Pali High Football Enters Lions’ Den

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Palisades High’s football teams hit the road for the last time in the regular season Friday night when they travel east to Fairfax.

The challenge for the varsity squad will be stopping running back Ramses Hernandez and a Lions squad  out to avenge last year’s 54-point loss at Palisades.

“Last year means absolutely nothing,” Pali High head coach Tim Hyde said. “Every week is a completely different team.”

The Dolphins have already faced — and contained — one of the best tailbacks in the City Section in Canoga Park’s Deonte Perry, but Hyde thinks Hernandez is even harder to stop.

“Fairfax without a doubt has the best back in the City and quite possibly the Player of the Year,” he said. “He’s the straw that stirs the drink… he’s the most relentless player I’ve seen on film. I’m extremely impressed with his  heart and determination on every play.”

In eight games Hernandez has run for 1,462 yards and 14 touchdowns and averages 10.9 yards per rush. He is also used as a receiver and on special teams, having returned four kicks for touchdowns.

However, Fairfax is no one-man show. Quarterbacks Markell White and Ryan Kennedy have combined to throw for 846 yards.

“Fairfax has a monster offensive line and a defense that will load the box against us to stop the run,” Hyde said. “They have a quarterback who can run and has a beautiful touch on the deep ball.  [Receiver] Kenny Allen was All-City as a sophomore and is a premiere player.”

Fairfax (3-5, 2-1) is coming off a 34-19 victory at University and lost to Western League frontrunner Venice by two points the week before. The Lions also put 49 points on the board in a nonleague loss to Chatsworth, one of the favorites to win the City Division II title.

“Going on the road is never easy in the Western League and it’ll take another 48-minute effort to win,” Hyde said.

First place is on the line in the junior varsity game, as both teams enter with a 3-0 league mark and have won their games by comparable scores. The winner will be the league champion regardless of what happens in Week 10.

“They’re big, physical and athletic,” Pali High head coach Ray Marsden said. “Their only two losses are to Carson and San Pedro, two City powerhouses. It should be a great game. Whoever  scores three times probably wins.”

The JV game kicks off at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity at 7.