Pai Polamalu, Saints show ‘true character’ in win over La Jolla

by Clark Fahrenthold

St. Augustine’s Pai Polamalu’s 2025 season has been nothing short of remarkable. Entering week 10, the sophomore led his team in yards from scrimmage, total touchdowns, and interceptions.

On Friday night, Polamalu turned in arguably his most dominant performance of the season. The two-way star scored four times, carrying Saints to a pivotal 41-35 Eastern League victory over La Jolla High School.

“We’re trying our best to be a blue-collar and hard-nosed football team,” he said. “The O-line did a great job all night. We worked hard all week on blocking and running downhill. I think we cracked the code on what we need to do to perform well.”

For the visiting Vikings, the game couldn’t have started any better. On the first play from scrimmage, their own two-way star Carson Diehl intercepted Saints quarterback Vince Smith.

On the ensuing offensive possession, Diehl hauled in a seven-yard touchdown pass from Emerson Rota. Handing La Jolla the early 7-0 lead.

St. Augustine quickly shook off the slow start, scoring on each of its next four possessions. Polamalu, the son of former Pittsburgh Steelers star Troy Polamalu, kicked-started the Saints offense with a 13-yard touchdown, tying the game at 7-7.

“Even when we make mistakes, we still played with confidence,” said St. Augustine coach Ron Caragher. “I think our guys did a nice job today of not living in the past, which a couple weeks back they wouldn’t have. Tonight we bounced back, and that was encouraging.”

On La Jolla’s next possession, the Vikings faced fourth-and-1 from their own 44-yard line. They kept their offense on the field. While trying to set up a quick screen, Saints sophomore cornerback Cooper Hamric made an excellent read, shedding a block and jumping in front of the pass and returning it 44 yards for a pick-six touchdown.

“It was all instinct,” Hamric said. “I was the flat defender, so I knew I had to be aggressive. When I saw the receiver start back-peddling, I just started sprinting towards him.”

Polamalu capped the half with his second and third scores of the night, busting loose on third-and-short for an 80-yard house call and scoring untouched from 24 yards out on a perfectly executed screen play.

Saints led 28-14 at the break.

Diehl and the La Jolla passing attack would draw things to a one-score game. Diehl hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Rota, pulling things to a one-score game at 28-20.

Diehl finished the night with 13 catches for 238 yards and four scores.

Ultimately, though, the Saints’ offense proved to be too much. Soon after the La Jolla Score, Polamalu found paydirt for his fourth score of the evening to make it 34-20. A drive later, Smith connected with Mateo Iuli for a back-breaking 33-yard touchdown pass. Putting Saints ahead 41-20

“You go back a couple weeks, we had a similar start, and we didn’t bounce back,” Caragher said. “But tonight, we showed our true character. Guys were up lifting each other and going and making plays.”