Photo by Steve Galluzzo
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
For years now, the South East Winter Classic has served as an early season barometer for Palisades Charter High School’s boys varsity soccer squad—and it will once again as the Dolphins open pool play in the 16-team tournament at 8 a.m. Thursday, December 28, against Animo Robinson at Hawkins High in LA.
Their second game is that afternoon (kickoff at 1:50 p.m.) against Bravo and on Friday, December 29, Palisades wraps up pool play versus Hawkins at 10:20 a.m. Elimination rounds start that afternoon, followed by the semifinals and finals Saturday, December 30.
The Dolphins are off to a 3-1-2 start under coach and former player Marvin Lemus. They improved to 2-0-2 in the Western League with a 17-0 rout of Westchester on December 8 in which 10 different players scored.
Senior Jayce Jones leads the way with five goals, while Jesse Altaminaro has four goals and five assists, and Hudson Weinberger and Sonny Gethin have each scored three goals. Max Dorband and fellow goalkeeper Adrain Rincon have combined to allow only five balls in the net.
At the 2021-22 Winter Classic, Palisades went 3-0 in pool play before falling to Birmingham 4-1. In 2018-19 and 2019-20 the Dolphins went 2-1 in pool play.
In 2017-18, they lost in the semifinals to Sotomayor; in 2016-17 they went undefeated in pool play; and in 2015-16 they lost to Granada Hills in a shootout in the championship game, a loss they avenged in the City Division I final two months later.
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