Lion Tamers

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Palisades High coach Chris Hyduke was wary of last Friday’s Western League contest at Fairfax, calling it a “trap” game. After all, the Lions were fired up for homecoming and honored their seniors in a ceremony shortly before kickoff, but once the whistle blew all of the roaring came from the visitors’ bleachers as the blue-and-white clad Dolphins took the bite out of the opposition, scoring on their first three possessions and cruising to a 41-8 win that kept them tied for first in the Western League race.      

Since being held under 30 yards in back-to-back games and fumbling for the first time all season, senior tailback Chris Washington has returned to his early-season form the last two outings. After amassing 116 yards in 17 carries Oct. 7 versus Hamilton he ran for 129 yards and four touchdowns in 14 carries against Fairfax, including a 40-yard scoring jaunt on the third play from scrimmage that gave his team a lead it would never reliniquish.

“It felt great to get back in the end zone multiple times—it feels like forever since that’s happened,” said Washington, who last scored at least twice Aug. 19 in Palisades’ season opener against El Camino Real. “I didn’t impact the game against Brentwood and my downfall against Uni was when I fumbled, but I love getting hit. I love contact. Whether I score or not mostly depends on my linemen. I can’t do anything without them. If I can keep my feet moving and stay upright I can make things happen.”

Kellan Ford split the uprights on a 31-yard field goal to cap Palisades’ second drive. Then, one play after Savyour Riley stripped the ball from  Fairfax’s Malik Keeles and returned it to the Lions’ 32, Washington found daylight again to make it 17-0 less than six minutes into the first quarter.

An electrifying 80-yard punt return by Amari Yolas was nullified by a block in the back penalty, but Roman La Scala shook off only his second interception of the season with a 21-yard scoring pass to Braydon Sanford in the second quarter to make it a 24-0. The margin grew to 31 points by halftime when linebacker Jake Treibatch knifed through the line to block a punt at the Lions’ 19 and Washington dragged a defender across the goal line from one yard out five plays later. Jesse Ettus paced the defense with eight tackles and Matt Spoonamore and Cash Allen each had seven. Sanford had five catches for 39 yards and tight end Cameron Kohan had three grabs for 40 yards before suffering an injury late in the first half.

Backup running back Anthony Lieberman sat out but watched in awe on the sideline as Washington ran for his fourth touchdown from 21 yards out to make it 38-0. Aided by three Palisades penalties the Lions averted the shutout on their next drive, marching 65 yards in seven plays and scoring on a fourth-down pass from Henry Prince to Isaiah Corn  from the 10-yard line. Ford tacked on a 21-yard field goal late in the third quarter and minutes later with Fairax threatening again, Marcus Brown Jr. made the play of the night—an acrobatic one-handed interception in the end zone.

Palisades downed Fairfax for the fourth straight year and seventh time in the last 10 meetings. The Lions won 14-7 in 2017 and 30-23 in 2018 en route to consecutive league titles.

Palisades’ pass rush terrorized the opposing quarterbacks, recording  five sacks—two each by Immanuel Robinson and Treibatch and one combined by Ettus and Allen.      

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