The Pipeline

Saturday, February 3, 2024

LJ badminton: Tellers steps down

Coach Jerry Tellers watches his

badminton players against SDHS

April 5, 2023 on the downtown

campus. (Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Jerry Tellers, popular LJHS teacher and coach, has retired from his long-time tenure as badminton coach.

Spotted at a local Costco gas station Thurs., Feb. 1, before 7 a.m., he was told, "See you at badminton this season."

Tellers, always demonstrative and smiling, gave the "cut" sign across his throat: "I'm done. New coach coming in."

Then, before the short exchange was ended, he added: "If you come to a home match, I will see you there."

LJ g wrestling @ D2 Finals

Maddie Quach of La Jolla makes Kaylaya Morgan

of Valley Center submit in 1:03 in her first match

at the Division 2 Finals at Santana High

Sat., Feb. 3.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla wrestlers Hannah Kressin (120 pounds), Madison Quach (100), and Matisse Pickett (115) all did the Vikings proud as they experienced success at the Girls Division 2 Finals at Santana High Sat., Feb. 3.

Kressin, a newcomer to wrestling this year as a senior, garnered three team points. After losing an initial match to Arely Garcia of Holtville by fall, Hannah pinned Alina Gomez of Mar Vista in 54 seconds in the consolation bracket for the highlight of her day.

Pickett, a junior in her third year wrestling, gained four points. She won her first bout by decision, 9-5, over LilyAna Pence-Villa of Calipatria.

Matisse had one match in the consolation bracket, which she lost by fall (pin).

Quach, a sophomore, excelled in her weight division, winning six points. She opened the day by pinning Kaylaya Morgan of Valley Center in 57 seconds, using a head and arm maneuver, pushing her weight backward against Morgan's prone body to force her shoulders to the mat.

After losing to Angie Beltran of Holtville by fall, Maddie defeated Isabella Nieves of Mater Dei Catholic by major decision, 17-3. She ultimately fell to Destiny Jahnig, the eventual third-place finisher, by fall.

Quach (L) has her hand raised after her early pin.

LJ b BB 62, Madison 49

Vikes junior Lance Braga (13) shoots

against Tristan Moore (4) of Madison

in the first half.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla coach Paul Baranowski started a quick lineup against visiting Madison Friday night, Feb. 2: mobile forwards Jackson Diehl and Lance Braga, along with three guards, Eli Vaz, Michael Contreras, and Nick Sebro.

Long-time Warhawk coach Mike Stutz's can't-shoot-straight squad struggled early, with the Vikings jumping out to an 11-2 lead, then 14-6 to end the first period.

Madison came back to trail La Jolla by only five at the half, 28-23. But in the speeded-up world of Sebro, the fleet wide receiver on the Viking football team, and Contreras, who never met a baseline he doesn't want to aggressively drive on, Baranowski's lineup hit repeatedly: Sebro on a surprising three to open scoring in the first quarter, Michael two layups sandwiched around a Viking timeout, then Braga on a driving layup.

After Nick blocked his opposite's shot with 1:48 left in the opening quarter, he followed with a steal and a basket 40 seconds later to construct the 11-2 lead against a Warhawk team caught off-guard.

Two Madison baskets later, Sebro punctuated the first quarter with another three from the left corner for the 14-6 advantage.

Things only slightly cooled in the second quarter. But in the end, La Jolla outlasted its opponent, 62-49, in a non-league encounter on a night in which Eli presented his older brother DeAndre with his framed "22" jersey in a belated celebration of being team captain in the throes of COVID three years ago.

LJ track: Payton Smith commits to Michigan

Payton Smith (far left), wearing a "Michigan" sweatshirt,

stands with her sister Olivia (purple top), a junior,

and friends for a photo during halftime of the

La Jolla boys basketball game Fri., Feb. 2.

(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

Viking sprinter Payton Smith attended La Jolla's boys basketball game Fri., Feb. 2, wearing a gray "Michigan" sweatshirt with the letters in blue rimmed with gold.

When asked if she was going to attend the University of Michigan, Smith, standing with friends on the sideline, said, "Yes," bearing a big smile.

The speedy Payton, now looking forward to her senior track season, has developed into one of the top 400-meter and 200-meter sprinters in Southern California.

The Wolverines would seem to be a good fit for Smith, with stability represented by a head women's track coach, James Henry, who held his spot for 33 years before retiring two years ago. The Michigan program, in the Big Ten conference, has produced numerous NCAA All-Americans and Olympic medalists.

Michigan, a private school, also prides itself on its academics, with numerous All-Academic honors through the years.

Relays are a particular area of success for the women's team. Smith has anchored Viking relay teams especially during her stellar sophomore and junior track seasons.

Friday, February 2, 2024

LJ b soccer: Game story 1/31

Seniors Koa Frankel (L) and Kieran Sternberg

right after Senior Night presentations.

(Photos by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

La Jolla was rated number 15 in the Division 3 Power Rankings, and Coach Pilar Flores said before the Senior Night Game Wed., Jan. 31, "We need to be 12 to get in the (CIF) playoffs" (which start in two weeks).

"That would mean win three of our last four games," the second-year coach slightly grimaced.

The Vikings, and other schools probably as well, have a tradition of starting all the seniors for their class night. It honored the future graduates, but there was a little drop in skill and intensity, if one can be brutally honest.

Abdul, Canyon Hills' star player (formally Amin Abdullah), scored with a header in front of the net after a corner kick in the 21st minute, and La Jolla found itself down, 1-0.

LJ captain Kyle Truscottm (far left), who scored

the Vikings' lone goal to start the second half,

shakes hands with Rattlers captains and at the end

of the pregame meeting with officials.

Before that, a rarity--certainly an oddity--occurred when the Rattlers' goalie was called for handling a ball outside of the black-lined box, which covers quite a bit of territory. His error came in mistaking the prominent white yard line for his boundary. The yard line striping is for football, not soccer. It could have easily happened to another goalie, but it hasn't.

The ball turned over to La Jolla for a free kick.

The Viking seniors and underclassmen working hard, 15 minutes later Canyon Hills scored again off a corner kick. Abdul did the honors, 2-0.

In La Jolla's game at a fenced-in Canyon Hills turf field (new last fall--the grounds still under remodeling) Jan. 12, the Vikings scored a late goal to break a 2-2 draw and win.

Right after the half, LJ senior captain Kyle Truscott scored on a long, arching shot from the sideline, 2-1.

Abdul, who had been active in the Jan. 12 game, completed his hat trick with a goal in the 38th minute of the second half. La Jolla went down, 3-1.