Fight to the Finish

Defense Rises Up but Pali High Football Falls Short in Western League Showdown at Fairfax

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

For the final 42 minutes of last Friday night’s game at Fairfax, the Palisades High football team played as hard and inspired as it has all season.

It was the first six minutes that cost the Dolphins in a 14-7 defeat full of ‘what ifs’ and ‘might have beens.’ A Western League showdown between two of the top 10 ranked teams in the City Section was like a heavyweight prizefight. The teams took each other’s best punches, but neither could deliver the knockout blow until the final bell—make it buzzer—sounded.    

“Eleven guys line up on each side and the team that hits the hardest wins,” Pali High Coach Tim Hyde said afterwards. “This was a really hardfought game on the road and in the end we didn’t make enough plays to win. Our defense played amazing and kept us in it. We didn’t play smart early and two or three drops hurt us. I’m disappointed we didn’t connect on more passes. We weren’t mentally prepared at the start and we didn’t protect the ball well enough. We’d better regroup fast because we’re playing another tough team next.”

Palisades’ troubles began on its opening series. With offensive coordinator Rocky Montz screaming for a timeout, the ball was snapped unexpectedly, hitting  punter Campbell Geddes in the helmet and bouncing to the turf where it was recovered by Fairfax linebacker Kolin McDowell at the Dolphins’ 7-yard line.

The Lions immediately turned the miscue into points as Keivon Johnwell took a hand-off up the middle and into the end zone for a touchdown less than 90 seconds into the game.   

Palisades went three-and-out on its second series and Fairfax took over at its own 41. Six plays later, Darryl Carrington scored from two yards out to make it 14-7 midway through the first quarter.

It took the Dolphins 13 plays to drive from their own 34 to the Fairfax 28, when Cameron Bailey was unable to hold onto a pass in the end zone. Two incompletions followed and Palisades turned the ball over on downs. However, the defense held the home team to one first down before punting and the Dolphins drove from their 19 to the Fairfax 42 before Johnwell leaped high to intercept a long pass and returned it 35 yards.

With two minutes left in the first half Palisades got the ball at midfield and drove to the one-yard line with two seconds left.

A strong surge by the offensive line gave quarterback Daniel Hayes just enough space to sneak across the goal line as time expired, Geddes kicked the extra point and the Dolphins headed to the locker room trailing by only seven points.

     “We knew Palisades was good but this week is the hardest we’ve practiced all season,” said Fairfax quarterback Scott Harris, a transfer from Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, who completed 10 of 22 passes for 108 yards. “We tried to trick them with the short plays we were doing and then hit some deep routes. It worked for awhile, but they adjusted. We believed in each other and got it done.”

   Harris’ primary target was Conroy Graham, who had six receptions for 70 yards. Johnwell, rushed 19 times for 114 yards, but fumbled on the Lions’ first drive of the second half and Noah Karp recovered. However, Palisades gave the ball right back on a fumbled exchange. The teams traded punts to close the third quarter and   again to begin the fourth as both defenses were dialed in.

     Dakotah Hamilton rushed for 55 yards in 19 carries, but fumbled at the Fairfax 42 with five minutes to play and Kendrell Ross recovered for Fairfax. Max Palees added 50 yards in 12 carries and caught three passes for 54 yards.

     Trailing 14-7 with just under two minutes left, Palisades had one last chance from its own 17-yard line. Hayes completed a pass to Bailey for a first down, but he was sacked on the next two plays and on third-and-22 his desperation pass was intercepted by Millard Hill at the Fairfax 49 with 48 seconds left—the Dolphins’ fifth turnover. Two Harris kneel downs ran the remaining time off the clock and Fairfax Coach Shane Cox breathed a sigh of relief.

     “We thought they were vulnerable in the passing game so we played man on their receivers,” he said. “Fortunately, they missed a few. We also wanted to be more physical, which we were.”

      Cole Aragon started his second game at tight end after playing the first five on the offensive line and made several key blocks to spring teammates for big gains. He also made multiple tackles at defensive end for the Dolphins.

“I’m about 30 pounds less and I feel much quicker and stronger at this size,” Aragon said. “The new positions are a good fit for me. It’s been a smooth adjustment. The coaches tell me where to go, what gap to block and I do it.”

As for the outcome, Aragon made no excuses: “They straight up outplayed us. We weren’t focused from the time we stepped on the bus to go to fairfax.”