11th Annual Pacific Palisades Turkey Trot Draws a Crowd

By STEVE GALLUZZO| Sports Editor

More than 1,200 people participated in the 11th edition of the Pacific Palisaes Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning and hundreds more ran the race for fun—a testament to the spirit of a community that is rebounding despite the devastating Palisades Fire in January.

Powered by XBP Global, the 5/10K event was preceded by a Kids race from Antioch to Bowdoin and benefited the “Day of Giving” and “Live Like Braun” charities. This year’s race featured a new and flatter course which started and finished at the Village Green on the corner of Swarthmore and Antioch.

Race founder David O’Connell was on hand along with YMCA Executive Director Jim Kirtley, Palisades’ own “renaissance man”  Jimmy Dunne and emcee, Dameion “Lucky” Smith, a former Cal State LA athlete, who fired up the crowd with his flare and energy and counted down to the start of the annual event that debuted in 2013.

Fitness trainer Caitlyn Moyer led everyone in pre-race stretching exercises before Orlando Antunez, a 31-year-old classical crossover singer from Culver City, took the state and belted out a stirring rendition of the national anthem.

At 8:15 a.m. race starter David Houston hopped aboard his familiar mint green scooter and led the enthusiastic field (which included co-honorary mayors and actors ted McGinley and Gigi Rice and former  honorary mayor and boxing champion Sugar Ray Leonard) southbound on Swarthmore into the Via de las Olas bluffs for a 3.1-mile trek through a neighborhood full of empty lots and chain link fences.

In an all-out sprint to the finish line, 17-year-old Henry Winn, a junior on the track team at Harvard-Westlake High, surged ahead of last year’s winner Stephen Sloan in the last 30 yards to prevail in a time of 16:05­—the closest 5K in race history. Sloan, a 27-year-old triathlete  from Berkeley, won last year’s race (which started and ended at Palisades High’s Stadium by the Sea and wound through the El Medio bluffs neighborhood) in 16:15.

The 5K record of 15:36 was set in 2023 by Williams College trackster Luke Zanuck.

Winning the women’s 5K was Highlands resident and Brentwood School freshman Keaton Schaefer, who was happy to win it and said she looks up to fellow Palisadian and Eagles teammate, junior standout Amelia Sarkisian. Schaefer’s time of 18:55 was 14 seconds faster than runner-up Claudia Knox, who nevertheless took first in the 10-12 age group. Former Santa Monica High track coach Tania Fischer set the 5K record of 18:47 in 2014.

10K runners ran an extra lap and the first femaile to finish was former Palisades High standout Sarah Bentley, a two-time City 3200 meter champion and four-time state qualifier in cross country who went on to run at MIT.

Gavin Morrow took first in the 5K male 9-and-under category in 24:48. The Broihiers found the revamped course to their liking as  Liam was first in the male 10-12 age group in 22:11), Landon topped the male 13-15 category in 17:59 and Keira won the female 9-and-under category in 25:56. Hailey Hubbard won the female 19-25 age group in 21:17.    

Former Harvard-Westlake and Northwestern University  soccer star Mackenzie Howe won the 10K female 26-35 age group in 39:15 while former Pali High swimmer Darby Green was second to Bentley in the 20-25 age range with a time of 41:30.

—- click on any photo below to see photo gallery —- 

The Palisades Tennis Center courts were buzzing with LiveBall once again Sunday for the Palisades OGs Return Party.

Owner Mike Tomas invited PTC founder Steve Bellamy back on Court 1 to feed balls to players who grew up practicing at the public facility off Alma Real Drive.

“It was epic!” Tomas said. “People had a great time… lots of laughs and happiness which was much needed after all that this community has been through since the fires.”

Among the players who participated ikn the event were former Palisades High standouts Jake and RJ Sands and fortmer ATP Tour pro Clay Thompson.

The Jaes Elite Racing Team put on quite a performance at  last weekend’s USATF XC Nationals in Portland. The weather was far from ideal, but The Janes were unfazed. Eight members of the team competed in the 6K race on a slick, muddy course.

The 60s team got second place. Among the local runners to particpate were Victoria Cook-Chapus (who also ran the Pacific Palisades Turkey Trot on Thanskgiving morning and placed third in her division) and Gwendolen Twist, who was fourth in her age group. Tania Fischer, a five-time winner of the Turkey Trot who set the 5K women’s record of 18:47 in 2014, also ran for The Janes.      

“It was the kind of mud that takes a shoe right off your severely laced shoe,” Twist said describing the conditions. The temperature was in the 50s and I was lucky to stay upright the whole race with the uneven footing and keep my shoes on. There were four races the day before and then the men ran right  before us today so there was very little grass. It was gnarly. My time was not great but it was so much fun!”

Co-Captains Max Meier and Nathan Turk Lead Loyola Varsity Football Team to CIF Semifinals   

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Loyola’s loss to Redondo Union in the semifinals of the Southern Section Division 5 playoffs marked the final chapter in the outstanding high school football careers of co-captains Nathan Turk and Max Meier.    

“Nate and I have played together since our days at Corpus Christi, where we won the CYO championship, and we’ll be Cubs for life,” Meier said. “At Loyola we went undefeated as freshmen with [fellow Palisadian] Jack Thomas as our quarterback. Loyola then elevated to the Mission League, one of the best in California, and I’m proud of how we persevered.”

A three-year starter at defensive end, Meier finished his senior season with 113 tackles (19 of those for losses), 11.5 sacks and 30 quarterback hurries. The two-time All-Mission League selection received 24 Division 1 offers before signing with Stanford.

“It’s been an incredibly challenging year,” Meier added. “I lost my home in the Palisades Fire and relocated to Manhattan Beach. We’re in the process of rebuilding. I was approached by major programs like Mater Dei and Sierra Canyon to transfer, but my commitment to my brothers and Loyola was never in doubt. In May I lost my best friend and big brother, Braun Levi, to a drunk driver, which made the fires pale in comparison. I miss him every day but will dedicate myself to delivering my all at the next level as that’s exactly what he’d want to see.”

The quintessential student-athlete, Turk grew up in the Huntington and most of his childhood memories are of playing sports at the Palisades Recreation Center and YMCA. He not only excels at football but is also a wrestler and plans to shot put in the spring. He has a 4.55 GPA, is Vice President of the student body and has been on student council all four years. His family bleeds Loyola blue as his older brother Ryan, a 2024 Loyola alum, plays offensive guard at Dartmouth and his younger brother Graham, a sophomore starting lineman on the Cubs’ JV squad, got moved up to varsity for the playoffs.

“I’ve had an amazing time playing with Max at Loyola the last four years—it’s definitely a memory I’ll cherish,” said Turk, who was credited with 68 pancake blocks as a senior and has committed to play offensive tackle at Harvard. “We started playing sports together in grade school and were even neighbors for awhile. It’s always worked out well for us because as linemen on opposite sides of the ball who know each other so well we have highly competitive and aggressive reps against each other while giving each other tips to strenghthen each other’s game. Max always pushes me to be a stronger, faster and better player. I’m proud to be part of the Loyola football brotherhood.”       

What a remarkable season it was for Palisades High football player Demare Dezeurn. The junior wide receiver/defensive back has been chosen Western League Player of the Year after scoring 27 total touchdowns—21 receiving, one rushing, three on interception returns and two on kickoff returns. He had 64 catches for 1,372 yards on offense to go along with five interceptions and three pass deflections on defense.

Senior quarterback Jack Thomas earned Co-Offensive Player of the Year honors after completing 183 of 299 pass attempts for 3.284 yards, 43 touchdowns with only three interceptions. Senior tackle Liam Hudson was named Offensive Lineman of the Year and Dylen Smith, who has compiled a 28-7 record in three seasons at the helm, was voted Coach of the Year after piloting the Dolphins to a 10-0 regular season.

Also making the offensive first team were Dolphins junior receiver Malachi Ross, senior running back Harrison Carter and junior lineman Hunter Kizzee. Tailback Deveron Kearney, wideout Go Moriya and lineman Grayson Brooks were second team selections.     

Making the defensive forst team were senior end Augie Evans, junior linebacker Enzo Allen (who accumulated a team-high 121 tackles), cornerbacks Tavion Talbert and Skylar Walters. Second team picks were sophomore linebacker Chean Flowers, senior defensive lineman James Tisdale and defensive backs Noah LeChang and Jackson Kaufman.          

The Palisades High girls volleyball team captured its 31st City Section title in the fall so when the All-City team was announced last week it came as no surprise that it was full of Dolphins.

Junior outside hitter Ashlynn Sells, who had six kills in a three-set sweep of Venice in the finals, was selected Open Division Player of the Year. Joining Sells on the first team were senior libero Lucy Neilson, senior outside hitter Tulah Block and junior setter Christie Turner. Senior opposite hitter Izzy Drake made the second team.

Carlos Gray, who guided the Dolphins to their first section crown since 2020, earned Coach of the Year honors. Following its City finals win Palisades traveled to Carlsbad in the first round of the SoCal Regional Division II playoffs and lost in four sets.

Rounding out the All-City Open Division first team were Venice’s Samantha Lortie, Gaia Adeseun-Williams and Kaya Richards; El Camino Real’s Arianna Ellis and Aja Najar; Taft’s Laila Braimah and Aralyn Adorable-Flores; Chatsworth’s Olivia Chouchanian; Cleveland’s Nixia Gonzalez; Eagle Rock’s Iliana Diaz and Granada Hills’ Alexis Cuan.