Pali High JV quarterback Jonah Manheim talks about Friday’s homecoming win.
Pali High JV wide receiver Pierre Kaku talks about Friday’s homecoming win.
The goal for the Palisades High JV football team heading into Friday’s homecoming game against University was to win big and set the table for the varsity game to follow. Coach Ray Marsden‘s team did just that — and got a measure of revenge as well — with its 28-6 victory at Stadium by the Sea.
University dealt Palisades a 35-16 defeat last year — the second of the Dolphins’ three straight losses to end the season — and returning players wanted to make sure there was no repeat.
“We had 11 offensive plays in the first half and scored 28 points,” Pali High quarterback Jonah Manheim said. “Our gameplan every week is to run it down their throat and use the play-action pass and that’s what worked. I’m happy because we are the appetizer for the big dinner and the appetizer is very important and very delicious.”
This time the Dolphins took control from the start, needing only three plays to drive 49 yards on their first possession, ending with Nathan Grzesiak‘s 12-yard touchdown run. The Wildcats needed only four plays to answer, but the two-point conversion failed, leaving them behind by one point.
Just 13 seconds later, Palisades was back up by a touchdown. That’s how long it took Kaelynn Lamothe to catch the ensuing kickoff, elude the first wave of tacklers, cut to the sideline and race 75 yards to the end zone.
After forcing a University punt the Dolphins struck again late in the first quarter when Pierre Kaku leaped high in the air to haul in a spiral from Manheim for a 34-yard gain, setting up fullback Stone Maderer‘s six-yard touchdown run to make it 20-6.
On the Wildcats’ next possession, defensive end David Gran recovered a fumble at University’s 30-yard line and two plays later Grzesiak ran 27 yards for a touchdown to break the game open. Manheim hit Jason Frazier in stride on a slant pass for the two-point conversion and suddenly the lead was 28-6 less than a minute into the second quarter.
University drove to Palisades’ 26-yard line late in the half but a sack by defensive lineman Luis Orozco led to a turnover on downs and the Dolphins took a 22-point lead to the locker room.
The second half was a defensive struggle. Neither team managed to score, although Jonathan Melendez caught a pass from Manheim to put Palisades in the red zone in the fourth quarter before a fumble ended the drive.
“We came into this game knowing it was going to be a fight but knowing we had to step up and play big,” Kaku said. “Even though Innocent moved up [to varsity] we’re still a good team. Every game we come in fired up, ready to win and positive. You never know when you’re number will be called. If you’re open you’ll get the ball and the sky’s the limit.”
The Dolphins (6-2, 2-1) improved to 4-0 at home and travel to Hamilton for an afternoon game Thursday. The Yankees defeated Palisades 21-6 last season.
— Steve Galluzzo
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