When the Madrigal program at Palisades High School evaporated a couple of years ago, a small group who had grown close through their singing gigs felt the loss. “We love each other and we love singing in a group,” said Sarah Figoten, who along with six of her fellow former Madrigals started the Absolutfunk a cappella group in November. They include recent Pali graduates Sarah Figoten, Jamie Perez, Eddie Castuera, Kendall Day, Josh Siegel, B.J. Baclawski and Miranda Kerr, a senior at Pali. The name describes them so well, they say, because “We wanted something with funk in it.” They’re right; their arrangements of their favorite songs combine colorful harmonies syncopated with vocal percussion. In addition, each of the seven singers has a different sound and because of their experience with the Madrigals, all are comfortable with classical as well as jazz arrangements. The group stopped by the annual Palisadian-Post Christmas party last Thursday and opened the program with “Danos Su Paz” (Give Us Peace), a beautiful sentiment for this season, followed by “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear.” Looking at the group, one wondered just where the drum and brushes were coming from, and discovered a virtual percussion kit deep inside member Eddie Castuera. Vocal percussion (or mouth drumming) is the production of percussive sounds using only the speech apparatus. For the past three years, Castuera has been perfecting the techniques, which require good breath, control and practice practice practice. Absolutfunk rehearse Sunday afternoons, when they work on arrangements. Their method is democratic, as each member takes over directing the piece he or she has arranged. While all of them read music, they often depend on Siegel, who plays piano, or Baclawski, who plays guitar, to set the melody. “We perfect each song over weeks,” says Baclawski. “Some of these, like ‘Carol of the Bells’ are quite complicated and can’t be done in just one sitting.” While Kerr is the lone highschooler, the group has stayed pretty close to home. Siegel is an opera major at Cal State Northridge; Castuera is a music and sociology major at Santa Monica College, where Day, Perez and Figoten are also students. Baclawski teaches music at Gorman School, a small homeschool in the Palisades. Busy during the holidays, the group performs for private parties, and promotes themselves by singing gratis in public spaces like Third Street Promenade. “We sang at the Promenade, but weren’t allow to ask for money because we don’t have a license,” said Perez. “But, we did end up with $6.” For more information, contact B.J. at 428-0252 or Jamie at 367-1090.
Guttenberg’s Message: Put People First!
Photo by Linda Renaud
Palisades Honorary Mayor Steve Guttenberg didn’t have to look far for a meaningful New Year’s resolution. He decided it was finally time to tackle something that had been bothering him for a long time: the speeding traffic on Palisades Drive, or more specifically, how it affects pedestrians, joggers and cyclists. His proposed solution: guardrails up and down the road, from Sunset to the Highlands. “I see the guardrails as a deterrent,” said Guttenberg, a 15-year resident of the Highlands. “People have taken to using this roadway as a raceway. They think they’re at a Grand Prix or something. It’s a great place to race your car, see what it can do. And because there are four lanes, people drive like they’re on the freeway. As far as I can see, it’s only a matter of time before someone else gets hit.” Guttenberg is referring to the accident (April 2001) in which cyclist Debra Goldsmith was killed. She was pedaling north on Palisades Drive towards her home in the Highlands when she was struck from behind by a Range Rover, thrown up onto the hood of the vehicle and then onto the roadway. The impact forced her helmet off, and she died from severe head trauma. The accident took place at a notorious wide stretch of road halfway up the canyon, a known “blind spot,” where the speed limit is 45 mph. “The fact is, people simply ignore the speed limit, whatever it is,” noted Guttenberg, standing behind the memorial bench in Goldsmith’s honor near the scene of the accident. “Motorists drive twice as fast, whether they’re going up or down this road.” To illustrate his point, Guttenberg invited the Palisadian-Post along for a “test” drive last Thursday morning. Accompanied by Monique Ford (a deputy to Councilwoman Cindy Miscikowski), Arnie Wishnick (executive director of the Palisades Chamber of Commerce) and two representatives from the Bureau of Street Services, we slowly drove the two miles from Sunset to the Highlands Plaza. We started out at 25 mph, the posted speed limit by Calvary School. Several motorists passed us up, clearly ignoring the sign. When we reached the 45 mph zone, more cars whipped by, even as we reached the “blind spot” in the road where Goldsmith was killed. We made our first pit stop near her memorial bench, and were surprised to find not the usual vendors that sometimes hawk their wares there (selling strawberries, firewood and hot dogs) but an LAPD officer using a radar gun. “In the less than 30 minutes I’ve been here,” Officer Tasha Karandy told the Post at about 10:20 a.m., “I’ve ticketed three motorists.” Before we could take a picture of her in action, she was gone, headed south after another speeding car. “The police should be out here doing this more often,” Guttenberg said, referring to the LAPD’s infrequent radar patrols. “Imagine if one of those cars spun out of control. This is a great canyon to jog, cycle or stroll. But anyone doing that could be killed, the way it is now.” Ferdinand Chan, an engineer with Street Services, pointed out that a guardrail would not have helped Goldsmith, and, in fact, might have hindered her. He detailed how a three-foot high guardrail “will not stop speeding” and probably would not have “withstood the impact, from a technical point of view, even though guardrails are often installed in hilly areas to try and stop cars from going over.” Chan explained that guardrails are “about vehicle safety, really,” and that his department is severely limited in providing the metal protectors, with a total annual budget of only “$120,000 for the entire city. At $100 a linear foot, it doesn’t go very far. We have to establish priorities.” He also suggested other solutions for that area of Palisades Drive, from widening the sidewalk to narrowing the road from two lanes to one. “One lane would force people to slow down,” said Guttenberg, who suggested we then move on to the upper plaza. Once there, he pointed to the curve by the Hidden Cafe and the adjoining offices, one of which he himself rents for his production company. “If a car went out of control,” Guttenberg observed, “it would crash straight into those offices and restaurant.” Chan agreed the curve might be a suitable candidate for a guardrail and offered to look into it. He did caution, however, that if a guardrail were installed on the curb, it would mean losing several parking spaces on the street, as it would be impossible to exit the passenger side of the car. “What are a few parking spaces if it might mean saving lives?” asked Guttenberg to no one in particular. “For me, this is about making this area safe.” At the end of our tour, the honorary mayor agreed that perhaps it was unrealistic to install guardrails up and down both sides of the road (which would cost an estimated $2,000,000 to cover the four miles) and was open to other suggestions. He said he looks forward to meeting with Highlands representatives and residents to discuss the situation. “I don’t care what it takes, as long as it gets people to slow down.” Guttenberg said his concern about the speeding began in earnest a few months ago when he discussed his ongoing concern with Viet Tran, Mayor Hahn’s West L.A. director, at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast meeting. Tran contacted Ford, who arranged for the city representatives from Street Services to meet with her and Guttenberg on Palisades Drive. “I wanted to understand the nature of his [Guttenberg’s] concern and get some knowledge from B.O.S.S. on the feasibility of his request,” said Ford, who is also looking forward to input from the Palisades community. (Editor’s note: In the days following last week’s impromptu tour, the Post received e-mails from Paul Glasgall, chairman of the Highland’s Presidents Council (which represents 17 homeowner associations), and Barry Kurtz, the alternative representative for the Highlands on the Palisades Community Council, objecting to any guardrails being installed. We will publish their comments in next week’s paper.)
Palisadians Help Launch ‘Jean Jewelry’
A colorful quarter-size talisman hanging from your jeans? This is the appeal of Jean Jewel, one of the hottest new trends in jewelry, and it has local origins. Palisadian Carrie Pollare partnered up with Denton Jewelers owner Saad Mazboudi to develop and produce Jean Jewel, a type of jewelry worn on the belt loops of jeans. Pollare and her brother/business partner Dan Hoffman first heard about the product concept when they met with film producer Wendy Thorlakson early this year. “Wendy is naturally creative and stylish,” Pollare said. “She’s a fun, very hip woman.” Thorlakson, who has since become a partner in the business, said her inspiration came from her own fashionable idea to spice up her jeans by hanging chains from the belt loop, according to Pollare. The product’s potential for success in a broad market appealed to Pollare and her brother, who had started their own development company, 2CC (2Cool Corp.) in 2000. “The whole universe wears jeans,” Pollare said. “The only requirement [for wearing Jean Jewel] is something with a belt loop.” Because Pollare and Hoffman knew nothing about the jewelry business, they turned to Mazboudi for advice and brought him on board as the fourth partner. “Saad is not only a tremendous fountain of information, I knew he could help us get started,” said Pollare, a longtime Denton Jewelers customer. Mazboudi liked the Jean Jewel concept because “it was very noveau and could also be very affordable.” The jewelry, which looks like a mix between charm bracelets and fancy key chains, comes in sterling silver or 14K yellow gold and ranges from $55-800. Harper’s Bazaar dubbed the pieces “beaux danglers.” Pollare designed the “JJ” (Jean Jewel) insignia set above the charm, while Mazboudi helped with the mechanics, like the number of links on the chain and the addition of the copyright tag. They had the prototype ready to go in June, along with a Web site (www.jeanjewel.com), which Pollare and Hoffman designed. “We’re computer people so the site was up in three weeks,” said Pollare, who had previously worked as a partner in DISC Distributing, a $150-million computer company her brother started in 1982. They closed the company in 2000 to “get back to our roots and do entrepreneurial things,” Pollare said. With 2CC, she and Hoffman produced unique products such as a reinvented spinning top and handbags made of stingray by Palisades fashion designer Debra McGuire. In March, they created a new company, GDT, in order to develop and produce Jean Jewel with Thorlakson and Mazboudi. Self-funded, GDT has a three-person support staff in addition to the four partners. Mazboudi originally began manufacturing the jewelry at Denton’s, and was turning out 50 to 100 pieces a week over the summer. “We’re not geared for mass production,” said Mazboudi, who could not keep up with the fast-growing popularity of Jean Jewel, and suggested they do their manufacturing in Thailand. Jean Jewel has also added a production facility in the downtown L.A. jewelry district. The company began with 75 different styles and now has about 250. Jean Jewel Classic comes in sterling silver and features the JJ insignia as its centerpiece while Mystique, which comes in silver and 14K yellow gold, has a different, spiritual-looking symbol at its center. Jean Jewel Chain attaches to two belt loops and hangs below the hip, and JJ Neck offers a collection of necklaces in the Jean Jewel style. Popular designs by Balinese designer Shankari include semi-precious stones and crystals while the Mexican-inspired Nagual line offers spiritual motifs, skulls and crosses. Italian Millefiori glass and a personalized design with initials are also in demand. “No one who walks by the Jean Jewel case doesn’t stop to look at them,” said Mazboudi, whose male customers have been buying the new jewelry for their wives and children. The first Jean Jewel piece sold was a $800 Shankari creation for a 54-year-old New York woman. Pollare said that business snowballed after Mariah Carey wore a white butterfly Jean Jewel on “The Today Show” this past summer. “After that I heard from people all over the world,” Pollare said. Jean Jewel now has large markets in Japan and Canada, in addition to the United States. Los Angeles retailers include Theodore, Planet Blue, Ice Accessories, including Ice Accessories/Sparkle at Fred Segal in Santa Monica, and Bloomingdale’s at the Beverly Center, among others. The Jean Jewel office is located in the 881 Alma Real building, suite 220. For more information or to order a Jean Jewel product, visit www.jeanjewel.com or call 230-4557.
At Year’s End, Here’s to Goal Keepers!
Every year, since I was 10 years old, I have sat down on New Year’s Day to write up my goals for the coming year. It was a joyful ritual in our house, where my parents would sit with the four of us (my two older brothers, younger sister and myself) to discuss what each of us intended to achieve. Better grades? Set up a dog-walking service? Learn to swim? We each had a list. We also discussed our last year’s resolutions (in a playful “toast n’ roast” kind-of-way), but what took center stage were our plans for the year ahead. What kind of goals did I have as a 10-year-old child? I remember wanting to learn how to sew, make the spelling bee finals at school (which I did) and take up skiing. By the time I was 15 I had made myself a floor-length Cossack coat (all the rage at the time!), I could ski the expert slopes and I knew I wanted to be a journalist. To this day, I credit my determination to those yearly goal-setting sessions with my family, a tradition I have carried on with my own son, who is now 17 years old. What I have tried to teach him is that setting goals is the best way to keep yourself on course, especially when you have a goal as big as wanting to play in the NBA. What did his list look like when he was 10 years old? To attend as many Laker games as possible, improve his shooting and become a ball boy. While he never became a ball boy, my son has significantly improved his game, having played on the St. Monica High School varsity team since he was a freshman. He is now a senior. Will he get recruited to play college basketball? It’s at the top of his list for 2004. If he does, great. If not, he could decide to study sports management which could still land him in the NBA-as a coach, TV commentator or perhaps one day owning his own team. He has already come to understand that his goals evolve and change as he grows, not only in height. He’s currently 6’4″. How many of us vow (every year!!) to exercise more, spend more quality time with our family or work harder? At least one of your goals should captivate you, whatever your age. Want to design tennis gear, learn Spanish, go to India or write a book? How about having breakfast with someone you admire and picking their brain? How about arranging the same kind of opportunity for your child? One of the best things I ever did was to get my son a tutor, a philosophy major I hired when my son was at Canyon Elementary school, who ended up teaching him not only math but how to surf, dribble and play the guitar. Their friendship and mutual admiration grew out of their weekly sessions together and has lasted, well, for years now. In 2004 I have only two modest goals: to get up earlier to work out and to master my new digital camera (finally going digital was my goal last year). What about you? What “gift” have you promised yourself in the new year?
Blind Cougar Opens Eyes to Wildlife Education Cause
By Rennie Chamberlain The Nature of Wildworks is a nonprofit wildlife care and education center in Topanga dedicated to the lifelong quality care of its non-releasable wild animals. Under the direction of Mollie Hogan,Wildworks also conducts outreach programs about the wonders of wildlife and the importance of protecting the steadily dwindling habitat that wildlife, as well as humans, depend upon for healthy lives. This task is accomplished with the help of animal ambassadors. “Caring for wildlife is a wonderful privilege, as well as an awesome experience,” Hogan says. “At Wildworks care center, we strive to make the lives of the animals here as interesting and natural as possible.” They raise orphaned babies, watching them grow and develop, and help ease the aches and pains of those who are older. They also get their share of injured wildlife with broken wings and limbs, head trauma, even blindness. But in all her years of experience, Hogan never had an animal come into her care in such atrocious condition as a young cougar she calls Pirate. At eight months, a male mountain lion should weigh about 80 pounds. Malnourished when rescued from a breeding farm in Montana, Pirate weighed just 20 pounds. His spine and hipbones were protruding through rough fur, and the pads of all four feet were raw and bleeding from pacing the concrete floor of the small cage in which he had been forced to live. The tip of his tail was raw as if he had chewed it in frustration, and his right ear was notched, probably from a fight. The worst of his problems were his eyes. The right eye, ten times its normal size, was bulging from its socket and the left eye had been injured. When Pirate arrived at Wildworks, pain and blurred vision made him suspicious and frightened, causing him to lash out in self-defense when unsure of his surroundings. Hogan consulted with an animal ophthalmologist who diagnosed Pirate with severe glaucoma in his right eye, a condition normally found in older animals and causing pain much like a migraine headache. Pirate’s eye was removed that same day. When the young animal awoke from the anesthetic, he was immediately feeling better, purring and meowing like a normal kitten. Hogan kept a careful watch over Pirate, and after a week in her house with around-the-clock care, his paws began to heal, and he started gaining weight. He even became playful, attacking his toys as if they were prey. When Hogan took him back for a recheck, a detached retina and mild glaucoma were discovered in Pirate’s left eye. Hogan is able to treat the eye with drops to keep the pressure at bay, but unfortunately his vision will never be restored. Pirate is completely blind. “Because all cats rely so heavily on their vision, at first I was concerned about his quality of life,” Hogan says. “But after working with him and observing his behavior for two months now, I think he’ll be just fine. Not unlike a blind person, his other senses have taken over. I’m amazed at how well he gets along. He no longer paces and is calmer and more relaxed.” Pirate now lives outdoors in a large enclosure and has learned the boundaries of his cage, the location of food and water, toys and humans. His feet step lightly, and he points his nose upward when he walks to smell what’s ahead. “He calls to us and the other mountain lions when he hears our voices,” says Hogan. And the toy that seems to work best for him is a roll of paper towels that he can easily bat and grab again with his claws. More importantly, Pirate is proving himself to be one of Wildworks’ most impressive goodwill ambassadors. He is not stimulated by movement-what triggers mountain lions to attack-and thus is very safe to use in public. Although Pirate is bonding more closely with people, especially Hogan, his seeing-eye human, he still is all mountain lion, with all his wild instincts intact. Even though cougars exist in the wild in southern California, most people have never seen one. Here in the Santa Monica Mountains, a lack of wildlife corridors is severely limiting cougar populations. The National Park Service has been studying cougars in this area for several years and only three have been located and radio-collared. Wildworks’ captive mountain lions have been helpful to this tracking project as they are used to test scent preferences for lions in the wild. With grizzlies and wolves having disappeared long ago, cougars are the top predators in the local mountains. As such, it is extremely important that they survive here. Hogan sees Pirate’s ambassadorship as one way to inspire the public to help protect these magnificent animals. Despite his disabilities, Pirate works hard and purrs constantly, setting an example to both children and adults that disabilities don’t have to be limiting. Animals don’t laugh at each other and point fingers as we humans often do. Pirate, of course, can never live in the wild. And since mountain lion cubs stay with their mothers for two years in the wild, Pirate, now 11 months, still needs almost constant attention. Cougars can live up to 20 years in captivity, and even as an adult, Pirate will always require a little more attention than the other animals at Wildworks. However, Wildworks sees the relationship as a wonderful win-win situation. Pirate gets a safe, loving home filled with purpose and companionship, and the Nature of Wildworks gets a new way to open people’s eyes to wildlife causes. Tax-deductible donations to The Nature of Wildworks can be sent to: The Nature of Wildworks, P.O. Box 109, Topanga, CA 90290.
Palisadian Recipient Alon Sugarman Helps Celebrate Make-A-Wish Gala
Palisadian Alon Sugarman, 12, spoke at the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Greater Los Angeles annual awards and dinner gala on November 1 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Marina del Rey. The evening raised over $160,000 for the Los Angeles chapter, while also celebrating the chapter’s 20th anniversary. Two-time Emmy Award-winning actor Brad Garrett returned for a second year as master of ceremonies. Sugarman, a seventh grader at Paul Revere, spoke about his “wish trip” with his family to Orlando, Florida, in 2001. Alon was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma in his right leg when he was 6 years old. After three years of treatments, which included chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and two stem-cell transplants, he is now in his fourth year of remission. Alon shared how his trip to Orlando helped his recovery, and that he was accompanied by his parents, Barry and Lainie Sugarman, and his sister Lilah, now an 11th grader at Palisades High School. Alon also related how his favorite part of the trip was flying in a World War II fighter plane, gaining him 15 minutes credit towards a pilot’s license. Alon helped Brad Garrett with the evening’s raffle and he beamed when he pulled his own name for a trip to see the horse country in Lexington, Kentucky. His leg was saved with a special prosthetic femoral replacement done in England. Every two to three months, Alon visits the orthopedist who is able to to adjust the titanium bone a few millimeters with a wrench so that it can grow as Alon grows. Alon loves golfing at the Riviera Country Club driving range and will soon earn his brown belt in karate at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center. His parents started the Cure our Children Foundation in his honor. The Web site (cureourchildren.org) gets thousands of hits a month from families of children with life-threatening diseases. “We got so much support from the Palisades community during his illness-from Kehillat Israel where we’re members, the restaurants, stores, people offering to give blood,” said Lainie Sugarman. “The managers at Ralphs and Gelson’s allow him to use the motorized cart. A lot of love helped with that healing.” Make-a-Wish helps children with life-threatening diseases by granting the child’s special wish. Make-a-Wish of Greater Los Angeles can be reached at 788-6990. Alon Sugarman reminded everyone at the end of his speech that wishes do come true.
Bontecou Baffles & Beguiles
Art Review
To see the current Lee Bontecou exhibition at UCLA’s Hammer Museum is to enter a pleasingly mysterious, almost unknowable world. This artist’s vision-one so original it defies easy classification-is at turns heavy and brooding, lyrical and transcendent. The first galleries showcase the work that made Bontecou famous in the 1960s, when she was the only female among New York’s legendary art dealer Leo Castelli’s stable of artists. Powerful wall reliefs-framed like paintings, yet aggressively projecting into space as sculptures-were constructed by stretching canvas, found fabrics and other industrial materials over welded steel frameworks. The palette of these complex constructions is all sullen browns, greens and grays, with a recurring motif of black circular openings that can be interpreted as representing either a void or infinity. Indeed, the work suggests an otherworldliness, yet speaks to a darkness and melancholy known all too well in this world. Soot drawings from the ’60s, called “worldscapes” by the artist, also are on view and mesmerizingly capture an illusion of depth that is evocative of outer space. These works foreshadow the final gallery, where Bontecou’s art produced during the last 30 years-work completely unknown since the artist dropped out of the New York art scene at the height of her fame in the 70s-is unveiled. Before she retreated to a life of teaching at Brooklyn College and working at her studio in rural Pennsylvania, Bontecou last presented at Castelli Gallery a group of vaccuum-formed plastic works in the form of fish, plants and flowers. These works, strikingly different than her canvas sculptures, occupy the middle portion of the exhibition. Appearing at first to be almost whimsical, upon closer inspection the objects harbor a menacing, sinister quality. The giant, opaque fish, suspended from the ceiling, is depicted in the act of ingesting a smaller fish captured in its jagged teeth. The plants and flowers are colorless and droop with lifelessness, suggesting a natural world gone bad, and likely arising from the artist’s own ecological concerns. If this work is surprising, the art found in the last gallery, produced during Bontecou’s “missing” years, is truly jaw-dropping. The beautiful darkness of her early work has given way to a mystical lightness in the form of intricately-composed wire and porcelain sculptures that hang in space like puzzling new galaxies to be explored. This groundbreaking, wholly original work is best summed up by Bontecou herself, whose greatest preoccupation as an artist, according to curator Elizabeth A.T. Smith’s catalogue essay, is to encompass “as much of life as possible-no barriers-no boundaries-all freedom in every sense.” “Lee Bontecou: A Retrospective,” featuring approximately 70 sculptures and 80 drawings, continues at UCLA Hammer Museum through January 11. The show is curated by Elizabeth A.T. Smith, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago in association with Ann Philbin, director of the Hammer Museum. Contact: 443-7000 or www.hammer.ucla.edu.
Weddings
Judy Manaffa and Jim Squire Marry Judy Manaffa, daughter of Maxine Brooner of Fallbrook and Jim Squire, son of Betty Squire of Brentwood, were married by Reverend John Todd at Palisades Presbyterian Church on October 12. Following the afternoon ceremony, a dinner reception followed at their home in the Palisades. The bride attended Palisades High School and Loyola Marymount and works in investor relations at Point Center Financial. The bridegroom attended PaliHi and UCSB and is a contractor with Squire Painting. The couple dated in high school and became reacquainted at Palisades Presbyterian Church in 2001. The bride was given away by her sons, Max and Jack Manaffa, who also were ushers along with the bridegroom’s sons, Austin and Paul Squire. The couple enjoyed a wedding trip to Maui and will continue to live in the Palisades. Kristi Sullivan to Marry Kevin Derby Longtime Palisadian Sandy Derby is happy to announce the engagement of her son, Kevin Loyd Derby, to Kristi Anne Sullivan, daughter of Heather Sullivan of San Diego and Reed Sullivan, also of San Diego. Kevin’s father, Loyd Derby, lives in Mexico. The bride-to-be attended schools in San Diego and graduated from San Diego State University. She is a physical therapist working with the elderly in San Diego. The bridegroom attended St. Matthew’s Parish School and Loyola High School and graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in environmental conservation. He is now employed as an environmental biologist with EDAW in San Diego. The couple plan to marry in May 2004 in San Diego with Reverend Peter Kreitler, former associate rector of St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, officiating at the ceremony.
AYSO Region 69 Playoff Roundup
U-10 Boys The Black Licorice beat the Candy Canes to reach the quarterfinals of the playoffs December 14 on a goal by defenseman Garrett Lee, who scored on a shot from past the midifield stripe. It was Lee’s first goal of the season. After losing their first three games, the Black Licorice reached the championship game before losing to the No. 1 seed in three overtimes. U-10 Girls The Blue Flames won the championship Sunday, December 14, in the rain and mud at the VA field by defeating the Greyhounds, 4-0. Jenna Davis scored an unassisted goal in the sixth minute on a shot from 16 yards out. Carolyn Windler scored off of an assist from Davis six minutes into the third quarter just before Davis added another unassisted goal. In the fourth quarter, Kelly Bertrando notched her 16th goal of the season on an assist from Davis. The strong defensive line of Ellen Ray, Virginia James, Julia Robinson and Davis anchored the Blue Flames, who ended the season 11-3-1 after an 0-2 start. The team was also led by Sophie Binenfeld, Morgan Gruber, Caroline Branigan, Aidan Romick and Lexi Mohr. Windler, Romick, and Branigan led the Blue Flames in goal. The Blue Flames, coached by Chuck Davis and Amy Clendening, defeated the Red Devils, 2-0, on two late goals by Bertrando in a quarterfinal match Saturday. In the semifinal, Davis scored three goals and Bertrando netted one to lead the Flames to a 4-0 win over the Black Widows. The Greyhounds, coached by Nancy Babcock and Fred Kornfeind, won its quarterfinal and semifinal games in exciting double and triple sudden-death overtime games. Both the Blue Flames and Greyhounds will advance to the Area P playoffs in Culver City on January 10. U-12 Boys The Red Devils added the playoff championship to their title-winning season on a muddy Sunday afternoon at Paul Revere with a 5-1 victory over the Unknowns. Chester Lindley set the Devils going after a great through ball from the tireless Nick Rogers. Victor Moyano, the team’s elusive leader, added two goals before halftime. Tyler Coleman brought the Unknowns back into the game shortly after the break but further goals from Moyano and Aaron Schwartz sealed the win for the Devils, who were bolstered by strong defensive play from Alex Spire, Andrew Gigg, Zach Scott, Nick Keech and Ritchie Harrington. The Devils passed the ball superbly throughout the game, with telling midfield performances from David Pack, Troy Aden, Andrew Wong, and the irrepressible Lindley. Kevin McKenzie worked energetically in attack and Jesse Eagle lent support from his sickbed. Coaches Peter Rogers, Kevin McKenzie and David Eagle shouted themselves hoarse from the touchline. U-12 Girls The league champion Panthers ended their season with a third place finish in the post-season tournament. The Panthers prevailed on Saturday over the tough Tazmanian Devils in a game for the ages. The match was still tied 0-0 after quadruple overtime, the last period of which was played three-on-three. Keeper/midfielder Stephanie Black was the heroine of the day scoring on the Panthers’ sixth shot and stopping the Devils keeper’s penalty shot to clinch the victory after Panther Maria Svenson scored on the Panthers’ seventh kick. In a steady rain in Sunday’s semi-final, the Panthers again displayed their trademark tenacious defense (which allowed only three goals all year) led by sweeper Hannah Spitz, defenders Samantha Rosenbaum and Tara Robinson and keepers Emma Weinman, Black and the muddy, but unbeaten Taylor Bartholomew. Offensive leader Negin Mahmoudi, Alondra Barbosa Chelsea Lewis, Lauren Jones, Geena Angrisani, Shannon Lindee, and Svenson played all-out throughout the match, which was decided by a penalty kick late in the scoreless third period. Kristin Begakis converted the kick for the Orange Crush, propelling them into the championship game where they defeated the Incredible Hulkettes, 1-0, on a goal by Emma Gilhouly.
PaliHi Football Coach Resigns
Photo by Rich Schmitt, Staff Photographer
Palisades High head varsity football coach Jason Blatt resigned December 16, citing personal reasons. Blatt posted a 9-13 record and led the Dolphins to the City Invitational playoffs in each of his two seasons. Pali won only one game and finished last in the Western League in 2001, the year before Blatt arrived. “This was 100 percent my decision,” Blatt insisted. “In fact, the administration asked me to reconsider but I told them it was final.” Blatt, who got married last June, said he decided to quit coaching to devote more time to his family and his mortgage/financial service business in Beverly Hills. He was offered the head coaching job last season at Taft High in Woodland Hills, where he served for four years as defensive coordinator under former coach Troy Starr, but Blatt chose to remain at Palisades. “The proudest moment for me was beating Westchester that first year,” Blatt said. “It was a huge win for the program and especially for the seniors who had never beaten them before.” After opening the past season 2-0, Pali finished fifth in the Western League with a 4-6 overall record, then lost 21-13 to El Camino Real in the first round of the Invitational playoffs. In his first year, Blatt guided the Dolphins to a 5-5 regular season mark and the No. 2 seed in the Invitational playoffs, but Pali was upset by Jordan in the first round. “Palisades is a really unique school because you have kids from all over Los Angeles, not just the local community. I’m glad I coached there and I’m really going to miss all the players,” Blatt said. “But I think the program is moving in the right direction.” School officials are forming a committee to interview candidates for the vacant position but have yet to name Blatt’s replacement.
