Viewpoint Players Hold Heads High After Football Playoff Loss

After giving top-seeded, defending Northeast Division football champion Bishop all it could handle Friday in a 33-21 road loss that was closer than expected, Viewpoint’s five-hour bus ride didn’t feel like a such a long drive home.

Celebrating its best 11-man season ever despite the way it ended, Viewpoint (7-4) has a lot to feel good about.

“Everyone is really bummed it’s over, but we are all proud of our season and our improvement this year,” running back Adam Markun said.

Viewpoint coach Chris Adamson has made a major impact in his second season. After winning a total of two games in 2010, he vowed the Patriots would work harder and get stronger and become more successful, and they did.

“It was a hard-fought game at Bishop, but we weren’t out-physicaled,” Adamson said. “We just couldn’t take advantage of some opportunities, and we made some mistakes. But we played hard all the way through, and our proud of our guys.”

A large caravan of parents, students and supporters made the 600-mile trip, and Adamson believed that’s a good sign the program is headed in the right direction.

“I think there were more people up there than there were at our home games last season,” Adamson said. “The trip to Bishop was really positive. The cheerleaders were there and everything, and it’s every bit of a five-hour trip each way. As for the program, it’s just a matter of learning how to play in big games like this. If we would have won, it would have been the trip of a lifetime.”

Markun is among several key players expected back. The junior running back was bothered by a recurring hamstring, but he still rushed for 897 yards and 13 touchdowns while averaging nine yards per carry. Dakota Williams, another junior, rushed for more than 700 yards, and he will be back, too.

“We do have some big shoes to fill next year, but we basically have four starting offensive linemen coming, and we return our whole defensive line,” Adamson said. “And if Adam Markun is healthy for a whole year, that will make a big difference.”

Quarterback Joey Verhaugh is a graduating senior, and he is going to difficult to replace because the Crespi transfer proved capable as both a passer and a runner – and a top linebacker. Jake Walker, a freshman who played on the JV team this past season, is expected to be Verhaugh’s successor, and Adamson expects good thing.

“We have a lot of good players coming up,” Adamson said.

READY TO HOOP IT UP

Viewpoint’s boys basketball team opens Monday against host Milken at the annual Milken tournament in Los Angeles. Tipoff is 3 p.m., and Viewpoint plays against next Tuesday against small-schools power Rolling Hills Prep in another Milken tournament game beginning at 5:45 p.m.

Viewpoint made the playoffs last season after finishing 4-19 the year before, and among the key returning players is Jonny Paul, a 6-foot-3 junior who averaged 13.2 points last season.

VIEWPOINT SPIKES IN VOLLEYBALL

In other Viewpoint news, the girls volleyball team has been granted an at-large berth in the CIF State Div. IV playoffs, as the Patriots open at Sage Hill, which defeated Viewpoint exactly a week ago in the Southern Section playoffs.

Despite losing in the Div. IV-AA semifinals, Viewpoint (20-5) was given an at-large berth into the Div. IV state playoffs and will play at Sage Hill (21-8), which outlasted the Patriots in five games Nov. 15 on its way to defeating Academy League rival St. Margaret's in five games in Saturday's final.

Viewpoint is seeking the program's first state playoff victory, with the winner facing La Jolla Country Day or Connelly in Saturday's regional semifinals.