Dolphins Deliver Big ‘W’

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Every tackle broken by Palisades High senior tailback Dakotah Hamilton seemed to sap a little will out of Canoga Park and by the time the clock reached zero, the visitors had been gashed for 356 yards on the ground in a 56-6 rout in the first round of the City Division I football playoffs last Thursday at Stadium by the Sea.

“That was the mindset from the get-go—to punch them in the mouth,” Hamilton said after rushing for a season-high 205 yards and three touchdowns in 21 carries, an average of nearly 10 yards per carry. “The line opened huge holes—I saw the clear night sky all game. I stayed in my gap, put it in second gear and was gone. Every time we step on the field is a gift. I just wanted to give the team my all.”

The 50-point margin was the widest in Palisades’ postseason history. Daniel Hayes threw a 46-yard touchdown pass to Cameron Bailey and ran for a score and Noah Karp scored on a 27-yard interception return as the Dolphins scored 28 unanswered points in the third quarter.

Max Palees scored his team-best 13th touchdown and Jared Dodson ran seven yards for his first touchdown. Chris Howard returned an interception 22 yards and Jared LaViolette, called up from junior varsity the week before at University, also intercepted a pass. Xavier Whitfield recovered a fumble and kicker Campbell Geddes converted all eight of his extra points.

“I loved our energy,” head coach Tim Hyde said. “The team regrouped at halftime and played as good a quarter as we’ve played since I’ve been here. We did what we needed to do to win a home playoff game for the second consecutive season, which is a great accomplishment.”