Pali High Senior Athletes Honored

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

A number of Palisades High athletes were recognized for their contributions to their teams during a virtual Senior Awards presentation last Thursday put together by Head College Advisor Karen Ellis and other Pali High staff members.

Winning the Post Cup Award, given to the school’s outstanding senior athletes ever since the campus opened in 1961, were football captain Sy Riley and basketball players Jane Nwaba and Graham Alphson (see story on Page 5).

The James A. Mercer Scholar-Athlete Award, a scholarship in the amount of $1,000 for a student with an excellent scholastic record who has excelled in service and leadership and played at least two sports, went to MIT-bound cross country and track standout Sarah Bentley, a two-time City Section 3200-meter champion. The scholarship is named after Mercer, Pali High’s principal from 1970-1982.

Girls tennis captain Sophia Arvin and football lineman Erwin Barillas were awarded Palisades Rotary Leader/Athletic Scholarships ($250 each) given to student-athletes demonstrating leadership, service to the community, good academics and citizenship.

The Rose Gilbert All-Around Achievement Scholarship in the amount of $1,000, given to an athlete with a high academic record who demonstrates school spirit and is a top performer in his or her sport, was awarded to swimmer Quincy Timmerman.

The Rose Gilbert Woman Scholar-Athlete Award, a $1,000  scholarship given to a female student who is a strong academic and a top athlete, went to Stanford-bound Ava Kerkorian, who captained Palisades’ girls soccer team to the City Division I final.

Receiving Pali High Booster Club Exceptional Scholar-Athlete Awards (scholarships worth $250 each) were Caroline Bremner (girls soccer), Emily Bunnapradist (swimming and water polo), Annie Eckert (girls volleyball), Oliver Grant (boys water polo), Caroline Kedeshian (girls volleyball), Christopher Pedersen (swimming), Miles Kirshner (baseball), Colton Peffer (boys soccer), Anthony Spencer (boys basketball), Sweta Tummala (swimming), Isabella Venus (girls soccer), Stone Werner (boys volleyball) and Lillia Weissmuller (girls golf).

The Travis DeZarn Memorial Scholarship for Lacrosse (in honor of a former Pali High graduate and lacrosse player) was awarded to Dolphins co-captain Reicher Bergstein.