Pali High Football Schedule Set

By STEVE GALLUZZO  | Sports Editor

Excitement is in the air as the Palisades Charter High School football program begins preparation for the 2023 season. Having advanced to the City Division I finals last fall, the Dolphins are anxious to prove it was no fluke.

First-year coach Dylen Smith has scheduled five strong nonleague games to get the Dolphins ready for fierce action in the Western League, where they were second behind Venice in 2022.

Before that, though, is a passing tournament July 8 at Culver City, seven-on-seven scrimmages with Verbum Dei (July 12) and St. Monica (July 19), and a full-pads scrimmage against reigning City Open Division champion Birmingham on August 10.

Summer training for new and returning players starts June 26. Practice officially begins July 24.

As it did one year ago, Palisades will kick off the season against El Camino Real, which it beat 35-19 at Stadium by the Sea last August. This time, the Dolphins will be traveling to Woodland Hills on Friday, August 18 (JV at 4 p.m. followed by varsity at 7 p.m.).

Palisades returns home the following Friday, August 25, to host Roosevelt, which was second in the Eastern League and earned the No. 6 seed in the Open Division last season. The Dolphins host Granada Hills in the Charter Bowl on August 31 with hopes of avenging their 44-7 loss in the Division I championship game November 26.

On September 8, the Dolphins play their third straight home game when they take on St. Genevieve in their annual Football Fest. Palisades held off the Valiants 34-21 in the rain at Valley College last year. Once again, JV will start at 4 p.m.; varsity at 7 p.m. Palisades has a bye in Week 4 (September 15).

On Saturday, September 23, Palisades heads up the road to Brentwood for its intersectional “Sunset Showdown,” which is tied 2-2 after the Eagles’ 28-21 road victory last year. The JV game kicks off at 10 a.m., varsity at 7 p.m.) and Smith will pilot the Dolphins against the school at which he served as an assistant coach for nine years prior to taking the Palisades job.

League play opens the following week at Hamilton. The JV game is at 3 p.m. Thursday, September 28, and the varsity game kicks off at the same time the next day. Palisades routed the Yankees 40-6 last fall. Week 7 (October 6) is homecoming and the Dolphins take on Fairfax (JV at 4 p.m.; varsity at 7:30 p.m.). The next two games are on the road (October 13 at Westchester and October 20 at Venice).

In its regular season finale, Palisades will host University for Senior Night on October 27 (JV at 4 p.m.; varsity at 7:30 p.m.).

Smith became the 13th head coach in program history in February, replacing Chris Hyduke, who posted a 21-5 record in two seasons.