High school football: La Jolla High tops Mission Bay in star quarterback’s return

The results were all good for La Jolla’s three high school football teams this week, with La Jolla High and The Bishop’s School taking down previously unbeaten teams and La Jolla Country Day School winning its fourth consecutive game.

La Jolla High 14, Mission Bay 7

The return of Jackson Diehl from injury was just what the doctor ordered for the Vikings, who were looking to snap a two-game losing streak Sept. 15.

The star senior quarterback, who suffered a sprained ankle in a 27-24 loss at El Capitan on Sept. 1 and did not play in a 20-6 loss to Rancho Bernardo on Sept. 8, started against unbeaten Mission Bay and found wide receiver Nick Sebro for a 25-yard touchdown pass with 56 seconds left to give La Jolla the victory on the road.

“It feels great,” said Diehl, who completed nine of 14 passes for 111 yards and the touchdown while adding 46 yards rushing on 13 carries.

Vikings coach Tyler Roach said his players had to execute and stay mentally focused.

“We kept quiet all week, put our head down,” Roach said. “But we wanted to come and prove a point tonight. We’ve got a phenomenal defense and we’re going to keep building off those guys all year.”

Mission Bay, which entered the game 4-0, opened the scoring with a touchdown pass from quarterback Charlie Hutchinson to wide receiver Robbie Page in the first quarter.

But La Jolla junior running back Aidan Mcgill ran for a 57-yard TD to tie the game in the second.

In the game’s final two minutes, La Jolla worked its way down the field, with Diehl connecting twice on passes to his brother, sophomore wide receiver Carson Diehl, to get the Vikings to the Buccaneers’ 25. That set up the winning TD to Sebro.

The Vikings also intercepted two Mission Bay passes, including one at their own 3 yard line late in the third quarter.

La Jolla (3-2) has a bye before its next game at home against Mira Mesa at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 29.

La Jolla Country Day 34, Escondido Charter 14

The Torreys stretched their winning streak to four by routing the White Tigers (2-2) on Sept. 14 on the road.

Country Day senior quarterback Jaden Mangini completed 12 of 17 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown and rushed 20 times for 67 yards and another TD. The Torreys ran for 202 yards overall.

The Torreys (4-1) next have a home match-up against Army-Navy of Carlsbad (4-0) at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 22.

Bishop’s 24, Mount Miguel 13

The Knights picked up their first win of the season by beating the previously undefeated Matadors of Spring Valley (4-1) on the road Sept. 15.

Next up for Bishop’s (1-3) is a road game against Classical Academy of Escondido (2-3) at 7 p.m. Sept. 22. ◆