The Pipeline

LJ g lax: A stellar 5-year term

By Ed Piper

The year before the present co-coaches took over the La Jolla lacrosse team, the Vikings went 7-10. They had some good years, and they had some mediocre to poor years.

Since Kitty Cullen and Sam Farrell were installed prior to the Spring 2015 season, the Vikings have compiled an 86-27 record, including an appearance in the Open Division finals this year and a place in the Open Division playoffs last year. Read that: elite team.

We look for excellence, and the program's performance over the past five years has shown a commitment to excellence.

This is the product of the Vikings girls athletes being trained well in club lacrosse, then carrying that same ability to perform over to the school team.

We like winners, and Farrell and Cullen have certainly turned their team into that--winners. In the modern age, you have to have club players on your school team to be in the upper reaches of the section.

Farrell's and Cullen's relatively low-key manner on the sidelines, talking to the girls in the huddle in a rational manner, communicates a program under control, in good hands, and--as evidenced by the ascending level of the varsity each season--growing stronger.

Beginning in 2015, the team's season records have been 14-7, 16-7, 19-3, 22-5, and 15-5 (the last in the just-completed season). When excellence is so close to us, sometimes we discount it. We know they aren't working magic, so how could they be so good? Well, they are. Being competitive in the Open Division, the cream of the crop, means they're not just good but among the best.

We applaud the coaches and the girls on their fine season.

LJ g lax: The Ari story

By Ed Piper

Ari Conboy is the starting goalie on the number-two girls lacrosse team in San Diego County.

Her family and friends got word that she was in National City. The Vikings' Open Division championship game, on the other hand, was in Encinitas, at the other end of the county, at San Dieguito Academy.

The time was right around 4 p.m. The game was slated to start with the opening draw at 5 p.m., a mere one hour from now.

"She's in National City," one said. The other part of the family had just entered the SDA stadium and was standing near the restrooms. The man's voice communicated surprise, astonishment, anxiety.

A security guard, hearing the story, said, "Well, they (La Jolla) have another goalie, right?" In other words, just plug the backup in.

No offense to the second-string, but you don't just plug a backup in in the finals. Starters are there for a reason.

At about 4:20, the scoreboard clock, which had been counting down at around 48 minutes a few minutes ago, now read 28 minutes. That would mean the game moved up to a 4:45 start. Ari, miles away in South County, would be hard-pressed to make it on time and be warmed up, ready to play in the most important match of her young high school career.

"They can't do that, can they?" queried the San Dieguito Academy security guard, wearing a blue Mustangs hat for the host school.

I said, "I don't know. Somebody just punched in 28:00, and it's counting down."

At right around 4:30, here came Conboy across the field to the teams' side."I put 'San Diego Academy' into my phone, and it took us to National City. It was a hospital, so I didn't think that was the right place."

An assistant coach calmed her: "You're here now, and it's time to get ready."

Not that the sophomore looked like she was out of control. Not in the least. She said they drove at a speed I won't put on my blog, so as not to incriminate the involved party. It was above the speed limit on the Interstate 5.

It turned out the scoreboard clock change was made so that pregame activities could begin at 4:45: stick check, procession to the middle of the field, player introductions.

The game started promptly at 5 p.m. Conboy was in place in goal.

The team and Ari played a creditable game. Scripps Ranch, seeded number one, took the initiative from the opening draw. The Falcons never completely gave it up.

They led 8-3 at the half. They led by seven midway through the second half. They took away a decisive 17-9 win from La Jolla.

The Viking goalie made it in time, and safely, in one piece. That isn't why her team lost.

In fact, La Jolla, under fifth-year coaches Kitty Cullen and Sam Farrell, are among the elite teams in CIF, making it to the finals this year, into the Open Division playoffs last year as well. This is the Vikings' golden era of girls lacrosse.

LJ g lax: Recap

By Ed Piper

La Jolla's second-seed lacrosse team went down 3-0 to Scripps Ranch before the first five minutes had elapsed in the Open Division title game Sat., May 18.

Though Kitty Cullen and Sam Farrell's crew didn't give up and fought with fortitude through the 50-minute contest, by that early juncture the Vikings were already back on their heels in a defensive posture. The Falcons took the CIF championship game convincingly, 17-9, at San Dieguito Academy.

What we can say is that Scripps' lacrossers showed themselves to be superior on this day. That's how championships are awarded. The two teams split their previous encounters: On April 10, La Jolla won an overtime match, 12-11. Then the Falcons took an 18-11 decision on May 1, both in league matches.

Senior captain Reagan Jetter and sophomore Stella Wineman fought aggressively late in the second half, driving to the net even as La Jolla fell behind by six.

The Vikings could have folded their tents much earlier, such as when Scripps, featuring multiple scorers, pushed the lead to 9-3 right after the half. The closest La Jolla could come back to was four goals down, short-lived at 10-6 with over 16 minutes left in the game.

Farrell and Cullen tried a combination of players in the draw, but the Falcons, keeping that early momentum, won most of those. That forced LJHS to play a lot of defense, and put pressure on sophomore goalie Ari Conboy, who played a creditable game. Time of possession was overwhelmingly in Scripps Ranch's favor.

To sophomore Terra Evans' credit, she stemmed the early bleeding with the Vikings' first goal with 12:31 left in the first half to make the score 3-1.

Freshman Allie Foerster followed that with another La Jolla goal at 8:36, the score now 4-2. Things looked hopeful.

Evans sneaked another one in with 43.2 seconds left in the period for 7-3. The half ended with the Falcons leading, 8-3.

Jetter scored on a free position shot at 20:33. La Jolla trailed 9-5.

Four minutes later, Wineman drove from the left middle for a goal, 10-6.

Senior Kayla Nitahara showed her aggressiveness against a smothering Scripps defense by scoring with 8:53 on the clock. The Falcons maintained their lead, 13-7.