LJ FB: Preview Week 5

By Ed Piper

"I'm really enjoying watching your team," a reporter told La Jolla head coach Tyler Roach on a phone call.

"Thanks. Last week was a heart-breaker, though," said the third-year Viking leader. La Jolla, primed after two good wins, lost 15-7 to Del Norte.

"We learned anything could happen. Be humble, and do a reset every week."

Jackson Stratton, the Vikings' live-arm sophomore quarterback, had three interceptions and a fumble in the first half, mistakes that were back-breaking.

"I talked to Jackson this week," confided Roach, an offensive coordinator by preparation. "I said, 'You can't get gun-shy. You're going to make mistakes.'

"A lot of our players are sophomores, including the offensive line." They're doing on-the-job learning.

Scripps Ranch, La Jolla's week-five host Fri., Sept. 21, 6:30 p.m., is experiencing success.

LJ FH: Needed - a recorder

Left forward Paxton Stolper (7),
known by her teammates
to be loquacious.
(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"You're going to need a recorder. Once you get her talking, it's going to be a lot," smiled Coach Amanda Combs Warford about her forward, Paxton Stolper, at a reporter asking who on the La Jolla field hockey team is a "yakker" and willing to be interviewed.

The Viking senior was sporting bright purple athletic tape on the backs of her legs. "KT tape. It's my first time using it," said Stolper, part of the Vikings' successful attack alongside Haley Mossmer, in the middle, and Jordan Wolf, on the opposite (right) side. The trio are all seniors.

"I have a calf problem. We're going to try this out and see if it helps."

Stolper and her teammates were about to warm up on the upper field, west of the stadium, at Serra High School. The occasion was the first of two days of the Serra Tournament, probably the major field hockey tourney in the area, Sat., Sept. 14.

Warford's attack, showing spurts of strength with a renewed commitment to improving stick skills, was able to edge La Costa Canyon, its opening opponent, 1-0.

The following games resulted in a 2-0 win over Westview, with the 90-degree temperature at 11:30 most likely increasing for the 1 p.m. game, and 1-1 versus Canyon Crest in a game starting at 3 p.m.

The Vikings aren't blowing people out, but they are beating them consistently.

Comparing offensive production, on Maxpreps.com Serra had 37 goals, Bishop's 32, and Scripps Ranch 31, while La Jolla had 11, Cathedral 17. Patrick Henry was still in single digits with nine goals scored.

The week before, Ashley Brazell, at midfield, was the Player of the Match as La Jolla hung on until overtime and toppled Canyon Crest, 1-0. That was a milestone even the restrained Warford remarked on.

"She has really strong skills and awareness of the field and opponents," said Warford after the match. "She rarely ever turns the ball over and yesterday she made the correct decision on the field every single time.

"She skilled her way through so many CCA players, and it contributed to a lot of our attack."

LJ FH: Something happened

Viking goalkeeper Claire Telford.
(Photo by Ed Piper)

By Ed Piper

"Things were more disjointed last year," said Viking captain Caeley Hickson Long. "Our stick skills are better, but also our connectedness as a team has increased."

Hickson Long, a senior upper midfielder, was speaking in the context of a 12-2-1 start on the season, up from 9-13 the whole season last year.

Half the school roster play for Coach Amanda Combs Warford's club team, Coastal Clash. That's a big advantage, skill-development-wise and for team cohesiveness.

Something clicked partway through the season in 2018, even though it might not have been evident from La Jolla's first-round exit in the Division 1 playoffs. The year before, in Warford's initial one at the helm, the Vikings made it to the D1 title game, narrowly falling to Mission Vista, 1-0.

Even Warford tells her team they're different from previous. In winning the Valley Center Tournament a week ago, basically the same roster as last year--with minor changes--bumped up their performance a notch.

The three-year march has landed the field hockey program on the fringes of the elite programs in the county. The Vikes are still looking up at Serra and Scripps Ranch, the two perennial powers. But not by much.

"I didn't know our championship in the Valley Center tourney (Sept. 7) was the first one in the history of the school," said senior captain Serene Liu, an outstanding defender. "But I'm not surprised. I've been in the program three years, and I've seen how it has developed."

In her sophomore year, Liu was the surprise new star defender. She made up a lot of ground in a short time. Now, a veteran of two full campaigns, she helps direct the defense from her vantage point at the back.

Claire Telford, who Warford rates among the top five goalkeepers in the county, attests to the same growth of players' skill level from her position behind Liu, surveying the whole field.

"They (teammates in the field) get the ball really fast," she said, prior to the Vikings' opening game in the prestigious Serra High Tournament Sat., Sept. 14.

Telford, La Jolla's new goalie this year as a junior, moving up from last year's JV team, recorded three shutouts on the final day of the Valley Center Tournament as the Vikings secured the championship.

On Sat., Sept. 14, Warford's crew notched two wins and one tie, the last 1-1 against rival Canyon Crest, whom the Vikings beat in overtime a week ago.

LJ FB: Official stats - LJ-Bishop's

La Jolla 9, Bishop's 18
Fri., Aug. 23, 2019
Season Opener
Non-league game
Edwards Stadium
(Bishop's was designated home team)


DEFENSE

Tackles

                                            Solo    Assists      Total

Diego Solis                            5           4               9
Alessandro Demoreno           5           2               7
Simon Babin                          5           1               6           1 TFL
Max Smith                             2           4               6           2 interceptions
Finn Rice                               4           1               5           2 TFL
LT Shimp                               2           3               5           1 fumble recovered
Dirk Germon                         1            4              5            1 TFL
Calvin Hyytinen                    3            1              4
Grady Mitchell                      3            1              4
Jack Wiese                             2           2               4
Moises Hernandez                 1           1               2
Adam Tomasek                      1           0               1
Devin Garcia                          1           0               1

*TFL - tackle for loss

LJ FB: Official stats - LJ-Mission Bay

La Jolla 34, Mission Bay 13
Fri., Aug. 30, 2019
Blast Off
Edwards Stadium

DEFENSE

Tackles
                                      Solo   Assists   Total

Simon Babin                    7          3          10
Jack Wiese                       3          6            9
Max Smith                       3          4            7          1 TFL, 1 interception, 1 TD
Grady Mitchell                3          4            7           1 TFL
Calvin Hyytinen              4           1           5
Luke Brunette                  3          2            5
LT Shimp                         2          3            5
Noah Pavlik                     2          0            2
Finn Rice                         1          1            2
David Arteaga                 0          2            2 
Diego Solis                      0          1           1
Devin Garcia                   0          1            1
Aiden Trudeau                0           1            1
Moises Hernandez           0          1            1

*TFL - tackle for loss

LJ FB: Official stats - LJ-Santa Fe Christian

La Jolla 28, Santa Fe Christian 14
Fri., Sept. 6, 2019
Week #3 (of 11)
Non-league game


DEFENSE

Tackles
                                          Solo    Assists   Total

LT Shimp                            3            9          12
Dirk Germon                       5           4            9
Jack Wiese                          2            5            7          2 fumbles recovered
Luke Brunette                     6            0            6
Finn Rice                             2           4            6
Calvin Hyytinen                  2           4            6
Aiden Trudeau                    0            4           4
Alessandro Demoreno        3            0            3   
Grady Mitchell                    0           3            3
Davin St. John                     2           0            0
Luke Levinson                    1           0             1
Devin Garcia                       0           0             0          1 fumble recovered

LJ FB: Official stats - LJ-Del Norte

La Jolla 7, Del Norte 15
Fri., Sept. 13, 2019
Week 4 (of 11 regular season weeks)
Non-league game


DEFENSE

Tackles                   Solo   Assists  Total

Dirk Germon            5          9         14        1 sack; 2 TFL
Max Smith                6          5         11        3 TFL
Jack Wiese                3          7         10       
Grady Mitchell         2           8        10        1 TFL
Aiden Trudeau          5          2           7
Finn Rice                  2           1          3
Diego Solis               2          0           2
Devin Garcia            1          2           3
LT Shimp                  1          1           2
Alessandro
   Demoreno              1          0          1
Moises Hernandez    0          1          1

*TFL - tackle for loss