After a slight stumble coming out of the gates, the La Jolla Country Day football team has picked up its stride as the season has progressed. A 34-21 loss to The Bishop’s School on Sept. 16 left the Torreys with a 1-2 record. After that, they reeled off four wins in a row to improve to 6-2 on the year and a perfect 5-0 in the Pacific League. In their most recent game, the Torreys posted an impressive 49-14 home win over Holtville on Oct. 29. Leading the way was sophomore Sage Burmeister, who had two receiving touchdowns and an 81-yard kickoff return for a score. What might be most impressive about this young group is the amount of injuries and lost players it has endured. “We’ve had so many injuries on both sides of the ball,” head coach Jeff Hutzler said. “We have not had the same offensive or defensive lineup in any two weeks this year. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Leading the charge is senior defensive/offensive lineman Fiaalii Junior Togiaso. Hutzler calls him his best player because of his talent, work ethic and leadership. “My role is to be the impact player and to make something happen,” Togiaso said. “I’m supposed to be the role model for everyone else in terms of being here on time, going all out in practice and making sure that in every snap of the football game I am giving 100 percent.” The four-year varsity veteran leads the squad in tackles, sacks and blocked kicks while also putting in double duties on offense. The versatile big man was forced to play the athletic middle linebacker position while teammate Nick Schlossberg sat out for two games recovering from an injury. Togiaso’s talents haven’t gone unnoticed; several D-I colleges have expressed interest in his services next year. Schlossberg, on the other hand, was not expected to play middle linebacker this season. That changed when the projected starter suffered a season-ending injury. Schlossberg has stepped in nicely while also filling in at tight end on offense. “It’s been rough this year, we’ve had three season-ending injuries already but our guys have stepped up,” Schlossberg said. “It’s been tough but we’ve fought through it, practiced hard and we’ve been doing pretty well.” Offensively, the Torreys have done an excellent job of giving different runners and receivers opportunities. “We run the spread offense and try to spread the ball around so teams can’t key on anybody,” Hutzler said. The steady play of senior quarterback Ruben Pena, who poses a threat as both a runner and a passer, has helped. Through seven games, the junior had seven touchdown passes and three running scores. The biggest reason for LJCD’s midseason turnaround might lie in the addition of Frankie Brown. The running back’s explosive abilities have given the Torreys a much needed weapon since he rejoined the team. Coming back from a leg injury, Brown stepped into the starting role in the fourth game of the season. He immediately went on a three-game tear with 424 yards and four touchdowns. “I’m a downhill runner,” Brown said. “I run to get every yard, every inch I can.” Now that the Torreys have regained their balance, they’re looking to win the Pacific League and get a solid seed in the CIF playoffs. Both coaches and players have spoken eagerly of the possibility of avenging the team’s second game loss to Bishop’s in the playoffs. Next up, the Torreys take to the road for a crucial game against Tri-City Christian on Saturday, Nov. 6 at 1 p.m. Both teams enter the matchup with identical 5-0 records in the Pacific League.