Defense Dominates

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

For much of the afternoon the offense could not get out of its own way last Friday, but on the  final play of the third quarter Palisades High’s junior varsity football team got the break it desperately needed when LeHenry Solomon snuck behind the San Fernando defense and caught an 84-yard touchdown pass from backup quarterback Ty Stokols to propel the Dolphins into the lead.

Isaiah Sensabaugh tacked on a pair of interception returns for scores in the fourth quarter and first-year coach Tharen Todd’s squad emerged with a 33-14 triumph.

“We weren’t getting much push at the line of scrimmage, which is something we’ll have to fix, but we stuck to the gameplan,” Todd said. “Finding a way to win when you’re not playing close to your best is the mark of a good team.”  

Solomon scored on a punt return and the Dolphins’ only other points in the first came on a kickoff return. They also missed a field goal and  for the second week in a row Palisades trailed at intermission. In the season opener the deficit was two points, 8-6, to El Camino Real. This time, it was 14-13 to the host Tigers.

Also for the second straight week, Palisades held the opposition scoreless in the second half. After scoring 14 points over the final 24 minutes to beat ECR 20-8, the Dolphins put up 20 points in the final two quarters against San Fernando.

Sensabaugh’s first interception return covered 55 yards and gave his team a 26-14 lead wih 4:58 left.

His second steal came on the Tigers’ next possession and in almost the exact same spot. This time, he broke three tackles on his way to a 52-yard score that sealed the Dolphins’ victory with 3:45 left.

“They were both about the same,” the freshman defensive back said. “I saw they were attacking the seam area, I followed the quarterback’s  eyes down the field and broke on the ball. I had to reverse field both times and had blockers in front of me. I was pretty tired the second time.”

Sensabaugh, who moved to Brentwood from Dallas, Texas two years ago and played point guard on the Paul Revere Middle School baskeball team as an eighth-grader, sensed the defense needed a turnover.

“At halftime we realized the offense was struggling and we had to help them out,” said Sensabaugh, who started playing tackle football in second grade and most enjoys the California weather. “We promised we’d get them a touchdown. We knew it would be hot so we prepared ourselves and stayed hydrated.”