P.J. Hurst Wins Joe Spector Award

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The Palisades High football program’s postseason banquet was held Sunday, Dec. 6 at Mercer Hall, where coaches, players and parents gathered to reflect on the 2015-16 season, which saw the Dolphins’ varsity squad earn a share of its first league title in 28 years and the junior varsity  team repeat as league champion.

Senior quarterback P.J. Hurst won the Joe Spector Award as the varsity’s Most Valuable Player for the second year in a row and afterwards thanked the defense, his offensive line and his receivers “for making me look good.”

Spector, the Dolphins’ life experience coach, has presented the award for 29 years and shared an email written to Hurst by Pali High alumnus and current Golden State Warriors basketball coach Steve Kerr.

“P.J. is humble and possesses the same leadership qualities that have made Steve [Kerr] so successful throughout his career,” Spector said of Hurst, who threw for 2,065 yards and 21 touchdowns and ran for 707 yards and nine scores to earn All-Western League first team honors.

Pali High head coach Tim Hyde added: “P.J. has been the easiest guy to coach because he really wants to get better.”

Hyde thanked his coaching staff, including Ray Elie (backs and receivers), Christian Clark (defensive line), Mike Winger (running backs), Larry Palmer (offensive line), Johnny Garcia (offensive line), Rocky Montz (offensive coordinator) and Chris Hyduke (linebackers).

Captains’ certificates went to seniors Hurst, defensive tackle Willy Rosenfeld, tight end Gersan Osorio and right tackle  Franklin Moran.

Junior cornerback Aaron Butler, whose 100-yard interception return secured the Dolphins’ Charter Bowl victory over Granada Hills, got the Defensive  Coach’s Award and sophomore tackle Ari Sallus got the Offensive Coach’s Award.

Junior wide receiver Pierre Kaku won the Focus Award and Nevada-bound senior linebacker Alec Simpson (who made a team-best 82 tackles) won the Compete Award for the second straight season.

Back of the Year honors went to junior Innocent Okoh, who led the team with 710 rushing yards; the Ironman Award went to junior running back/linebacker Marrio Lofton and Moran was the Lineman of the Year.

Osorio was named Offensive MVP after a team-high 30 receptions for 562 yards and six touchdowns; and Rosenfeld was named Defensive MVP after making 74 tackles and leading all City Section Division I players with 22 tackles for losses.

Junior varsity head coach Ray Marsden praised assistant coaches Tony Ryan, Al Heath and Kelly Loftus and all of his players for going beyond what was expected.

“If someone told me before the season started we’d go 8-1 and be back-to-back league champs I wouldn’t have believed them,” said Marsden, who pointed out that the sophomores were undefeated (10-0) at home in two seasons. “We had zero starters back from last year. In nine games we used six different backfields and seven different offensive lines. We had no depth, but this is the hardest working group of young men I’ve ever coached.”

Marsden thanked tight end Liam Mathers, who broke his hip while scoring the Dolphins’ first touchdown of the year and returned to catch a two-point conversion at the end of the last game against Westchester.

The Rookie of the Year was  freshman wide receiver/defensive back Jake Nadley, who made the game-saving tackle at the goal line against Fairfax.

Freshman T.J. Michael was Lineman of the Year while sophomores Alex Vaupen (defensive back) and Noah Karp (linebacker) shared Defensive MVP honors. Running back Rayne Camden and wide receiver Cameron Bailey, both sophomores, were Offensive MVPs.

Sophomore offensive/defensive lineman Jack Estabrook was named the team MVP.

“He was our heart and soul,” Marsden said. “Whenever we needed a big play he was there to  make a block.”