Resident Gordon Gibson coordinated sidewalk repairs and the planting of three new trees in front of Le Lycee Francais and Palisades Montessori schools on Marquez Avenue. Right to left: Gibson; David Reed of Pierre Landscaping; Angela DeSilva, director of Palisades Montessori; Catherine Leloup, director of Le Lycee; and Bob Ruhl, superintendent of Gordon Gibson Construction. Gibson’s son, Henri, sits next to the tree. Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Last week, Pacific Palisades resident Gordon Gibson celebrated the culmination of his year-long effort to plant three Golden Medallion trees in front of Le Lyc’e Fran’ais and Palisades Montessori schools on Marquez Avenue and to improve the sidewalk.   ’I hope this inspires other people to help out,’ said Gibson, whose five-year-old son, Henri, attends Le Lyc’e Fran’ais. ‘In these tough economic times, the city is not going to do it. We all, as a community, need to participate.’   Gibson, owner of the eponymous construction company based in Santa Monica, initially took on the project because he wanted to remove the city’s dead pine tree, which was in front of the schools and was an eyesore. It took him many months just to obtain the required permits from the City of Los Angeles to undertake the work.   Gibson’s employees removed the existing gravel and broken concrete in the parkway and Barton Construction, based in Chatsworth, replaced it with new concrete at no cost. Pierre Landscaping of Van Nuys voluntarily planted the trees, donated by Valley Crest, located in Calabasas. The drought-tolerant Golden Medallions will grow to 15 to 20 feet tall and produce yellow blossoms.   Angela De Silva, director of Palisades Montessori, said she is grateful for the sidewalk repairs. ‘It was really dangerous,’ De Silva said. ‘The children would slip on the gravel.’   She added that the beautiful trees also improve the appearance of the schools, which combined have 129 students. Le Lyc’e students will water the three new trees, while the Montessori students will care for two neglected trees on Bollinger Drive.   ’It’s a great way for our kids to learn ecology,’ said Catherine Leloup, director of Le Lyc’e.   A 16-year resident, Gibson noted that he is especially grateful to his friend and longtime volunteer Dick Littlestone for helping him navigate the city’s permitting process. Littlestone won a Pacific Palisades Community Council Sparkplug Award in 2009 for beautifying the median at the intersection of Alma Real and Ocampo.   Now that the project is complete, Gibson hopes to work with L.A. City Councilman Bill Rosendahl on repairing the cracked and ruptured sidewalks on the two streets next to the schools, Edgar Street and Bollinger.
St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church will host this year’s Interfaith Thanksgiving Service on Monday, November 22, at 7 p.m. in its beautiful sanctuary, 1031 Bienveneda Ave. The public is invited, and refreshments will be served. The evening’s host will be Rev. Howard Anderson, the rector at St. Matthew’s, and the featured speaker will be Rabbi Amy Bernstein, who joined Kehillat Israel in July. Her fellow rabbi at KI, Steven Carr Reuben, will read the Hebrew Bible scripture passage, and Fr. Liam Kidney of Corpus Christi Catholic Church will read scripture from the New Testament. Members of choirs from several Palisades faith communities will form an ecumenical choir under the direction of James Vail (Palisades Presbyterian) and Tom Neenan (St. Matthew’s). In addition, Roger Daggy, the St. Matthew’s Parish organist, will provide prelude and postlude on the church’s C.B. Fisk Pardee Memorial Organ.’ ‘ Other participating congregations include the Palisades Lutherans, the Palisades Methodists, and the Self-Realization Fellowship. ‘Residents are invited to join this warm and festive gathering to give thanks to God for all of our many blessings and to help nurture a spirit of respect and cooperation among the faith communities here in Pacific Palisades,’ said Rev. Michael Seiler of St. Matthew’s.
Palisades Charter High School welcomed seven new members to its board at Tuesday night’s meeting.   In last week’s election, Allison Holdorff Polhill and Stephanie Inyama secured the parent and traveling parent seats, respectively. Naomi Norwood and Lisa Kaas Boyle won the community seats. Eleanor Rozell and Monica Iannessa were selected to represent the classified staff and administrators, respectively, while social studies teacher Chris Lee was elected to represent the teachers. Incumbent and special education teacher James Paleno, who also coaches the boys’ basketball team, reclaimed his teacher’s seat.   The newly elected members replace John Riley, Karen Perkins, Patrice Fisher, Carol Osborne, John Callas, Julia O’Grady and Ann Davenport on the 11-member board.   Other board members, whose seats were not up for election, include Susan Frank (parent), Wendy Hagan (teacher) and Jason Cutler (community). The board comprises three community members, three parents, three teachers, one classified staff member and an administrator.   The school’s parents voted for the parent and traveling parent representatives, while teachers, administrators and classified staff voted for their respective seats. A traveling parent resides in the communities represented by PaliHi’s Permit with Transportation, Public School Choice and Magnet programs.   PaliHi employees, students and parents chose one of the community representatives, and the teachers selected the other community representative. Voters had from October 22 to November 10 to cast their ballot. School officials sent ballots to one household for every student attending PaliHi, which has an enrollment of 2,870 students. Households with more than one student received only one ballot. The following are the newly elected board members:   ’ A mother of two PaliHi students, Allison Holdorff Polhill won 125 of the 161 parent votes. The attorney has spent the past 12 years volunteering her time at Palisades schools and currently serves on PaliHi’s Governance Policy and Hiring committees.   ’ Stephanie Inyama, who garnered 106 of the 161 parent votes, has 10 years of experience as a community consultant, working with public and private agencies and foundations to enhance the lives of children and families. Her son is a PaliHi junior.   ’ Running uncontested, Lisa Kaas Boyle, an environmental attorney and co-founder and policy director for the Plastic Pollution Coalition, secured all 1,032 votes from the parents, students and PaliHi personnel. The 20-year Pacific Palisades resident has two children, a 15-year-old daughter who attends Thacher School (a boarding school in Ojai) and a 13-year-old son who attends Brentwood School.   ’ A 1971 PaliHi graduate, Naomi Norwood received 68 of the 163 personnel votes. Norwood worked as a litigation associate at Pepper, Hamilton & Scheetz from 1983-86 and was a partner with Mandel & Norwood from 1986 to 2004. From then until her retirement in 2008, she was an administrator and member of the upper division faculty at Brentwood School.   ’ Eleanor Rozell, who won 56 of the 67 classified staff votes, has worked for PaliHi since 2004 as the financial administrator. Before that, she worked in finance and human resources in the private sector for more than 20 years and at an elementary charter school for nearly two years as the business manager. She serves on PaliHi’s Budget and Finance Committee and founded PESPU, the classified staff’s union at the school.   ’ Chris Lee, who gathered 89 of the 104 teachers’ votes, has worked at PaliHi since September 1999. He earned his bachelor’s degree at UC San Diego in political science, a master’s degree in economics from the London School of Economics and a teaching credential from Loyola Marymount University. Lee coached PaliHi’s Academic Decathlon team for five years, including 2008 when PaliHi won the City Championship for the first time in 18 years.’As a 1990 PaliHi graduate, he is a member of the 50th Anniversary Committee.   ’ Monica Iannessa, who received eight of the 13 administrators’ votes, was the drama teacher at PaliHi for four years before accepting the director of student services position in 2008. She graduated from Long Beach State with a degree in liberal studies and gained her teaching credential at Chapman University in Orange. She later earned her master’s degree in education and administrative credential from UCLA.   ’ Working at PaliHi since 1981, James Paleno has served on the board for four years. A graduate of Cal State Northridge with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a master’s degree in special education, he has coached the basketball team since 1983 and has been head coach since 1991. Paleno picked up 75 of the 104 teachers’ votes. danielle@palipost.com
Palisades Elementary teacher’s aide Bobbie Farberow works with third-graders Georgia Clay, 8, and Alex Bird, 9, on their imaginary stories. Farberow, the former owner of Mort’s Deli, works at the school as a way to stay active in retirement. Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
On a recent school day at Palisades Elementary, teacher’s assistant Bobbie Farberow helped third-graders Georgia Clay and Alex Bird think of scenes for their imaginary stories.   Georgia wanted her story to take place on a candy plant with a root beer ocean, while Alex envisioned his story unfolding in San Francisco.   Farberow provides emotional and educational support for children who need a little extra attention on any given day.   ’She’s really comforting for the kids in this class,’ third-grade teacher Julie Wasserman said. ‘She has such a great attitude.’   A longtime Pacific Palisades resident, Farberow helped her husband, Mort, with his business, Mort’s Deli (now the Village Pantry and the Oak Room) from 1974 until his death in 2002. She continued to operate the restaurant for another five years before retiring.   Farberow decided to take the teacher’s assistant job this school year because she wanted to stay active. She works Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.   ’I don’t play cards; I don’t like book clubs; I’m not a women’s group joiner,’ she said. ‘The thing that makes me happy is kids.’   Farberow says she is also a huge supporter of the public school system, and she thinks Palisades Elementary is an exemplary school. She is impressed by the parental involvement and with Principal Joan Ingle, who stands outside to greet the students every morning.   ’The teacher I’m working with is just wonderful,’ Farberow said of Wasserman. ‘I am learning from her.’   In the late 1950s and early ’60s, Farberow worked as an elementary school teacher at Riverside Drive Elementary in Sherman Oaks and Kittridge Street Elementary in Van Nuys. Her sister and brother-in-law were both teachers, and they inspired her to choose the profession.   Farberow had earned her undergraduate degree from Cal State Northridge (which was then called San Fernando Valley State College), and she was a member of the first graduating class in 1958. She married her high school sweetheart, Mort, that same year. While Farberow loved teaching, she left the career after five years to spend more time with her young children, Karen and Stuart.   Throughout the years, she remained active at her children’s schools. She volunteered at Marquez Elementary School in the perceptual lab, working with students with learning disabilities, and at Paul Revere Middle School, helping students who struggled with English.   Last year, she worked with second- and third-graders at Marquez Elementary. Farberow also volunteers at the Palisades Branch Library on Tuesdays from 2 to 4 p.m., reading to children as part of the Grandparents and Books program.   ’I can’t believe how smart they are,’ Farberow said of the kids. ‘One four-year-old knows the names of every shark.’   In addition to working at Pali Elementary and volunteering, Farberow also spends time with her children. Karen lives in Long Beach and is a facilities director for Romano’s Macaroni Grill, and Stuart is a policeman in Lahaina on the island of Maui. She is especially proud of her 13-year-old granddaughter, Kalee, who has operated a retirement stable for old or infirm horses in Maui since 2007.   Farberow thinks it’s important that retirees pursue their interests. ‘The worst thing in the world to do is sit at home,’ she said.   Wasserman is certainly grateful that Farberow has decided to use her spare time to help out in the classroom.   ’Whenever I am tired and I think the kids aren’t getting this, I see her in the back of the class smiling, and I feel better,’ said Wasserman, who just started working at Pali Elementary this fall, but has 15 years of teaching experience. ‘She’s a real positive influence for all of us.’
This cub was one of three born south of Peter Strauss Ranch off Mulholland Highway in May. Photo: National Park Service
While the mountain lion is not on endangered or threatened lists, its population in Southern California is on the edge of extirpation (becoming extinct in a localized area). Jeff Sikich, a mountain lion biologist with the National Park Service, estimates only 10 lions are left in the Santa Monica Mountains. Before suburban sprawl, there were miles of wilderness for mountain lions (also called pumas, cougars and panthers), which preyed on deer and other wildlife. As people moved into the Los Angeles area, the lion became prey to hunters who received a bounty for every cat pelt. That policy was in effect from 1907 until 1963, when the lions were reclassified as non-game mammals. Hunting resumed in 1969, and 118 mountain lions were killed over the next three years. Although the classification from game to protected species once again changed, it took a 1990 ballot proposition to officially label them ‘specially protected mammals.’ Even with that designation, the pumas are still facing an uncertain future, especially in Southern California. The Mountain Lion Foundation, a national nonprofit conservation and education organization, believes the critical threat is loss of habitat, and that habitat acquisition, restoration and protection must be a priority. ‘Our surveys results also indicate that lions can and will use movement corridors across freeways, and readily cross smaller roads in the Santa Monica Mountains,’ Sikich said. ‘However, we have only confirmed one lion out of 20 that successfully crossed the 101 Freeway [the Ventura freeway from the 405 to the Pacific Ocean].’Mountain lion existence in the Santa Monica Mountains will depend on movement across the 101.’ Several agencies are working together to try to create more wildlife crossings over and under urban roadways. ‘The small population size of lions in the Santa Monica Mountains reconfirms the critical need to maintain habitat connectivity between parklands in the Santa Monica Mountains, Simi Hills and Santa Susana Mountains,’ Sikich continued.”Without habitat linkages, mountain lions will not persist in these areas.’ Park Service biologists were excited in May when three lion cubs’two female and one male’were born south of Peter Strauss Ranch off Mulholland Highway, and researchers equipped them with radio collars. This is the first urban mountain lion study to track mountain lion kittens from such a young age. Three months later, one of the female kittens died of starvation. The remaining two cubs are still with the mother, and will remain for a year to 18 months, before seeking independence. Through tracking devices, biologists suspect the father is P12 (the P stands for puma), the only mountain lion to have made a successful documented crossing across Interstate 101 to enter the Santa Monica Mountains in the spring of 2009. Scientists are hopeful that he brought new genetic material to the area. Another lion, P16, was also added to the study in May, which is significant because the male lives in the Santa Susana Mountains off I-5. His movements will be studied to see if he stays in his current location, goes south into the Santa Monica Mountains, or attempts to cross the Santa Clara River valley and Highway 126 as he travels north to the Los Padres National Forest, where there is a large mountain lion population. ‘We have radio collared 19 mountain lions and are currently following eight with radio,’ Sikich said, noting that radio collars have generated over 35,000 GPS locations for mountain lions, which allows researchers to collect detailed information on activity and movement patterns. ‘We know a lot about them, where they go and what they eat,’ Sikich said. ‘Our data show they don’t hang around in urban areas, and that 98 percent of their kills are in a natural habitat. When lions did utilize areas in close proximity to human activity, it was generally at night. Our data suggest that mountain lions and people can coexist even next to developed areas with a high density of roads and trails.’ According to the biologist, pumas are one of America’s largest cats and roam a wide area from the 405 to the 101 freeways to the ocean, covering as much as 300 square miles. Adult males may be eight feet long from their nose to the tip of their tail, with females about a foot shorter. The life span of mountain lions (in the wild) is generally around 12 years. ‘The average weight for a male lion is 120 pounds, and for a female is 70 pounds,’ said Sikich, who has studied the cats since 2002, who noted that pumas rarely interact with others except to mate and during territorial conflicts. ‘They’re solitary, they prefer natural habitats and need deer to survive.’ According to the Department of Fish and Game, pumas usually hunt alone at night and prefer to ambush their prey, often from behind. They usually kill with a bite below the base of the skull, breaking the neck. Last July, a news report cited an ultimately unconfirmed midnight sighting of a mountain lion in Temescal Canyon near Palisades High School. Sikich said that it would not be unusual because of the proximity to the Santa Monica Mountains, but warned that when he has been called out to investigate sightings, ‘most of them turn out not to be mountain lions. People have mistaken bobcats, yellow labs and even a statue of a mountain lion for the real thing.’ Asked what a person should do if he/she comes into contact with a mountain lion, Sikich said: ‘ Don’t run, stay still. If you have a young child, put them on your shoulders. Running may bring out the predatory response in the animal, which then may give chase. ‘ Yell, wave your arms and be aggressive (show them you are not a deer). Stand your ground, and if you have something in your hand like a water bottle, throw it. ‘ If you are attacked, fight back. The biologist reminds readers that mountain lion attacks are rare and that a person stands a greater chance of dying from their car hitting a deer than from a mountain lion. Sikich said that if a Palisades resident gets a rare glimpse of a mountain lion in his/her neighborhood, the person should just go back in the house. The National Park Service has released a book, ‘Urban Carnivores: Ecology, Conflict, and Conservation,’ which can be purchased at Village Books on Swarthmore Avenue.
Artist Lauren Bon’s “Strawberry Flag” project, environmental artwork involving fruit and vegetable gardens tended by veterans involved in the VA’s work therapy program. Photo: Joshua White
The Hammer Museum on Wilshire Boulevard in Westwood is offering free admission to all veterans, active military personnel and their families every day of the year. The museum developed the relationship after spending time with a group of art-minded veterans from the nearby West L.A. Veterans campus. In August, Hammer staff welcomed 18 veterans to the museum for a guided tour and luncheon. The visit coincided with ‘Outside the Box,’ an exhibition of works by internationally renowned printmaker Jacob Samuel, who led the tour. ‘When they came here to tour the print show, we learned that they had just built a print studio at the VA,’ said Claudia Bestor, the Hammer’s director of programs. The print studio and the vets who participated were part of artist Lauren Bon’s ‘Strawberry Flag’ project, a large-scale environmental artwork involving fruit and vegetable gardens tended by veterans through the VA’s work therapy program. Since August, Hammer staff have visited the VA numerous times to have lunch and tour the printmaking studio. Jacob Samuel has offered to lead a print workshop at the VA, and some of the veterans have returned to the museum to explore exhibitions and visit with staff. The free admission program is open to all veterans and active military personnel bearing a Geneva Convention Common Access Card (CAC), a DD Form 1173 ID Card, or a DD Form 1173-1 ID card. It also covers admission for up to five immediate family members.
The Palisades Branch Library will present a program by The Culinary Historians of Southern California on Saturday, November 20, at 2 p.m. in the library’s community room, 861 Alma Real. Coffee expert Michael Fuss will relate the origins and spread of coffee cultivation, how the best coffees are harvested and processed, the rise and fall (and rise) of quality coffee in the United States, espresso as an art, finding the best coffees, and discovering the best coffee bars. Fuss, who has a law degree from Cornell Law School, is currently the general counsel of the Specialty Coffee Association of America and the Coffee Quality Institute and is the principal legal adviser to the World Barista Championship and the International Women’s Coffee Alliance.
Businesswoman Jeanette Andersen, who lived a diverse bi-coastal life, died of lung cancer on October 29 at the NYU Medical Center in New York. She was 68. Born in Los Angeles, Jeanette moved with her family to Pacific Palisades in 1952. She graduated from University High and attended the University of Hawaii for a short time, while also studying stenography so that she could be a corporate secretary. Jeanette’s first position was at Dean Witter, working as the executive assistant for the CEO in Beverly Hills for 10 years. She then opened a successful interior landscaping business with a celebrity client base and appeared on the cover of the L.A. Times Home magazine in recognition of her ability to beautify interiors with plants and patio landscapes with unique designs. The New York Times later wrote about her efforts to plant flowers around all the tree pits on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, and people hired her to landscape their terraces. It was rumored she could talk to a sick plant and make it well. When visiting friends, she sprinkled wilting flowers, balanced bouquets and carried pruning scissors in her handbag. Moving to New York in the mid-1970s while maintaining a home in Pacific Palisades, Jeanette started her own company, the Andersen Group, an agency that recruited executive and personal assistants and even household managers for CEOs, socialites and entertainment celebrities. Working through referrals only, Jeanette pioneered the ascent’of the executive secretary in the corporate and financial worlds. Her company was well-known to most of New York’s CEOs, and some of her placements attained salaries in the $250,000 range, along with profit-sharing plans. Jeanette was respected for her discreet personality and her ability ‘to lock boardroom secrets’ in her heart. She instinctively understood the qualifications necessary for high-level assistants working for a powerful CEO, where both his business and private life could be jeopardized. Jeanette never exploited anyone, and was as gracious to her beginning secretarial candidates as she was to the ‘elite’ group. Many of her clients became close friends and she was an important part of their families. In 2002, Jeanette moved back to California but continued working with her East Coast clients from her home in the Highlands. She would travel as required. In recent years, she also worked for the real estate company Keller Williams in Brentwood. A world traveler, Jeanette had many friends in Europe and the Middle East. She won an international backgammon tournament in Monaco in the early ’70s and played for years in Los Angeles with many of the friends’she had in show business. Jeanette was gracious and kind to all who entered her life. An advocate for animals, she was never too busy to hug a shivering cat, even if its hair stuck to her designer suits. She took care of her family and answered her phone at all hours of the night to console friends who needed to talk. She was an inspiring woman whose vitality and love of life touched all who knew her. Jeanette was pre-deceased by her son, Stevie Berry. Survivors include her twin sister, Judy Andersen of Pacific Palisades; sisters Kathy Mellen of Barefoot Bay, Florida, and Susan Weston of Parump, Nevada; and her brother, Robert G. Andersen, also of Parump. In the weeks prior to Jeanette’s death, the love of her life, Kevin B. McGrath, was at her bedside day and night, caring for her until her final moments. Private services will be held November 20 at 11 a.m. at the home of Chris and Pam Conway in Pacific Palisades. Donations can be made in Jeanette’s memory on behalf of cancer research.
Storytime for children ages 3 and up, 4 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real. Chamber of Commerce mixer, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., hosted by Theatre Palisades at the Pierson Playhouse on Haverford. The event will feature hosted hors d’oeuvres, a no-host beverage bar, a drawing for gifts donated by Chamber members, and scenes from TP’s current musical production, Stephen Sondheim’s ‘Putting It Together.’ Non-members: $25. Pacific Palisades Community Council meeting, 7 p.m. in Tauxe Hall at the Methodist Church, 801 Via de la Paz.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 19
‘Red Violin,’ starring Samuel L. Jackson, screens at 1 p.m. in the Palisades Branch Library community room, 861 Alma Real Dr. Admission is free. Kids Pajama Storytime features Guyatri Stein reading ‘Puddle Moon,’ a magical midnight adventure, 6:30 p.m. at Village Books on Swarthmore. A little girl and her dog venture into the wondrous world of the Puddle Moon. Stein, an author, artist and cartoonist, presents a magical world that reflects life’s love, joy and delight. Theatre Palisades’ production of ‘Putting It Together,’ a musical revue showcasing the songs of Stephen Sondheim, 8 p.m. at Pierson Playhouse, 941 Temescal Canyon Rd. Performances are Friday and Saturday nights and a Sunday matinee at 2 p.m., through December 15. For tickets ($18-$22) call (310) 454-1970.
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20
Coffee expert Michael Fuss will relate the origins and spread of coffee cultivation as guest speaker for the Culinary Historians of Southern California program, 2 p.m. at the Palisades Branch Library’s community room, 861 Alma Real. The program is free and open to the public.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21
James Vail conducts Handel’s ‘Messiah,’ featuring the Chancel Choir, soloists and orchestra, 4 p.m. at the Palisades Presbyterian Church, 15821 Sunset. Free admission. ‘
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22
Traditional Interfaith Thanksgiving Service, 7:30 p.m., hosted this year by St. Matthew’s Church, 1031 Bieneveda. The community is invited. The Pacific Palisades Civic League meeting, normally the fourth Monday of the month, has been shifted this month to November 29 in Tauxe Hall at the Methodist Church, 801 Via de la Paz, starting at 7:30 p.m.
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 25
Corpus Christi Catholic Church, corner of Carey and Toyopa, will have a Thanksgiving Mass at 9:30 a.m. All are welcome. Bring bread to be blessed for your Thanksgiving meal.
Leading rusher Malcolm Creer and the Dolphins will host their first playoff game since 2006 on Friday night against Lincoln. Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Riding a three-game winning streak, the Palisades High varsity football team was eager to close out the season strong with a road victory last Friday. However, Westchester shut down the Dolphins’ wishbone attack and made enough big plays of its own to win, 21-7, creating a three-way tie for second place in the Western League. The Comets (6-4 overall, 3-2 in league) have now held five opponents to seven points or less this season. Malcolm Creer scored the Dolphins’ only touchdown in the first quarter. He had 69 yards in nine carries, quarterback Ke’monte Reed had 90 yards in 10 carries and Hakeem Jawanza rushed 11 times for 31 yards. Quarterback Nick King’s one-yard touchdown gave Westchester a 14-7 lead at halftime. Neither team generated much offense in the third quarter. Westchester still clung to a 14-7 lead with four minutes left when Reed was hit hard by defensive back Jermaine Marshall and fumbled. Defensive lineman Bobby Bolden picked up the loose ball and returned it 14 yards to the Dolphins’ 13. Four plays later, Kalin Scott-Wright scored on a five-yard run to put the game out of reach. Despite the loss, Palisades (5-5, 3-2) is seeded seventh in the City Division II playoffs and hosts No. 10 Lincoln in the first round Friday night at 7. Before the season, coaches had to choose which playoff bracket their teams would compete in. In the Western League, Venice and Westchester opted for Division I while Palisades, Fairfax, Hamilton and University all chose Division II. Venice is seeded third and Westchester 11th in Division I and, because the Dolphins beat Fairfax head to head, they got the higher playoff seed in Division II. Fairfax is seeded ninth and Hamilton claimed the final spot at No. 16. Lincoln (9-1) finished second in the Northern League but did not play a strong schedule. Like Westchester, the Tigers play stingy defense, having held six opponents to eight points or fewer, including shutouts of Monroe, Belmont and South Gate. Lincoln’s only loss was 28-21 to Los Angeles Marshall. The Tigers are led by quarterback Brandon Lopez (1,553 yards, 17 touchdowns) and running back Carlos Duran (1,315 yards, 16 touchdowns). Friday will mark Palisades’ first home playoff game since a 42-14 City Invitational loss to Marshall in 2006. Frosh/Soph Palisades ended the season with a 21-12 victory over host Westchester to finish 7-3 overall and 4-1 in league. For the third time in four games, the Dolphins’ defense did not allow a touchdown, as both Comets scores came on special teams. Ja’uan Tate’s first pass went for a 60-yard touchdown to Will Ingram and Tate later threw a five-yard strike on fourth-and-goal to Jack Jordan, who scored his league-leading 13th touchdown. Justin Sinclair also rushed for a score.
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