La Jolla defensive coordinator Stephen Dixon and long-time assistant Chris Velez say the Vikings have to play with a “playoff mentality” to finish the season strong after a rough 2-4 start.
“It’s a marathon, not a sprint,” says Dixon, in his first year at La Jolla after serving as head coach at Escondido for the past three years.
“We’re in a playoff mindset, thinking about making a deep run in the postseason playoffs next month,” said Dixon.
Dixon’s colleagueVelez agrees.
“Every game is a playoff for us,” says Velez, who has been with the Vikings through the highs (2023 and 2020 Eastern League championships, the latter in a shortened season under COVID) and some of the lows over the past seven years.
Safety Bryson Grant, linebacker Sean Bannon, linebacker/running back Joseph Crudo, and linemen Zach Gergurich and Travis McCarther have been some of the sparks for La Jolla on the defensive side during a tough schedule. Each player has lifted their teammates and helped show the way through wins against Scripps Ranch (42-29) and La Jolla Country Day (26-0) sprinkled among losses to four other opponents on the schedule.
Grant, a senior, was only recently activated at midseason due to his transfer status.
‘[…He] has been a leader vocally”, according to Dixon. “He helps get the defense lined up on the back end.”
Bannon led the team with 23 tackles through the first four games. “He helps get guys ready to rock,” says the defensive coordinator.
Crudo, playing both ways, trailed Bannon with 21 tackles. On offense, he had 218 yards rushing on 39 carries, second to running back Kali Deberry (cq), who totaled 648 yards on 102 carries. Both carry a heavy load, running for bruising yardage, then turning around to make stops on defense.
“Crudo provides the spark, making big plays. Plus, he makes slash plays on defense,” says Dixon. Senior defensive lineman Gergurich, known as “Snacks” by his teammates, who earned his nickname for the frequent healthy snacks he eats, is 6-foot-4-inch-tall, 245-pound frame, nad holds down the defensive line up front. McCarther, a sophomore, provides some new energy, having moved up from the JV/novice team this season. He weighs in at 290 pounds.
Down the stretch, after a tough non-league loss to highly-ranked powerhouse Cathedral Catholic, head coach Tyler Roach and the Vikings will finish their Eastern League schedule against Christian High, San Diego High, and rival University City. It will be a gauntlet that makes or breaks La Jolla, as the red-and-black qualify for the postseason playoffs no matter what, since all teams now make the playoffs according to their overall rankings on MaxPreps. Schools will be spread over six divisions by record and strength-of-schedule.
Roach, in his 10th year, hopes to have sophomore quarterback Ty Tortorice back after a concussion protocol in weeks 6-7-8 of the 11-week season, to go with junior transfer Brody Bukich, who is steadily finding his feet after a summer transfer from Mt. Carmel High. Bukich has completed 47 of 86 passes for 598 yards and four touchdowns at this writing. Tortorice is 47 for 69, 542 yards, and three TD’s.
