As the Viking forwards and backs move in concert down the field, the formation arching out to the side and behind the ball, it is almost a thing of beauty. Senior John Hartford, filling a slot in the third of three rows leading the formation, says the teamwork among the players begins on defense \u2014 when La Jolla doesn\u2019t even have the ball.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe space and move forward, so when we get the ball (we\u2019re in position and working together),\u201d the number-eight player says. He credits the coaching staff of Ethan Willis and Ian Denham with getting \u201ca pretty new team\u201d working in tandem and coordinating movement in such a short time, two games after three scrimmages of a rapidly-evolving roster.<\/p>\n
One of the newer recruits, Nathan Plaskonos, has scored a try (touching the ball down in the end zone), kind of like a touchdown in football, in each of the first two contests, Jan. 13 in a 35-7 win over Mission Vista in the season opener and Jan. 22 in a 26-12 thumping of Torrey Pines \u201cB.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPart of the scoring is luck,\u201d the beach volleyball and swim team veteran said modestly. \u201cI happen to be there to score,\u201d which is true when the \u201cgolden arc\u201d is working.<\/p>\n
The elder Plaskonos, whose younger brother Myles, a sophomore, is also in the program, is filling the number-six slot, in the third row to the far left. The three short rows are made up of forwards. Behind them, fanned out to the side, the backs move ready to run and\/or pass the odd-shaped rugby ball, originally made out of a pig\u2019s bladder.<\/p>\n
Jaret Swerdlow, a senior coming back from a broken leg last year, credits the Vikings with distributing the ball well on good passing.<\/p>\n
Wyn Smoole, 18, a senior with flowing locks who played defensive back for the Vikings football team, has an ironic story of how his parents eventually let him play football and rugby, both physical sports. \u201cMy brother Leed (a freshman on the team) put together a 50-slide PowerPoint for our parents on why football was safer than rugby,\u201d he chuckles. \u201cThey bought it. Now I play football, and later, they let me play rugby.\u201d<\/p>\n
Smoole had his mini-breakout rugby season last year when he began to run for quick, slashing forays from his number-15 position in the back and to the side of the formation.<\/p>\n
Consistent through La Jolla\u2019s first games on conversions \u2014 a kick like a PAT in football that comes after tries \u2014 is Marc Oriol, a junior who makes up a healthy contingent from Point Loma High playing under the La Jolla banner. Oriol, a flyhalf and good runner, also has scored some tries, along with Sebastian Snodgrass, another Pointer junior.<\/p>\n
Renner Smith, a compact 135-pound Viking freshman, has found his way into the \u201cFirst 15\u201d for La Jolla in his first experience trying rugby. \u201cMy job is to take the ball from the scrum and pass it back,\u201d he said.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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