It would be easy to argue that Palisades’ boys soccer team was superior to L.A. Hamilton last Thursday but for one small detail: the score. Despite outshooting Hamilton by a 3-1 ratio and enjoying an overwhelming advantage in time of possession, the Dolphins were unable to finish chances and suffered a costly 2-1 defeat that dropped them into third place. “It was frustrating because we felt like we dominated the whole game,” Pali senior Henry Argueta said. “We hit the crossbar three times and they only had two good chances. But they scored on both so you have to give it to them.” Argueta scored the Dolphins’ only goal on a header off of a cross from Jose Vasquez 15 minutes into the second half, which tied the score 1-1. It remained deadlocked until the 79th minute when Pali defender Esteban Moreno was red-carded and the Yankees scored off of the ensuing free kick. A victory would have vaulted the Dolphins (5-6-3 overall, 4-1-2 in league) into first place ahead of Hamilton. Instead, the loss dropped Pali to third, two points behind Hamilton (6-1 in league) and one behind Venice (5-2-1 in league). Palisades dealt Hamilton its only loss of the season, 3-1, in their first meeting January 10. “Even though we lost today, we still feel like we have the best team in this league,” Argueta said. “We’re generating lots of scoring opportunities, we just have to do a better job of converting. I’m still confident that we can win the league.” Capitalizing on scoring chances was not Pali’s problem at University on Tuesday. Vasquez scored an unassisted goal in the first half. Early in the second half, Ben Tom scored off of a throw-in by Argueta to increase the Dolphins’ lead to 2-0. Shortly after Uni answered with a goal in the 55th minute, Osbaldo Garcia scored off of a free kick flick by Brock Auerbach-Lynn. Moreno added the finishing touch to Pali’s 4-1 victory by converting a direct free kick in the 75th minute. Pali hosts Venice today at 2:30 p.m. and could overtake the Gondos in the standings with a win. The Dolphins wrap up regular season play at home against Fairfax next Tuesday and Westchester next Thursday. Girls Soccer The Dolphins’ varsity remained tied for first place with Fairfax in the Western League with three games left. Senior striker Lucy Miller scored twice in the first half at Hamilton last Thursday, but the Yankees answered with two second-half goals to forge a tie. However, Palisades (6-3-3, 4-0-2) did not lose ground in the standings because Fairfax tied University the same day. “It was one of those things where we had the game well in hand but we let them get back into it and they rode off that momentum,” Pali Coach Kim Smith said of the Hamilton game. “Fortunately for us, Uni tied Fairfax so our tie didn’t cost us as much as it could have.” Pali got its turn against University Tuesday night at Stadium by the Sea and the Dolphins made it clear from the opening whistle that they would not be satisfied with a tie. Needing a win to keep pace with Fairfax, which routed Venice 6-1 that afternoon, Palisades kept constant pressure on the Wildcats’ defense, eventually breaking through for three second-half goals. “We had a team talk right after the Hamilton game and that brought our spirit up a little bit,” fullback Sarah McNees said after the Dolphins’ 3-0 victory. “As a defender, it’s always nice when you can shut the other team out like we did tonight.” Despite outshooting the Wildcats 21-5, it took Pali awhile to fin the back of the net. Early in the second half, Miller scored off of an assist from Teal Foster. Moments later, Sam McCamey hit the crossbar on a shot from the right wing. Kelly Mickel dribbled through a crowded penalty area and scored in the 70th minute and Miller re-directed a cross from six yards out two minutes later for the final goal. Palisades plays at Venice today and travels to Fairfax next Tuesday afternoon for a game that could decide the league title. The Dolphins and Lions tied 0-0 in their first meeting January 19.

A new season is fast approaching for players in the Palisades Pony Baseball Association. Tryouts were held last Saturday at the Palisades Recreation Center diamonds with hundreds of local kids vying for spots on their favorite teams this spring. Each perspective player fielded grounders and fly balls, threw to first base to demonstrate his throwing arm, and took cuts at the plate. As always, more players tried out than the fields are able to accommodate. Practices start next week and continue until opening day March 18. The PPBA is broken down into four age divisions. Pinto consists mostly of 8-year-olds, with a few outstanding 7-year-olds and some nine-year-olds to help provide experience for their younger teammates. Mustang consists of 9- and 10-year-olds, and players do their own pitching. Bronco is for 11- and 12-year-olds and Pony is for 13- and 14-year-olds. Draft day for all divisions is this Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon at the Palisades Recreation Center. A mandatory coaches meeting will be held at Corpus Christi School next Wednesday at 7 p.m. for anyone interested in coaching a PPBA team. This year marks the 52nd season of youth baseball in the Palisades. Commissioner Bob Benton and Mike Skinner, who was instrumental in getting the Field of Dreams complex built three years ago, are at the top of a long list of parents, volunteers and local supporters who keep the organization going strong year after year. Opening day festivities include the traditional pancake breakfast fundraiser and the tossing of the ceremonial first pitch, thrown last year by actress and Palisades mom Mary McDonnell. Last year, the Indians beat the Braves to win the Pinto World Series, the Dodgers beat the Indians to win the Mustang Division and the Dodgers ousted the Braves to win the Bronco World Series.

Adam Scott, a 25-year-old golfer from Australia, traveled a long way and felt many rain drops on his way to winning the Nissan Open at Riviera Country Club last February. Even though his victory was not deemed “official” by the PGA because weather shortened the event to only 36 holes, Scott is still considered the defending champion and he has announced he will return for this year’s event, which begins February 16 at Riviera’s hallowed greens. Most professional golf tournaments end on Sunday, but Scott had to wait until Monday morning before beating Chad Campbell in a sudden-death playoff. After two rounds, 19 players were within four shots of Scott and Campbell, who were both 9-under par. It appeared to be anyone’s tournament to win with two rounds left. But when continuous thunder showers saturated the course beyond playability, the event was cancelled and the co-leaders met at the 18th tee for a playoff to determine who would be awarded the winner’s trophy and check. Scott hooked his drive into the rough while Campbell’s ball landed smack in the middle of the fairway, giving him the early advantage. But Scott’s second shot from 242 yards out left him in good position while his opponent hit into the sparse crowd assembled just off the green. Scott’s chip landed three feet below the pin while Campbell’s attempt rolled to a stop four feet above it. Campbell’s putt veered left at the last instant, rolling off the edge of the cup and stopping three feet to the right of the hole. Scott took a few moments to line up his own shot and drained it. Darren Clarke and Brian Davis finished tied for second at 8-under, Colin Montgomerie and J.L. Lewis were 7-under and six players were at 6-under through 36 holes. Tiger Woods, who has never won at Riviera, was four shots off the pace. This year will mark the tournament’s 80th anniversary and only twice has it been shortened due to inclement weather’last year and in 1993 when Tom Kite won in a 54-hole event.

Two years ago, several members of the Riviera Tennis Club formed The Riviera Foundation, a non-profit volunteer group that provides tennis opportunities for disadvantaged youth in the Los Angeles area. The Foundation runs clinics and tennis “Fun Days” at Riviera, sponsors weekly instruction programs and a summer camp in Compton, and gives children tennis balls and equipment. ”The Foundation held its most recent “Fun Day” January 8 on Riviera’s famed courts. Over 50 kids and their coaches from Compton, West Hollywood and Sylmar joined Riviera members and dozens of local children for an afternoon of tennis instruction, games and a barbecue. ”In November, the Foundation held its first fundraiser’a tennis round robin and fundraiser’which was attended by 70 Riviera members and pros, local supporters and numerous tennis-playing celebrities, including singer/songwriter Randy Newman, actor Eric Braeden and actress Rae Dawn Chong. The event raised enough money to fund the weekly and summer programs plus six to eight “Fun Days” this year. ””Riviera has one of the best tennis facilities in the country,” Palisadian and Foundation board member Lisa Bittan said. “The children love every minute of their time at the club. It’s inspiring to see these kids play tennis and to know we are making a positive difference in their lives.” For more information about the Foundation, call Bittan at 573-2038.

Ayso All-star Roundup

Pali Storm, coached by Chuck Davis and Nancy Babcock, won the girls’ under-12 AYSO Area 1-P soccer championship last weekend and was crowned the top team in Los Angeles. The top-seeded Storm defeated Santa Monica, 1-0, in the finals Sunday at Culver City High School. Izzy DeSantis took a pass from Eve Babcock and scored the only goal with five minutes left to give Pali the title. Earlier Sunday, Pali defeated Culver City, 1-0, in the semifinals. Left winger Virginia James made a pinpoint pass to Kei Goldberg, who scored the winning goal in the 46th minute. In Saturday’s quarterfinal game, the Storm shut out South Los Angeles, 9-0, with eight different girls scoring. Jordan Gruber scored twice and Goldberg, DeSantis, James, Zoie Aliado, Lily McGuire, Nicole Savage and Natasha Wachtel each added a goal for Pali. The Storm went 6-0-1 in the seven-game tournament, counting games from the previous weekend (January 21-22). The Storm’s heralded defense, led by sweeper Jenna Davis, fullbacks Sarah Thorson and Deborah Abber, stopper Lucy Tilton and Grady Gitlin, did not allow a goal over the two-weekend tournament. Pali outscored its Area P competition, 25-0, over the seven games and improved its record to 16-2-2 heading into the Section 1 playoffs on March 11. While the Storm was dominating its competition, the Banditz, Palisades’ U-12 boys team, was busy winning its third consecutive tournament and keeping its undefeated record alive. Playing against the best teams from eight regions in the Los Angeles area, the Banditz ran away with the Area 1-P championship, outscoring their opposition 22-4 in seven games, including four shutouts. With a lineup consisting of most of the same players who had won the Area P tournament and finished third in the Sectionals at the U-10 level, the Banditz defeated West Los Angeles, 2-1, in the finals Sunday at Culver City High. Shane Centkowski scored the winning goal on a header off of a throw-in from Charlie Porter in the second half. Coached by Alex Gansa and Gary Gray, the Banditz’ offense was paced all tournament long by Aidan Gray, Chris Stenseth Doering, Jack Ramsey, Judd Liebman, Sawyer Pascoe and Willy Gansa. Defensively, Pali was led by Porter, Quaid Walker, Jordan Lewis, Ryan Kahn, Nick Ledesma and goalie Jake Tenzer. Also contributing were Andrew Tinger, Chase Pion and Cole Kahrilas. As champions of Area P (consising of Hollywood, Culver City, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Brentwood-Pacific Palisades-Topanga, West Los Angeles, South Los Angeles and L.A. Central), the Banditz earned the right to join the Storm at the Sectionals in Riverside. U-10 Girls The Pali-Cats, the Brentwood-Palisades “A” all-star team coached by Steve Morris, came within a whisker of the Area 1-P championship following two weeks of quality competition. After scampering through pool play with a 3-1 record, the Cats entered last weekend’s elimination round as the No. 2 seed. On Saturday, the Cats rode three goals by Dani Cohen, two more by Jillian Apel and a clincher by Lizzy Thomas to eliminate South Los Angeles. In the semifinals against a fast and tough squad from West Los Angeles, the Cats needed solid defense from Emma Schwartz, Emma Sanderson, Dori Morris and Dani Cohen to shut down the West L.A. attack. Cohen, Thomas, Sanderson and Sarah Trenton each tallied for Pali in the 4-1 victory. The final game served up a rematch against season-long rival Culver City, the only team to beat the Cats in the tournament. The Pali girls dominated play from the opening whistle thanks to forwards Sanderson, Trenton, Thomas, Mackenzie Gray, Mikaela Hong and Mackenzie Howe. In the third quarter, Howe snuck a goal past the opponents’ keeper and the Pali sideline erupted with cheers. But Culver City answered with two late fourth-quarter goals to win 2-1. However, by virtue of finishing second, the Cats have many more lives left and still advance to the Sectionals in March. Three other Palisades-based all-star teams competed in the Area 1-P tournament last weekend but missed qualifying for the Sectionals. In the U-10 boys’ division, Frederick Gillette’s Ferrets fell just short of reaching the semifinals. In the girls’ U-14 division, the Pali Shock, coached by Cameron Dager, also was eliminated prior to the semifinals. Led by head coach Ardi Nozari along with assistants Steve Gleitman and Larry Webster, the Pali All-Stars U-14 boys team enjoyed an amazing run, finishing fourth overall and narrowly missing a trip to the Sectionals. But along the way, Pali upset second-seeded Beverly Hills, 1-0’a team it had lost to 5-0 in the preliminary round.