Without junior quarterback P.J. Hurst, who was attending the Manning Passing Academy at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana, the Palisades High football squad finished 0-6 at the Santa Fe High passing tournament Saturday in Santa Fe Springs.
The Dolphins played seven-on-seven scrimmages against Carson, Long Beach Wilson, Santa Fe and Garden Grove in pool play, then fell to Loyola and Bell in the playoffs. Although his team was unable to pull out a victory despite several close games, Pali High Coach Tim Hyde was happy sophomore quarterbacks Jonah Manheim and Gabe Galef got a chance to get game experience while they compete for the backup spot.
“We lost four games by only one or two plays,” Hyde said. “We’re not even in pads yet so it’s still too early to tell a lot of things, but I think our running backs are on par with anyone. We’re in the process of mixing and matching, figuring out who the first 11 are and then the next 11 and the middle of August is when you really know.”
Hyde said Hurst learned a lot as a second stringer on varsity last fall and is glad he and his fellow coaches have two years to develop him.
“P.J. has matured so much in one year,” Hyde said. “The best thing we did was have him on varsity because he sat in on quarterback meetings, he absorbed everything and now he knows the offense. Sure, he only got in four or five games last year but he’s already been to four or five quarterback camps and he’s getting better and better.”
Manheim called Saturday’s competition “a learning experience” and arrived at the tournament with realistic expectations.
“We came here knowing there would be some rough patches and some good patches,” said Manheim, who completed 10 of his 15 passes in the final game, which ended in a one-point loss to Bell. “We’re getting ready so we can pursue P.J.’s position when we’re juniors and seniors.”
— Steve Galluzzo
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