Photos by Ed Piper
University City's Dylan Griffin put on a show, as he and the Centurions dominated visiting La Jolla from start to finish, 74-49, Tues., Jan. 28.
The 6'4" senior, who is the Eastern League's Athlete of the Year from UC's league championship team a year ago, rained threes, adeptly cleaned the boards, and--with 2:26 left in the second quarter--slammed home a basket with two hands.
It was an awesome display, and one that was barely affected by the powerless Vikings, who were no match on this night, especially with big man Lance Braga on the bench again with a knee issue.
Coach Paul Baranowski's white-and-red had their effective moments: Guard Leo Hawkinson hit a fall-away jumper from the right side to start the fourth quarter. Fellow back-court defender Cole Hein sank some nice shots. 6'2" Carson Diehl continued on his quick-learning curve over the past month, grabbing some rebounds under the boards and generally looking comfortable--outside of Griffin's experienced intrusions inside.
Even Seigo Lavinsky, kind of the "forgotten man" from December as La Jolla's roster filled out up top after Diehl came over from football and Hein completed his transfer sit-out period, showed an adept touch.
"I had a good first quarter," allowed the senior after the thorough thumping by their area rivals. "We couldn't find a combination" that could compete with the Centurions. Lavinsky, a likeable unifier popular among his teammates, also said, "We were slow."
What the wide margin did afford was minutes of playing time for some reserves. Conlan Rute, a 6'1" junior, especially, took advantage of the opportunity to sink three nice shots, one a shot from outside the lane on the right side. He stayed mostly under control.
Joining him after Baranowski cleared the bench with 6:31 in the fourth quarter, the Vikings trailing, 65-39, were Mike Mahmoudi, a 6'3" big, and Richie Liou, a 5'8" guard, who handled the ball well, bringing it into the front court effectively.
Mahmoudi, the nicest of guys, tried a shot. Liou, whose dad managed the snack table in December, didn't look too wide-eyed in his playing minutes.
By Ed Piper
My wife and I had the privilege of being in a viewing party with a few La Jolla wrestlers and their parents for the 2024 movie, "Unstoppable". The movie, the story of Anthony Robles, who was born with one leg and went on to win the NCAA championship his senior year at Arizona State at 122 pounds, is quite inspirational, as host Joe Pace, the father of 122-pounder Noah, said it would be.
Robles' mother, played convincingly by Jennifer Lopez, makes some bad choices and links up with an abusive mate who is not good for her children. You can "feel" an encounter between Anthony and this man, who is not his biological father, is eventually going to happen.
In our household, we often talk about the difference between a documentary and a feature film. So we don't know how close to the facts the film stays--often, a movie is introduced with the statement, "Inspired by..." That's when you know what you are going to view uses the core idea, but then freelances considerably to make an appealing box office hit.
"Unstoppable" claims to do more. For one, Anthony is an athlete who excels in high school wrestling and turns down a full ride to Drexel in Pittsburgh, choosing to stay near home in Mesa, Arizona and attend ASU as a walk-on.
In gripping scenes, with emotion portrayed in a way that goes beyond Hallmark and the TV shows I grew up with, Robles struggles with several challenges to pursue his college career: His coach requires a run up the peak, presumably in Papago Park, where my older sister (who attended Arizona State for a time) and I walked one day. Anthony starts out early and goes up on crutches. Pretty unbelievable, at least the way they portray it. Probably pretty true-to-fact.
The wrestling program's funding is cut his sophomore year, so that's it for his second year in college. He takes on a full-time job to support his family, including his mom and siblings, after the deadbeat dad stops making mortgage payments.
In his junior year, Anthony not only begins to shine, with his determination and courage, but also gains his teammates' respect. He loses in the NCAA final to Matt McDonough--pinned in the match.
Without his knowledge (according to the portrayal in the film), ASU's coach consults with team members, who all say they will take less scholarship money to make up a full-ride scholarship for Robles, or they won't wrestle for ASU. It's pretty incredible, stuff you "only see in a movie". I haven't check the fact-vs.-fiction sites on the historical accuracy of "Unstoppable", but it's impactful in the viewing experience.
His college coach, played by Don Cheadle, who is very effective in his role, calls Anthony in for a heart-to-heart. He tells Anthony, "I didn't know you and see you" (for your determination). "But now I see you." It's a well-written scene in which he lets his athlete know, in succinct terms, that his dedication and excellence have captured the attention of his coach.
We kind of know what is going to happen as the climax, Robles defeating McDonough in the rematch for the NCAA title. Jennifer Lopez and family go crazy, celebrating, alongside his high school coach, played by Michael Pena, who remains a loyal supporter of the father-less family.
Anthony only wins by a decision, but it's still a great accomplishment. Young kids have written him letters saying they admire him and are given the guts to try hard things because of him.
The obvious question as a viewer is whether the actor, Jharrel Jerome, is one-legged as well. No, the images are managed to depict a two-legged person as having one leg. Jerome is believable, and displays his emotions well.
A takeaway I had was that with all the challenges I may feel, my challenges are nothing like those facing a one-legged champion who has to "make your one leg be as strong as two legs", as his coach implores him. I can be encouraged to go about my life, meeting the easy and the hard stuff with courage and confidence.
The mere fact I try is a success. With God above and my best effort, I can forge ahead to explore new roads that would not be possible otherwise.
By Ed Piper
At this point, early in the first of two rounds of play in the Western League, the Vikings succumbed to Clairemont--it's a big deal for Clairemont, not so much for La Jolla with its long tradition of winning--and sit third-ish in league play.
Bishop's, coming out of the blocks, took care of the Chieftains handily Wed., Jan. 22 in a big win at home. Coach Doug Peabody's program has won 12 of the last 13 CIF San Diego Section titles, and their 7-6 record reflects they're playing some of the "big girls" up north--it doesn't indicate mediocrity.
The Knights' strength of schedule rating is double, 30.3, some of the other programs', at least 50 percent higher than the rest.
Peabody was inducted into the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame in June 2024.
Clairemont, by virtue of the Chieftains' win over La Jolla Fri., Jan. 24 at home (actually a road site), sits second ahead of Coach Tom Atwell's Vikings.
Cathedral Catholic is in a rebuilding stage, holding the high hand in boys water polo in the fall, but lacking the elite level of play on the girls side at this point.
The Golden Triangle pretty much yields the elite programs in water polo. La Jolla's roster is heavily populated with sophomores, who are basically the future of the program.
A big encounter comes up for La Jolla at home against Bishop's Wed., Jan. 29, in the aftermath of our first rains over the weekend and into Monday, and the fire situation hanging over everything.
We just hold all in the region in our thoughts and prayers due to the fires, because people are jittery and very aware of the fire reports--two adult aides in classes I subbed in last week were nervously checking their phones to view the map showing the spread of the Poway fire, which didn't get far. Another staff member later explained, "We've been evacuated once, so we're on edge."
Fourth-ranked La Jolla dropped an 8-6 decision to host fifth-ranked Clairemont on the Chieftains' Senior Night Fri., Jan. 24 at Mesa College, where they are playing their home games during a pool renovation.
The Vikings, coached by Coach Tom Atwell in his 24th year of coaching at the seaside school, are 12-3 overall. Clairemont is 1-1 in the Western League, 14-10 overall.
La Jolla fell behind, 2-0, in the first period, including a goal by the Chieftains' Kylie Sagastume. That's the way the quarter ended.
Beginning the second period, sophomore Cora Pfau of the Vikings scored on a shot straight on from the perimeter for a 2-1 score.
Clairemont countered with a goal later in the quarter by senior Nina Bunton, 3-1. The home crowd was roaring, with banners celebrating the seniors hanging and the snack table offering hot drinks on a cold night on the Mesa.
This matchup against La Jolla is obviously one of the big events on Coach Joey Kienle's program's calendar. The other is undoubtedly Bishop's, who jumped out to a 6-0 lead, then cruised in, getting beat the rest of the game with subs, 6-5, but winning by a big margin, 12-5, earlier in the week.
Captain Eddie Wells, one of only two seniors on La Jolla, brought the Vikings back with a shot from the left side, the 1-2 side. Senior Ava Gatewood of the Chieftains made it 4-2 on a shot that skipped twice off the water and past Vike goalie Lucia Vega into the left corner of the cage.
Atwell's crew fought back with a goal by junior Stella Tezcan with 4.1 left in the half to trail 4-3.
La Jolla began the fourth quarter Fri., Jan. 24 with a 12-point lead, 44-32.
That lead quickly eroded until, in the final minute, the Vikings led 54-50 when guard Leo Hawkinson was called for traveling.
Coronado came on with a mad, furious rush. La Jolla forward Carson Diehl fouled out just before that. Viking starting center Lance Braga was already on the bench in street clothes, having not dressed out for the game.
At 45.0 seconds, Islander freshman Ah'mahn Oliver sank a pair of free throws. 54-52.
Viking Jake Riney, who had sat all night, scored on a layup at 38.6, La Jolla's first basket in nearly two minutes. 56-52.
At 32.3, teammate and Hawkinson near-look-alike Cole Hein fouled out. Oliver, not looking like a ninth-grader, scored, then missed the free throw for the old-school three-point play. 56-54.
In the tension, the home table had failed to turn the clock on, so referees adjusted it to 23.0 seconds.
Coronado got the ball back. The clock ran down to 8.9 seconds when Derick Ritter, another freshman, hit on a shove shot from behind the arc for the upstart Islanders. Three points. The visitors led, 57-56, going ahead for the first time since the first quarter.
It looked like Coach Paul Baranowski and La Jolla's hopes were dead. Another loss in league, after winning their first 10 games of the season, would sink them to 1-3 and pretty much kill any hopes they had in the City League.
The clock ran down to 8.0 seconds when Baranowski called for a timeout and huddled his players.
Hawkinson, the blur of energy left on the floor with four subs, got the ball before half court.
"Win," he said he was thinking. He crossed half court with five seconds remaining.
Incredibly, he got to the lane and put up a shot. It went right through the net with .7 seconds left.
The clock ran out, La Jolla surviving, 58-57.
"It's the shot you practice growing up," the 5'8" guard said. "I hit that shot from 17 feet everyday in practice."
He allowed as how he hasn't hit a shot like that before in his high school career.
Leo's mother agreed that he's fun to watch. "He's always been like that," she said after she came over to the team bench after the game.
"First, he played soccer when he was young. He was good.
"Then he tried basketball. It was like, 'This is what it's going to be.' Jack (his dad) became the coach at the rec center."
She said her son has always thought in terms of the game like an analyst, when a reporter commented that his remarks after games are always spot-on.
The Vikings survive to fight another day, at 2-3 in the City League. Coronado drops to where La Jolla would have been, at 1-4.
Earlier, late in the second quarter, the black-and-red led, 25-12, on Brody Sessa's score after a loose ball with 3:09 left. Then Hein scored on an extended Euro-step layup for a 15-point lead, 27-12.
It looked like the hosts might run away with the game, with Coronado looking pretty ragged. But with the three-pointer in the modern game, no one is ever out of a contest.
Coach Anthony Ott's team scored on a three by Ritter and closed the first half trailing, 27-15.
Starting the second half, Ritter sank two free throws, and now Coronado only trailed by 10, 27-17.
Hawkinson was called for three early fouls and sat out most of the second quarter. He hit a three, then another bucket with 4:39 left in the third period, and La Jolla had built its advantage to 18 points, 38-16. It looked like they were going to run away with the game.
The gap shortly began to shrink, requiring Hawkinson's heroics on the last shot.
Carson Diehl, particularly, showed how far he has come in the past month. He showed a lighter, more adept touch around the basket, and blocked shots.
Diehl finished with 12 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks. Sessa led the Vikings with 19 points, nine rebounds, and three steals. Hawkinson finished up with 15 breakneck points, six assists, and one steal.
Especially with Braga out, Eyal Amsalem and Seigo Lavinsky saw extended playing time. Lavinsky starred with 7 rebounds and two steals.
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Ed Piper, Jr.'s career highlights include covering the Pan Am Games in Mexico City in 1975 and the coming of the first pro soccer franchise to Santa Barbara in 1977. He studied journalism at California State University, Chico. He has reported on and photographed close to 30 sports teams at La Jolla High over the past decade for his website, The Pipeline, as well as athletics at Bishop's, University City, and La Jolla Country Day School for the La Jolla Village News bi-weekly, following a short stint at the La Jolla Light.
"Lalo" ("Ed" in Spanish) photographed the Vikings' boys basketball Division 3 CIF championship teams throughout their back-to-back title runs in 2007-08 and 2008-09.
His wife and he make up one of the few households in their homeowners association that doesn't have a dog. However, as a teenager, his family did have a dog his father named Sebastian Cabot after the TV star of the same name. (Look it up.)
Piper, Jr. lost the only election he ever ran in, for student body president of his elementary school, 373-145. His opponent was present in the room while ballots were being tabulated in a total breach of ethics.
Photos by Ed Piper
