La Jolla Country Day (LJCD) School went down to defeat on the gridiron last weekend, dropping a 6-3 decision to host Army Navy Academy.
“As the score indicates, the game was a defensive battle with neither team being able to produce much offense,” LJCD Head Coach Jeff Hutzler noted.
Up front, the Torreys struggled mightily with the large defensive line of ANA and could produce next to no running game. It did not help matters that LJCD lost senior tailback/safety Kevin Ings to a hip injury on the first play from scrimmage. Senior fullback Collin Tuck led all LJCD runners with 53 yards on 13 carries.
Forced to put the ball in the air 35 times, senior QB Matt Mulligan completed 18 passes for 153 yards while throwing three interceptions. Senior TE Mark Schu led all receivers with six catches for 64 yards.
The Torreys’ lone score came on a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter by junior kicker Travis Golia. Golia had a 34-yard field goal attempt fall short in the second quarter.
LJCD’s defense played hard but suffered too many missed tackles, most notably during ANA’s 37-yard TD strike in the second quarter when Army Navy’s receiver was touched by no fewer than five Torrey defenders but not brought down.
At linebacker, Tuck had an outstanding defensive afternoon, racking up 16 tackles (10 solos), two blocked punts and a fumble recovered.
In junior varsity action, LJCD beat ANA 35-8.
LJCD enters Pacific League play Friday night at Midway Baptist in a 7 p.m. contest.