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Browse by City/ StateSub-par scrimmage has La Quinta refocused and driven
LA QUINTA -- Although the La Quinta High School football team has yet to play a game, its playful preseason swagger was turned down several notches before practice Tuesday.
La Quinta High School running back Desmond Dukes stretches during Wednesday's practice. The Blackhawks begin the season tonight when they travel to Valley Center.
Valley View exposed the Blackhawks' weaknesses at a scrimmage Friday at home.
"It was a wake-up call," senior receiver Adam Judnich said.
Senior lineman Erick Jepsen elaborated.
"I guess that we thought since we're La Quinta that we'd just be able to go out there and beat up on them," he said, "but it didn't happen like that."
Refocused and driven, the Blackhawks kick off their season with another grueling preseason schedule against Valley Center tonight on the road.
Coach Dan Armstrong is relieved his team didn't have to face the perennial CIF San Diego Section Division IV powerhouse last week.
"I'm glad we scrimmaged because if we played them last week," he said, "we would have had our butts handed to us."
The defense struggled, giving up several long touchdown passes. After players repeatedly missed assignments, Armstrong responded by altering the defensive scheme this week.
Undersized but fast, the Blackhawks will have to learn how to play together on defense as many players adjust to new roles. Jepsen, who plays nose tackle, is the team's only prototypical defensive lineman.
Armstrong has stressed to players they can't all try to make tackles. Some will have to sacrifice themselves so teammates can clean up after them.
"You don't have to be the hero every play," senior linebacker Sean Lorenger said, "just do the little things that make the difference."
La Quinta will have to compensate for its lack of size with its surplus of speed and its zeal for physical play.
"We're a small team," senior running back and linebacker Chyl Robinson, "but we have to show everybody we've got the bigger hearts and we're going to hit you all night."
The Blackhawks will be even smaller if linebacker Nuuvali Faapito has to sit out tonight. The senior is nursing a sore hamstring, and he has been limited in practice lately.
La Quinta's offense has fewer question marks. Quarterback Dylan Costello excelled in two Desert Valley League starts last year, and he will distribute the ball to many weapons, including Robinson, senior running back Desmond Dukes and senior wide receiver Adam Judnich.
Dukes and Robinson should get the majority of the carries, Armstrong said, but sophomore Isaiah Verazas will play at running back and fullback.
Since Dukes and Robinson both play defense, they won't mind sharing the offensive load.
"If Chyl has the hot hand, then Desmond's rooting for him, and vice versa," Armstrong said.
Although the offensive line needs to gain experience as a unit, it doesn't need to do much for the talented runners.
"You just have to get a helmet on a helmet," Armstrong said, "and the back's going to make something happen."
The line protected Costello well Friday, which allowed the quarterback time to find Judnich for long gains.
The receiver worked with former La Quinta star Jeff Webb during the offseason, perfecting routes such as the post corner.
Opponents more challenging than Valley View will test the Blackhawks in the preseason. They will take on Colton and Arlington in the coming weeks, both CIF Southern Section Central Division foes.
Whatever happens in the preseason won't ruin the Blackhawks' chances to win a fourth DVL title in five years.
La Quinta is 9-11 in the pre-conference season the past four years, but 19-1 in the DVL.
"Even if we go 0-5, it's going to get us better for DVL, which counts," Costello said. "Whenever we play those hard teams in the preseason, it makes the teams that we see in the playoffs seem a little bit easier."
