Pali Teams Begin League Play

The Palisades High boys varsity basketball team began the season with the same goal it always has: make the City Championship playoffs. Of course, playing in the same league as Westchester and Fairfax makes that task all the more difficult, but coach James Paleno’s squad took its first two steps towards accomplishing that goal with victories in its first two Western League games. The Dolphins (9-7 overall, 2-0 in league) opened at home against Hamilton–a team they had easily defeated two weeks earlier in the Beverly Hills Tournament. Predictably, the rematch was much closer. Pali got off to a sluggish start but prevailed, 67-56. Pali then passed its first road test with a 77-57 win at University. Senior forward Marshall Johnson sparked a 24-7 third-quarter run with three consecutive baskets and finished with 17 points. Sophomore guard Taylor Shipley added 15 points and six assists. The Dolphins hosted Venice yesterday tied for first place (the result unavailable at press time). However, the upcoming schedule is much more difficult. Pali hosts national power Fairfax Friday night at 7 p.m. and hosts Westchester, another team ranked among the Top 10 in the state, next Wednesday at 4 p.m. Girls Basketball Ronda Crowley’s varsity squad split its first two league games, beating host Hamilton 45-33 last Wednesday and losing at home to University, 66-51, last Friday. Against the Yankees, Palisades built a 26-16 halftime lead and never relinquished it. Against the Wildcats, senior forward Megan Coulter led the way for the Dolphins (5-6, 1-1) with 18 points. Boys Soccer Despite outplaying its first three opposition for most of its first three league games, the PaliHi varsity team has but one win and two ties to show for its efforts. The Dolphins opened league with an impressive 3-1 win at Hamilton on January 10. Palisades tied Venice, 1-1, on Tuesday despite outshooting the host Gondos by a wide margin. Francesco Coco scored in the first half off of a throw-in by Henry Argueta. Venice got the equalizer when a loose ball went in off of a Pali defender. Playing its first night game of the season, Palisades tied University, 2-2, last Thursday at Stadium by the Sea. Osbaldo Garcia scored unassisted in the 22nd minute and the Dolphins led 1-0 at halftime. Uni tied the game in the 52nd minute. Henry Argueta gave Pali a 2-1 lead in the 77th minute off of an assist by Carlos Artega. Then, in injury time, moments before the final whistle, Uni scored to tie the game again. Palisades (2-5-2, 1-0-2) travels to Fairfax this afternoon. Girls Soccer The Dolphins (5-3-2, 2-0) have started off Western League play on the right foot, winning their first three games. Tonight at 7, Palisades’ varsity hosts Fairfax, also undefeated in league, with first place on the line. In its league opener last Tuesday night at Stadium by the Sea, Lucy Miller scored twice in a 3-1 victory over Hamilton–a game that was called with 15 minutes left when Pali’s Lauren Cutler suffered a deep gash just below her knee and had to be taken to St. John’s Hospital for stitches. Cutler was supposed to have the stitches removed yesterday and the Dolphins are hoping to have her back in the lineup in time for the playoffs. Miller’s first goal against the Yankees came on free kick from 23 yards out in the 16th minute. She scored again on a breakaway two minutes later. Kelly Mickel added a goal on a shot through the goalie’s legs just before halftime. Miller scored three more goals and Mickel and Sarah Palladino each added a goal in Palisades’ 5-0 shutout of host University last Thursday. Then, on Tuesday afternoon, Pali kept the ball on the Venice half of the field for 72 of the 80 minutes on its way to a 2-0 win. Miller and Samantha McCamey scored the goals.