

A short time before Solis's TD, rising junior Philip Pacleb had a nice reception to the left side on first down from the 40.

The way it works in 7-on-7, as McColl clarified, is your team gets three downs to make it from the 40 to the 30, then four downs from the 30 to the 10, and four downs from the 10 to score.

On the previous Helix possession, Baker, looking very effective, completed a long pass for a TD on first down from the 30 after the Highlanders completed an impressive pass on first down from the 40 to get to the 30.

The La Jolla defenders had their hands full, as the Helix receivers looked taller and faster.
Earlier, on Helix's second possession, Sola Hope came back from the end zone shaking his head at the challenge he faced. Assistant Chris Forcier cracked at one point, "Looked like Tom Brady."

LJ b BB 64, Mission Vista 28

By Ed Piper

La Jolla, employing all hands, blew out an overmatched Mission Vista squad from the beginning in a 64-28 romp on the first day of the annual UCSD Team Camp in RIMAC Arena Friday afternoon, June 30.

Featuring different scorers in a blistering offensive attack, the Vikings quickly surged to a 20-4 lead, which mounted to 34-8 by halftime.

In the half, guard Jacob Duffy scored twice and big man Charlie Gal, returned from a camp in the East, had three buckets. In fact, with the score already an insurmountable 24-6 for the North County opponents, Gal scored on three consecutive baskets, broken only by his missed free throw after the middle basket which would have completed the and-one.

Even newcomer Otto Lenz got into the act, with a 10-foot jumper from the left side of the lane in the second half.

By midway through the second half the score was 48-16 before Mission Vista, with a large contingent on its roster for the three-day tournament, was able to score five points in a row.

LJ b BB 48, Madera South 47

After La Jolla's comeback win over Madera South,

UCSD staff member updates Gold Division
bracket Saturday. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's basketball team celebrated part of the pre-Fourth of July weekend with a scrappy 48-47 comeback win over Madera Union at the UCSD Team Camp Saturday afternoon, July 1.

Trailing 47-44 with 1:38 left in RIMAC Arena, the Vikings' Evan Brown missed a free throw. He then stopped a Madera basket inside with a foul, the free throw alike being missed.

Then guard Behzad Hashemi, on the right perimeter, found Charlie Gal alone underneath with a pass to bring the Vikings to within 47-46 with less then a minute remaining.

After another missed Madera charity shot, Hashemi was fouled while shooting with 22.1 on the clock. The rising junior, who played much of the game, made both free throws to put La Jolla permanently ahead, 48-47.

Gal then had a block in which he took the ball away and controlled it under the opposite basket at 12.9. Though he missed two free throws after being fouled, rising freshman Diego Solis blocked a layup, sending the ball out of bounds.

Madera coach Jody Sharp called a timeout with 3.2 seconds left. On the ensuing inbounds play by Madera, Solis secured the ball as time ran out.

Gal, a 6'5" rising senior--one of only two seniors on Coach Paul Baranowski's team--dominated defensive statistics with six defensive rebounds in the second half. In UCSD's format, teams play two 20-minute running halves.

Gal also had his first slam dunk in a game in this reporter's viewing, when he went straight up and two-hand slammed to tie the score at 27-all with 14:54 left in the contest. The dunk marks a visibly increased vertical leap for the returning starter, who also started part-time as a sophomore two seasons ago.

The Vikings went ahead to lead 8-7 with 13 minutes left in the first half, then led again after ties at 13 and 17 before going into halftime trailing 21-19.

The lead seesawed in the second half, with Madera either being tied or leading most of the half until La Jolla's come-from-behind.

Before the Vikings' final comeback, guard Jacob Ohara, the team's other rising senior, scored on a slashing drive to bring the red and black back to within 44-42. He also scored inside on another basket in the half, along with dishing out an assist.

Besides Hashemi, Gal, Ohara, and Diego Solis on the floor during crunch time down the stretch, Baranowski also employed rising junior Nick Hulquist for crucial minutes, as well as Brown. Gabe Solis subbed in for Ohara with two minutes left.

The Vikings continued to score the majority of their points around the basket, as they have all week in the Montgomery High tournament and at the UCSD weekend event. Outside shots have been few and far between: Hashemi hit a three in the second half Saturday. Gal hit a fadeaway. Gal also hit a bomb from the top of the key in the first half.

Sharp complained during the closing sequence in which his team lost the lead and the game that referees missed a traveling call out on the perimeter. His appeals from the sidelines fell on deaf ears.

Madera South is located 25 miles northwest of Fresno on Highway 99. You can be sure the Stallion players, coaches, and families are enjoying their short stay in cool San Diego.