PPBA’s 70th Season Opens with Pancake Breakfast Saturday at Field of Dreams

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

If longtime Commissioner Bob Benton had given out a game ball last Saturday morning for the traditional Pancake Breakfast at the Palisades Recreation Center’s Field of Dreams complex, it surely would have gone to his dedicated field crew, who worked tirelessly in the days leading up to opening ceremonies to get the rain-drenched diamonds ready for another exciting spring of action at the local Pony League.

“This marks the 70th year of the Pacific Palisades Baseballl Association and I’ve only been to half of them,” Benton said to the crowd of players, parents and coaches. “You’ve heard the term ‘it takes a village’ and many people contributed to getting rid of the water to make this possible.”

Benton introduced Sean Regan of Congressman Brad Sherman’s office, who presented Benton with an American flag that had flown over the U.S.Capitol building two days earlier. Formed in 1954, the PPBA has been going strong since (the 2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19).

Then Benton handed the microphone to 10-year-old Grace Pothier, who earned thunderous applause for singing the national anthem. A fifth-grader at St. Matthew’s Parish School, Pothier enjoys acting, singing and musical theatre. Her grandparents have lived in Pacific Palisades for almost 50 years and her uncles grew up playing in the PPBA.

Doing the honors was Mike Romero from Fire Station 69, who joins a distinguished list of first-pitch throwers that includes movie stars like Goldie Hawn, Tom Hanks, Keanu Reeves and Ray Liotta, comedians like Billy Crystal and Bill Hader and professional athletes like LA Dodgers first baseman Wes Parker, LA Kings left winger Luc Robitaille and San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates.

“I was approached about doing it and gladly accepted—it’s a big deal,” said Romero, who has been a firefighter for 16 years, the last 12 months in the Palisades. “I love it here. The weather is beautiful and everyone in the community is so supportive.”

Romero, who lives in San Dimas, is no stranger to the sport. He has a son who plays baseball. He threw a nasty curve that caught the corner and with that, teams took to the four diamonds to begin their seasons.

In the Pinto Division (ages 7-9), the Royals, Yankees, Pirates, Red Sox and Orioles all emerged victorious, as did the Red Sox, Yankees, Pirates, Orioles and Dodgers in the Mustang Division (ages 9-10) and the Red Sox, Tigers, Dodgers and Pirates in the Bronco Division (ages 11-12).

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By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When Stella Honda steps on the softball field she has one objective: do whatever it takes to help her team win. She has been doing that for four years on the varsity team at Palisades High and now that she is a senior she is relishing her responsibilities as captain—a role that is desperately needed for a squad that lost eight players to graduation.

“Being captain has made me a better person,” said Honda, who was co-captain last year too and now shares the assignment with fellow senior Briana Vasquez. “There’s a lot of pressure on us, but my job as captain is to encourage. [Sophomore] Sophia Perez will ask me where to go. The advice is more strategic than mental.”

As the starting shortstop, Honda handles the most demanding position on the diamond with veteran poise and likes being in the middle of the action. At bat she is one tough out. Through six games she is pacing the Dolphins with nine hits, seven runs and a .529 average.

She has stolen three bases and has not been struck out.

“There’s a reason she’s captain,” coach Manny Flores said. “You want her up when the game’s on the line.”

Honda also played volleyball growing up but soon found softball more to her liking. She wants to study neuroscience in college She played travel ball for four years, most recently with the SoCal Choppers, and is a certified junior umpire with USA Softball.

Honda’s versatility was on full display in Monday’s Western League opener at LACES when she stepped in to pitch for Vasquez, who had worked every inning of every game prior. Honda allowed two hits and struck out nine Unicorns and on offense she had a double, two RBIs, three walks and four runs in a 24-3 win.

“Bri’s pretty much our only pitcher, so if I can give her rest her and there, I’m happy to do that,” she said. “I like fielding most. I love diving and getting dirty.”

Honda is not only a leader on the field, but off it. On a campus where field space is severely limited, she grew frustrated that softball was not receiving the same opportunities and resources as the baseball program.

“We’re making progress, but I’m hoping more changes will take effect after I’m gone,” she said. “We got to practice on the baseball field a few times at the beginning of the season, but only in right field.”

If the first six games are any indication this season could be a wild ride for the Palisades High varsity baseball team.

The Dolphins emtered yesterday’s Western League opener with Fairfax at 3-3, with every game being against a City Section opponent. In the season opener February 23, Conor Greene hit a game-winning double in the bottom of the seventh inning to beat North Hollywood 2-1. Pitchers Roman Hawk, Reece Frankel and Ian Sullivan combined for 16 strikeouts in the win. One day later Palisades traveled to the San Fernando Valley and outscored Kennedy 12-5 in the Poly Classic.

Sullivan had two hits and three RBIs and scored two runs, Logan Bailey singled and tripled and pitcher John Iacono gave up only three hits with 10 strikeouts in 5.1 innings.

On March 1 the Dolphins were dealt their first loss—a 5-0 shutout at the hands of Roosevelt at East LA College. Bailey and Greene had the team’s only two hits. Three nights later Palisades hosted Marshall and a pitcher’s duel ensued between Iacono and Barristers ace Christian Gonzalez. Each allowed only one hit through five innings and after Iacono got two strikeouts in the top of the sixth (giving him 11 for the game), Greene reached on an error to begin the bottom of the frame and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Noah Andrews.

Hawk walked and Greene alertly moved to third on a pitch in the dirt.

That set the stage for Sullivan, who ripped a two-run double to left field to put Palisades on the scoreboard.

Alex Loos relieved Iacono in the seventh and after an infield hit he struck out the next two batters. A single by Misael Osuna scored Johnny Romero and pulled the Barristers within a run. Joseph Davila stepped to the plate with a runner at third and hit a bullet to shortstop but Frankel caught it for the final out.

“Nice win,” Pali High Coach Mike Voelkel said. “We only managed to get three hits but when your pitchers combine for 13 strikeouts and hold the other team to two [hits] you give yourself a chance. We still have a lot to work on, but I liked that we kept our focus the whole game.”

On Saturday, the Dolphins hosted Granada Hills and the Highlanders showed why they were considered one of the favorites to win City this spring. Two hits and an error loaded the bases with no outs in the first, but Frankel struck out the next three batters to keep it 0-0. The visitors got two runs in the second, two in the fifth and three in the sixth. Bailey’s single plated Palisades’ only run in the fifth in a 7-1 loss. Iacono had 14 strikeouts Monday night but Palisades lost to Wilson 8-6.

Palisades High ninth-grader Zoey Morris, who won the City cross country championship in the fall, took second place in the girls frosh/soph 3200 meters at last weekend’s Redondo Nike Invitational with a time of 11 minutes, 28.18 seconds, less than three seconds behind winner Millie Bayles of Trabuco Hills.

Freshman Gabriella Gilyard was the Dolphins’ second finisher, taking eighth in 11:59.31, and Louisa Mammen was 10th in 12:16.56.

Senior Max Fields, runner-up in the Division I boys race at the City cross country finals in November, was 10th in the boys 3200 varsity division Friday evening, clocking 9:23.06 to finish two spots in front of junior teammate Owen Lewicky (9:25.43), the defending City 3200 champion who ran 4:22.63 to take first place in the 1600 meters at the Culver City Invitational on March 2.

Sophomore Blake Sigworth ran 9:34 flat for 22nd in the 3200 Friday and senior Axel Mammen was Palisades’ fourth finisher in 9:44.44.

Sophomore Annabelle Refnes (1:01.90) placed 18th in Saturday’s varsity girls 400-meter dash while Rumya Elashoff (2:33.76) and Shannon Cantwell (2:36.88) were 11th and 17th, repsectively, in the frosh/soph girls 800. Junior Yuan Li Lai was 13th in the frosh/soph girls 300 hurdles and junior Ava Bondar was 18th in the varsity girls 300 hurdles (50.65) and 30th in the 100 hurdles (18.48).

In the frosh/soph boys 400 Mason Weiner was 11th in 54.96.

Having lost their first games in the City Section Open Division playoffs versus King/Drew, the Palisades High boys and girls basketball teams were back in the court two weeks later for the Southern California Regionals. The boys were seeded 10th in the Division IV bracket and upset No. 7 Northview 52-44 in the first round Feb. 27. In the quarterfinals, the Dolphins traveled to Reseda to take on No. 2 Cleveland and led by three points at halftime before falling 54-48 to finish 12-16 under interim coach LeBre Merritt. .

Palisades’ girls squad got the No. 3 seed in Division III and hosted No. 14 Palos Verdes in the first round. Despite 13 points from Elly Tierney the Dolphins lost 61-58 and ended with a 17-13 record under Adam Levine, who led Palisades to the Division II regional title in 2020.

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Skill got the Palisades High boys volleyball team to the Gold Division semifinals of the Venice Invitational on March 2, but sheer guts put the Dolphins in the finals. Having lost to Birmingham to drop to second in pool play a day before, the Dolphins knew they needed to raise their level and they did, winning their next four matches to set up a showdown with Chatsworth, which swept them in the City finals last spring. The Chancellors easily took the first set 25-11, but Palisades built a 12-4 lead in the second and held on for a 25-19 win. Chatsworth took a 14-12 lead in the deciding third set and was controlling a rally when a ball came to rest on the backboard of the basketball stanchion, forcing the point to be replayed. The reprieve allowed the Dolphins to regroup and they fought off three match points before prevailing 17-15—a stunning comeback head coach Carlos Gray did not believe was possible given the way his squad had performed earlier in the tournament.

In the final Palisades faced Windward and Josh Lande’s kill gave the Dolphins the first set, 25-20. The Wildcats won the second 25-20 and once again one set to 15 points would decide the winner. Palisades took an 11-8 lead, but Windward reeled off five straight to move in front 13-11. A Pierce Bergstein kill and a hitting error tied it but a serve long put the Wildcats on the brink and an ace by MVP outside hitter Maxwell Stostsky ended it.

Lande had nine kills and Bergstein and Enzo Torres had seven apiece in the final match. Running Palisades’ 6-2 offense neatly were sophomore setters/opposite hitters Kyle McKnight and Landon Zappaterrino and both earned All-Tournament honors.

The Dolphins produced more heroics in their Western League opener last Wednesday at Venice, rallying from a two-set deficit to win 21-25, 18-25, 25-22, 25-21, 15-6.