By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The Palisades High JV football team had the spotlight all to itself last Friday afternoon in Woodland Hills  and, with the temperature hovering near 100 degrees,  the Dolphins brought the heat to Taft.   

Determined to kick off coach Reynaldo Padilla’s tenure with a victory, Palisades played inspired, hard-nosed football for 40 minutes to emerge with a 13-7 triumph and did jumping jacks for their loyal fans watching from the bleachers.

Sure, the Dolphins were guilty of “first-game jitters” and made a few mistakes but the overall effort    was an encouraging sign given the limited practice time players have had combined with their inexperience (26 of 49 players on the roster are freshmen).

“I’ve never longer and harder to get ready for a game than I did this week,” Padilla said afterward. “I’m going to sleep well tonight.”     

The contest got pushed back one hour while the artificial turf field was watered down, quarters were reduced to 10 minutes and the officials kept the clock moving as Taft’s varsity was hosting Nordhoff that evening and the teams needed time to warm up. When it finally got underway the visitors made the first big play when Noah Le Chang recovered a fumble at the Toreadors’ 48. Two plays later Taft recovered a fumble and it led to the first points of the game on a quarterback run in the first quarter.

Palisades started the ensuing drive at its 43 and quickly moved into Taft territory on a pass from quarterback Zane Shakarian to receiver Jessee Wolfson. Randy Garcia-Lopez ran for a short gain, then Shakarian spotted Wolfson streaking alone down the sideline and hit him in stride. Wolfson was dragged down from behind but not before he stretched the ball over the goal line to score the Dolphins’ first touchdown of the year.
Andrew Van Cleve kicked the extra point to level it 7-7 early in the second quarter.

Xzavior Stultz caught the second-half kickoff at the 15, weaved   through several tacklers and broke to the outside where he outran the Taft safety to the end zone for the go-ahead score but the extra point    try was no good.

“He didn’t kick it far so I attacked, found the gaps and took it all the way,” said Stultz, a junior receiver and cornerback who also  returned punts and kicks. “I just used my natural speed and talent.”

On Taft’s next play the snap was bad and linebacker Hudson Roth pounced on the ball. An interception gave Taft possession at its 29, but on fourth down L.J. Stephens shoved the quarterback out of bounds short of the sticks and Palisades ran out the clock.     

Palisades’ JV travels to Studio City today to face Harvard-Westlake at 4 p.m. followed by the varsity’s season opener at 7.

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

It has been five years since the Palisades High girls volleyball team has won the City Section championship. That is not a long drought for most programs, but for one with the storied history of Palisades, it is an eternity.      

The Dolphins have 30 section titles to their credit—far more than any other City school—and this could be the year they add to that total. They did not a drop set in their first three matches against Malibu, Eagle Rock and Crescenta Valley, the last being significant in that it avenged a pair of losses to the Falcons last year, the first in nonleague play and the second in a tournament. Palisades faces off against archrival Venice today in the first of two meetings that will likely decide the Western League champion. Venice swept the season series last season on its way to the Open Division final, where it lost to Taft in a five-set thriller.

The team has been practicing at Brentwood and will play its matches on the road until sports are allowed back on the Pali High campus, but coach Carlos Gray is more concerned with how his team plays than where.   Hazel Irving gradiated and fellow All-City selection Annie Refnes transferred to Venice to play flag football. Two other players also transferred out while another who would have  moved up from JV to varsity relocated, but the  Dolphins do have two All-City players returning in outside hitter Tulah Block and libero Lucy Neilson, who will serve as co-captains.

Palisades won the 2020 City title, though the season was postponed until the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In addition to Venice, Gray sees Chatsworth as “much improved” and a contender. Reigning champion Taft graduated most of its starters. Rounding out Palisasdes’ lineup are senior defensive specialist Isla Moran, senior opposite hitters Nyla Grey, Izzy Drake and Casey Wolfson, junior defensive specialist Stella Falnnery, sophomore opposite hitter Ella Shepela, junior setters Christie Turner and Lila Barajas, sophomore defensive specialist Phoebe Messiha, junior middle blockers Maylia Harnick, Lila Hargrave and  Ashlynn Sells, senior middle blockers Margot Madeira and Kat Waterbury.

“We’re working very hard on our passing and consistency and we’re pushing ourselves,” Sells said. “One thing we want to do is maintain our concentration through the whole match and not  play down to another team’s level.”        

Second Annual Bocce Tournament Set for Sept. 20 at Simon Meadow

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

After the Palisades Fire in January, the second annual Hollywood Cup Bocce Ball Invitational seemed in jeopardy.

“When the fire hit, I instantly felt there was no way I’d be hosting the tournament this year,” Memo Macalpin confessed. “My thoughts were more with the Palisadians and seeing in what other way I could help within the community to get moving forward.”

Then, YMCA Executive Director Jim Kirtley and Board Chairwoman Tracey Price stepped in and offered up Simon Meadow, the seven-acre oasis that has hosted so many town events over the years,  while Macalpin figured out the future of the tournament that he founded last August—one year after capturing gold at the U.S. Bocce Federation National Championships near Chicago.

“Tracey had been restoring Simon Meadow as soon as she had access after the fires,” he added. “You drive through the Palisades today and see the aftermath, but then you get to Simon Meadow and you walk into one of the most pristine places I’ve ever seen. It’s absolutely stunning—all thanks to Tracey. I’m normally the one wanting to help, but this time my YMCA family came to my rescue and now the show will go on and the tournament will be held Saturday, September 20.

What a show it will be. Macalpin did not merely build out a tournament, he built out an experience, and his friends and professional connections all rallied together to jump in and assist.

The event setup/take-down and tournament bracket management will all be taken care of by a private conglomerate that wishes to remain anonymous.

“They just want to be good citizens and they’re neighbors of ours… they told me they’d come to set up right at sunrise and take down at sunset to remain quietly behind the scenes” Macalpin said. “They have a sports division that’s one of the best in the country. “I was so touched, that’s a gesture to the success of this company. They set the tone of pure leadership and caring.”

Cassidy Athletics will set up mobile bocce courts on the meadow,  similar to what Palisadians have been playing on in Santa Monica in the Palisades Bocce Club current Summer League.

Daryl-Ann Denner, founder and owner of her small business that is no longer very small, a $100 million per year company called “Nuuds,” is donating $300 gift bags to every female athlete participating in the tournament.

DIVI founders Dani and Jordan Austin are donating shampoo and conditioner products to all athletes. Lollapalooza merchandiser, “Madd Merch” jumped in and is providing a special edition Pacific Palisades t-shirt souvenir to all athletes.

Local business owner Robert Flutie of “Flour Pizzeria and Cafe” will once again be the title sponsor of the tournament and will build out a pop-up pizzeria for all athletes on the meadow, which will include a lounge with international DJ Doug Knox spinning tunes all day.

Two giant trophy cups lived at Flour Pizzeria when the fire struck. Manfred Jossel of Awards Plus LA has designed a new cup, and has made it even bigger than it already was. His design inspiration was the Stanley Cup and he cannot wait to unveil it on tournament day.

In baseball, there is the ceremonial first pitch. In Bocce, there is the ceremonial first pallino roll and this year’s honorees are all community leaders uniting to kick off the tournament in the spirit of the Palisades community. Price and Kirtley will be joined by Jasmine Dowlatshahi, Senior Director of Palisades Recreation Center, and Palisades Bocce Club founder Jimmy Dunne.

The teams playing in this year’s event are the defending champion Bayside Rollers, Marina Mavericks, Raffa and Roll, Downey Bocce Club, Slays, Bocceros, Kiss My Bocce, Rip Tide,  Les Coqs, Pali Partyin’ Pallinos, Roll Models and this year’s celebrity team Tik Toss Stars will be led by Forbes Top 50 most powerful and richest creators, celebrity chef My Nguyen, DreaKnowsBest, and two more surprise celebrities round out this year’s all-female squad.

“That’s just some of what we’ve got planned… my phone’s still ringing,” Macalpin said. “Last year I set out to run one of the best tourneys in the country and that was accomplished. This year I want to run this tournament better than the Bocce National Championships. My playing at the National Championships didn’t happen this year as USA Bocce canceled the event due to shaky leadership and logistics. Now I get to offer up the next best thing and give the Palisades community a little bit of healing in the process through the power of sport, our community’s love of bocce ball, and one unforgettable experience.”

Jason Brock, Star of “The X Factor” will sing the National Anthem “a capella” at 9:30 a.m. and the public is invited to stop by in the morning to watch the opening ceremonies. Parking is available on Via de la Paz, a short walk from Simon Meadow.

The inaugural Hollywood Cup took place last August at Veterans Gardens and 12 teams, divided into two groups of six, battled it out for the championship. In the end the Bayside Rollers emerged as the gold medalists after their spirited victory over Bocce Ball Stars in the finals. Dunne presented the foursome of Carlyn Peterson,  Nancy Gillette, Diane Tallant and Diane Holt with the trophy. Taking the bronze was Crem de La Bocce. Macalpin coached Team Flour and although it did not advance to the playoffs, team member Savanah Moss was named the Tournament MVP.