Growing Pains

Pali High Boys Soccer Falls in Quarterfinals at Winter Classic   

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

For several years now, the Palisades High boys soccer team has used the South East Winter Classic as a midseason measuring stick for where the program is heading into the second half of the schedule.

The Dolphins looked sharp in pool play victories over Wilson (3-0) and South Gate (2-0), but were not able to generate enough offense in a 4-1 quarterfinal loss to eventual-champion Marquez last Saturday at Maywood Academy.

In the first game Thursday at Hawkins High, Shane Thomas scored twice in the first half and Mika Moreira scored early in the second half as goalie Jake Lyon got the shutout against Wilson.

Palisades (4-3) took on South Gate later that day and Kyle Roberts scored off an assist from Jimmy Malloy in the first half and Thomas scored off an assist from Moreira in the second.

Taylor Strijdveen scored off an assist from Thomas in the first half against Marquez, which scored three second-half goals.

In 2016, Palisades reached the final before losing in a shootout to Granada Hills—a team the Dolphins went on to beat for the City Division I championship that season. The next year, Palisades lost to South Gate in the quarterfinals. The year after that the Dolphins lost to Sotomayor 5-0 in the final. Last winter, Palisades fell to Jefferson 1-0 in the quarterfinals.