Okoh Wins Joe Spector Award

Palisades High Football Players and Coaches Honored at Postseason Banquet

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Three weeks after the last game of the Palisades High varsity football team’s most successful season in decades, coaches, players and parents gathered inside  Mercer Hall last Sunday to pay tribute to all who made it possible.

The Dolphins earned a share of the Western League crown for the second straight season, beat archrival Venice for the first time in 16 years and won their first Division I playoff game since 1997.

After becoming the first Dolphins player to win the City rushing title, senior tailback Innocent Okoh won the Joe Spector Award as the team’s Most Valuable Player and afterwards thanked life experience coach Joe Spector (who first presented the award 30 years ago), along with his coaches and teammates.

“An athlete can only be driven to do his or her very best and Innocent is someone who has been able to maximize his full potential,” Spector said of Okoh, who ran for 1,965 yards and 19 touchdowns in 12 games (an average of 8.0 yards per carry). “I love his sensitive, caring side  and I knew there was a special spirit about him when he was brought up to varsity as a sophomore.”

After opening remarks by Pali High Quarterback Club President Lisa Manheim, Hyde thanked his coaching staff: Ray Elie (backs and receivers), Christian Clark (defensive line), Larry Palmer (offensive line), Johnny Garcia (offensive line), Rocky Montz (offensive coordinator) and Chris Hyduke (linebackers) and presented captains’ certificates to seniors Okoh, Gabe Galef, Jimmy Reyes, Quinn Perry, Aaron Butler and Brandon Castro.

Palisades averaged nearly 300 yards on the ground in Hyde’s fourth season at the helm and he acknowledged his players’ efforts with Offensive Lineman Awards for Castro, Reyes, Syr Riley, Valentino Sterza, Nathan Campos, Cole Aragon, Ari Sallus, Gage Stauff and Jonathan Molina.

Coach Awards went to Sterza and linebacker Noah Karp, Castro won the Focus Award, safety Donald Cook won the Compete Award, Campos won the Next Man In Award,  Aragon won the Ironman Award and senior quarterback Jonah Manheim earned Back of the Year honors.

Reyes was Lineman of the Year, Riley was named Offensive Most Valuable Player and Perry, the All-Western League Defensive Player of the Year and Punter, was the Defensive MVP.

Hyde set the tone for 2017: “We’re going for a Final Four berth next year. [Quarterback] Tommy Beattie, I hope you’re ready!”

Junior varsity head coach Ray Marsden praised assistant coaches Tony Ryan, Shawn Gettins, Al Heath and Kelly Loftus and all of his players for a season in which the Dolphins went 7-3 and came within one yard of winning their third straight league title.

Max Palees was Rookie of the Year, David Pierre was  Lineman of the Year, Sy Riley was Defensive MVP, Jack O’Rourke was Offensive MVP and quarterback Jake Nadley was Team MVP.