Best Effort

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Nothing boosts confidence more than winning and no team has won more games at the Malibu High Boys Water Polo Classic over the last six years than Palisades.

The Dolphins went 4-0 to claim the crown for the fourth time in five seasons (it was canceled in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic)  and outscored the opposition 36-23.

Palisades traveled up PCH for Friday’s Pool C action hungry for wins after dropping all three of its games at the Conejo Classic to open the season. It did not take long for the reigning City champions to notch their first victory, a 13-7 triumph over Burroughs of Burbank. Later that afternoon, Palisades beat Rio Mesa 7-5 to secure first place in its pool. On Saturday, Palisades topped Pool A winner Agoura 8-6 to earn a spot in the finals, where it faced Pool D winner Carpinteria in a rematch of  last year’s CIF SoCal Regional Division III championship game, which the Dolphins won 9-5. As it had in November, Palisades jumped on the Warriors early and prevailed 8-5, double-teaming Carpinteria’s leading scorer Asher Smith all game and forcing other players to shoot. 

“That was the plan,” said assistanr coach Kirk Lazaruk, who watched his team build a 6-3 cushion after three quarters. “These kids are motivated—they don’t want to be the team that ends the streak. We remind them it’s nine [City] titles and counting and they’re aware of that.”

After finishing fourth in 2016 the Dolphins won the Malibu Classic for the first time in 2017—ending the host Sharks’ six-year reign—and went on to repeat in 2018 amd three-peat in 2019. Their bid for a fourth straight title ended when they lost to Carpinteria 13-12 in pool play last fall, though they rebounded to win their last two games for fifth place.

Palisades begins league play Sept. 27 at San Pedro.