By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
The first seven plays told the story of last Friday night’s varsity football fest between Palisades and Chatsworth at Stadium by the Sea.
On the first play from scrimmage, linebacker Dakotah Hamilton shot the gap to tackle Chatsworth tailback Vernon Dowell for a three-yard loss. On the second play, noseguard Syr Riley tackled Dowell in the backfield for another three-yard loss. On the third play, safety Donald Cook intercepted a pass by Chancellors quarterback Robert Lane and returned it five yards to the Chatsworth 28.
On the fourth play, quarterback Jonah Manheim completed a pass to wide receiver Cameron Bailey for a first down. On the fifth play, running back Innocent Okoh ran six yards on a handoff. On the sixth play, Okoh scampered 12 yards for a touchdown.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
On the seventh play, the ball popped into the air on a bad exchange from Lane to tailback Alonzo Williams and fell right into the arms of onrushing linebacker Quinn Perry, who sprinted 40 yards to the end zone untouched to give Palisades a 14-0 lead with barely two minutes gone.
“Coach called a blitz and then the defensive line jumped and I was worried they weren’t going to get the play off,” said Perry, who had seven tackles and also boomed a punt 50 yards. “Luckily I got to blitz and was right there for the tackle but it popped into my hands and I took it all the way. Otherwise it would’ve been a tackle for loss.”
Manheim threw only four times but connected on three for 102 yards and two touchdowns. Okoh carried the ball 15 times for 200 yards and two touchdowns–his highest rushing total this season and the fourth straight game he has rushed for over 100 yards.
“We played with a lot of heart and emotion,” Coach Tim Hyde said after the Dolphins’ 56-6 rout. “We hadn’t caught anything vertical until tonight but that bomb to ameron sort of took their heart.”
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
The play Hyde was referring to happened midway through the second quarter, when Manheim launched a spiral which Bailey caught in stride and raced up the right sideline for an 87-yard touchdown. Just over one minute later, Bailey fielded a bouncing punt, eluded the first wave of pursuers and weaved his way for a 75-yard score. On their next possession, the Dolphins drove 64 yards in eight plays, taking a 42-6 lead on Okoh’s three-yard run.
Chatsworth threatened to pull closer before halftime, but safety Aaron Butler intercepted an underthrown pass at the goal line and returned it 63 yards. He finished with a team-best 10 tackles.
Marrio Lofton scored on a one-yard dive and Rayne Camden ran around left end for a 45-yard touchdown to close out the scoring on the final play of the third quarter. Jake Taitelman had an interception on defense and was eight-for-eight on extra point kicks as the Dolphins ended nonleague play 4-1–their best start since 2013, Hyde’s first year.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
In a show of solidarity, the Dolphins walked arm-in-arm to the field and locked arms again during the playing of the national anthem.
“It’s important to make a statement because African Americans in this country are being targeted on a daily basis,” said Riley, who orchestrated the symbolic display. “Some guys thought taking a knee is disrespectful, so we came up with this instead. It’s unity in prime form. This is the best team I’ve been on. The whole team balled–from the starters to the last one on the bench. Our mantra is ‘Next man up.’ I want a 12th game. I’m tired of being one and done [in the playoffs]. We’re hungry 24-7 and you have to play with a chip on your shoulder.”
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Xavier Brutus had 84 yards and a touchdown in 13 carries and Vernon Dowell added 38 yards in 13 carries for the winless Chancellors, who committed five turnovers and had under 200 yards in total offense.
“Our strength is running the ball but they took away what we wanted to do,” first-year Chatsworth coach Troy Cassidy said. “We worried about their speed. They were quick off the line and on the edges.”
Chatsworth drove to Palisades’ 4-yard line late in the fourth quarter, but defensive end Jack Estabrook scooped up a fumble and rumbled 85 yards before being dragged down at the Chancellors’ 7-yard line.
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