Dolphins’ Hopes Dashed by Eagle Rock

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

While the final few seconds of an amazing season ticked off the clock last Friday night in Eagle Rock, Palisades High football players hugged, shook hands  and cried. They couldn’t believe it was over after coming oh so close to an upset in the program’s first City Open Division playoff game.

It was a case of missed opportunities for the Dolphins, from a blocked field goal and a bobbled snap on an extra point in the second quarter, to a fumbled exchange on the one-yard line in the third, to interceptions on their last two drives that sealed the No. 2-seeded Eagles’ 24-21 victory.

“I went out there and gave it my all,” said senior receiver Jake Nadley, who scored all three of his team’s touchdowns on catches of 23, nine and 24 yards and had five receptions for 76 yards.    

“We fight for 48 minutes but we came up short tonight,” junior tight end/linebacker Noah Ghodooshim said. “The run game was a killer for us early. It seemed like their whole community was here supporting them. We were down eight at halftime, but we buckled in and showed what we could do.”

Will Janney caught five balls for 100 yards, intercepted a pass at Palisades’ 12-yard line in the third quarter and caught a two-point conversion pass from quarterback Daniel Hayes to narrow the No. 7-seeded Dolphins’ deficit to three points with 9:27 left in the contest.

“In my three years we won 25 games, two league titles and beat Venice twice,” teary-eyed senior lineman T.J. Michel said. “We’ve laid the groundwork.”

Though the final outcome was not what he hoped for, Pali High Coach Tim Hyde was proud of his team, which surpassed all expectations—allowing only 112 points in 11 games while suffering three losses by a total of 11 points.

“No one can say that we’re not competitive—Eagle Rock scores 50+ points a game and we gave up no passes other than some bubbles,” said Hyde, who guided the Dolphins to their third quarterfinal playoff appearance in a row. “They wanted to throw deep and couldn’t. We held one of the most explosive offenses in the City to three points in the second half. This team isn’t the most talented but it competes harder than any team I’ve ever coached. Now we just have to bottle that competitive spirit and keep it going in 2019.”