A remarkable postseason run came to an end Saturday for the Palisades Recreation Center’s Minors Division (ages 9-10) All-Star flag football team, which made history by becoming the first Palisades-based squad to play for the championship of the Valley Regional Tournament.
Palisades won four playoff games in six days to reach the final, beating Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks 14-2, Barrington 20-8, Cheviot Hills 18-12, and Northridge 13-6 before falling 8-0 to Balboa at Hjelte Sports Center in Encino.
Photo: Steve Galluzzo
“Balboa has been blowing teams out by 20 points and you held them to one score,” Pali Rec Center Director Erich Haas told the team afterwards. “We’re going to get a huge banner with all your names on it to hang in the gym.”
The team was comprised of the best players from the six Pali Rec Center teams and consisted of linebacker/running back Royce Clayton Jr. (Colts), quarterback Benson Fleisher (Colts), quarterback Henry Wendorf (Dolphins), safety Justin Sikola (Saints), wide receiver Stevie Purdholme (Colts), running back Elijah Clayton (Colts), wide receiver Caden Abraham (Bears), cornerback Jules Craft (Bears), safety Jack Bowden (Bears), cornerback Lucas Herman (Colts), linebacker Truman Pauley (Bears), linebacker Nicky Ketchum (Chiefs) and linebacker/running back Holden Gering (Dolphins).
“Last year we lost our first two [tournament games] and were out,” said head coach Steve Purdholme, who guided the Colts to an 8-0 regular season record along with assistant Mario Miranda. “Some of the boys had to make sacrifices and block or play different positions. Every team we played was bigger and more experienced. This is a special group.”
Clayton Jr. ran for four touchdowns in the tournament, Herman had three scoring catches, Fleisher had several key runs and throws and Gering anchored the defense.
Balboa scored the only in Saturday’s final on a 15-yard touchdown pass and subsequent two-point conversion run in the second quarter.
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.
