
The Point Loma High School (PLHS) Pointers had five quarterback sacks and ran for 253 yards as a team, spoiling La Jolla High School’s (LJHS) Homecoming by defeating the Vikings 28-7 in a Western League football game at Gene Edwards Stadium on Nov. 14. “Point Loma is a good football team,” said La Jolla head football coach Dave Ponsford. “They handled us in every which way. They deserved to win.” The Pointers got on the scoreboard first when senior Marquel Specks (13 carries, 117 yards, 1 touchdown) opened the scoring on a 41-yard touchdown run with 1:56 left in the first quarter to give PLHS a 7-0 lead. “They (the Vikings) stacked eight guys inside the box against us because of our running backs,” said Pointers head football coach Mike Hastings. In the second quarter, Point Loma came right back and scored again as junior Leslie Rogers (13 carries, 90 yards, 2 touchdowns) reached the goal line on an 8-yard run to put the Pointers up 14-0 with 8:08 remaining before halftime. “We have a great running game,” Hastings said. “But our quarterback can throw too. So, we made some big plays when the timing was right.” The Point Loma quarterback would be Keegan Fitzgerald (5-of-6, 85 yards, 1 touchdown). And 3:06 left in the second period proved to be the right time for the Pointers as the junior signal-caller found Rogers in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown pass to push the PLHS advantage to 21-0 heading into the locker room at halftime. “That was a good testament to our offense,” Hastings said. “It kept clicking right along and I felt confident that the defense could hold a 21-point lead. Our defense shut La Jolla down and played well all night long in giving the offense great field position to work with.” In the third quarter, a sack by LJHS senior linebacker Harper Allen and a blocked punt by junior linebacker Matt Petch gave possession of the ball back to the Vikings. La Jolla quickly capitalized on a 34-yard drive that culminated when senior Henry Nawahine called his own number on a 2-yard quarterback keeper up the middle to trim the margin to 21-7 with 0:38 remaining in the third period. “We played better in the second half,” Ponsford said. “We kind of recovered a little bit and started to put something together.” With 2:54 left in the fourth quarter, the Pointers continued to put it all together and show how good they can be as senior running back Russell Young raced for a 30-yard touchdown to pad the Point Loma cushion and seal the victory for the Pointers. “This wasn’t our best performance,” Ponsford said. “Not taking a thing away from Point Loma.” With the win, the Pointers improve their record to 5-4-1 overall and 3-1-1 in the Western League. With the loss, the Vikings fall to 4-6 overall and 2-3 in Western League play. Hi Kevin, I was advised to send choices from the La Jolla High vs Pt. Loma High football game on Nov. 14 to you. Pt. Loma won 28-7 at LJ, spoiling their homecoming. Don LJ vs Pt.Loma 1, 2 – Tempers flared briefly during a touchdown drive for La Jolla High during their 28-7 loss to Pt. Loma. L to R: The Vikings’ Robert Beathard is separated by Matt Petch from Pt. Loma’s Davis Callejon. La Jolla scored their only touchdown on the next play. LJ vs Pt.Loma 3 – Pt. Loma’s Leslie Rogers (left) stutter steps away from La Jolla defenders as Eric Nunez (right) looks to help block. LJ vs Pt.Loma 4 – Pt. Loma’s Leslie Rogers looks to avoid a swarming La Jolla defense. LJ vs Pt.Loma 5 – Pt. Loma’s Marquel Specks darts through La Jolla defenders. LJ vs Pt.Loma 6 – La Jolla’s Robert Beathard scoots forward for a good gain. LJ vs Pt.Loma 7 – Point Loma High School’s (PLHS) Russell Young races for a 30-yard touchdown run during a 28-7 regular season finale victory over the La Jolla High Vikings on Friday. LJ vs Pt. Loma 8 – Pt. Loma’s Davis Callejon leaps through La Jolla defenders. LJ vs Pt.Loma 9 – La Jolla quarterback Henry Nawahine looks to avoid the grasp of Pt. Loma’s Will McDonough. LJ vs Pt.Loma 10, 11 – La Jolla High’s homecoming king and queen Kyle Usselman and Maggie Walsh. LJ vs Pt.Loma 12 – The La Jolla High juniors class display a Venetian theme on their homecoming float. LJ vs Pt.Loma 13 – The La Jolla High freshman class had a playing card “Win or go home” theme to their homecoming float.