For as long as alumni can remember, La Jolla High School has had a tense local athletic rivalry against The Bishop’s School, a neighboring private high school. La Jolla is big on school spirit and bringing the community together, and the Battle of Pearl Street was another way to show that the school can bond over sports. On August 18, the Vikings sailed the ship with a 41-19 victory.

Andre McLees Walker is a freshman who joined the varsity football team this summer. When asked how he felt about being a varsity player, he responded, “ I felt very strange at the start. Once I got to know the team, I felt at home and very comfortable. I knew this was the right place.” He even got playing time during the Battle of Pearl Street, one of the season’s first and most highly anticipated games. When asked how he felt about the game, he said, “ It was amazing. [It] showed what La Jolla is about and how if we work together as a team, we can go very far this year and possibly win CIF.” Senior Jackson Diehl, who is this year’s star quarterback and has been on the team since his freshman year, offered his perspective, and said [Battle of Pearl Street] “… was a lot of fun because we lost last year and now have the trophy back.”