Lacrosse Gets Win over Loyola

As the final seconds ticked off the scoreboard clock last Friday night, former Palisades High lacrosse player Elmer Garcia tiptoed onto the field with a bucket of water and tried dumping it over the head of Coach Scott Hylen, who saw it just in the nick of time to dodge it and avoid an early shower. That was about the only thing that went wrong all night for the Dolphins, who played hard the entire 48 minutes of a 9-3 victory over Southern Section rival Loyola at Stadium by the Sea. “I love the LAX guys,” said Garcia, a junior who plays linebacker on Palisades’ varsity football team. “I tried to get him [Coach Hylen] but just missed.” After spotting the visiting Cubs a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes, Palisades took complete control. Warren Satz scored twice in a four-minute span to tie the game, the Dolphins added the go-ahead goal in the second quarter, scored four unanswered goals in the third quarter and added two for good measure in the fourth quarter. In the post-game huddle, coaches told the players it was their best game and if they continue to play at that level they can beat every team they play. That’s good news, considering the win clinched a berth in the Southern Section playoffs, which began with Palisades hosting Newbury Park on Tuesday (result undetermined at press time). A victory would give the Dolphins a spot in the quarterfinals against Chaminade at 7 tonight in West Hills. “This puts us in for sure–we’re in the dance,” said Hylen, whose team was passed over for the Southern Section tournament last spring and had to settle for winning the inaugural City Section title. “We use more of a college level defense. All three of their goals were with the man advantage. Six on six they didn’t score.” Evan Shaner scored the Dolphins’ last goal with 4:57 left in the game. Satz scored the last of his three goals midway through the third quarter to give the Dolphins a commanding 6-2 lead, but afterwards he credited the defense for the victory: “It was all defense–that’s what did it. Team defense. I’m so happy because I’ve played with so many of those guys on the Westside Warriors. This is the first time we’ve ever beaten [Loyola].” The Cubs beat Palisades 12-5 in their season opener last year and wound up advancing all the way to the CIF finals. This year’s varsity squad includes Palisadians Jeff Rosenberg, Alex Kutsukos, Luke Mullan, Cameron Lancey, Hunter McCormack, Chris Tesorerio, Peter Hensley, D.B. Henney and Tony Festa. “This is the best we’ve played in my four years here,” senior defender Alex Gelber told his teammates in the post-game huddle. Palisades followed the Loyola win with a 7-2 romp over Carpinteria Cate on Saturday–the Dolphins’ ninth straight win since a 3-2 loss to Harvard-Westlake on March 26.