Photos by Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
Pali High Football Tops Westchester to Finish Regular Season Undefeated
BY STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
The best play of the night was drawn up during the closing moments of last Friday’s Western League football finale. Palisades High linebacker and captain Jack Babala helped diagram the scheme to douse offensive coordinator Rocky Montz with a bucket of ice water as the clock reached zero and, though it required a last-second audible to distract the wary coach, the Dolphins finally drenched him in celebration of a 41-14 win at Westchester and their first unblemished regular season in 45 years.
A thick fog rolled in at halftime with the score 31-6. By the game’s end the field was shrouded in mist and players could barely be seen from the sideline, but the Dolphins had made it crystal clear that they are among the best teams in the City Section and one of the most complete squads in school history.
Rich Schmitt/Staff Photographer
“The last time we played them [in the spring] it was a wild affair and perhaps the kids underestimated them because we started off really slow,” first-year head coach Chris Hyduke said. “Our guys took a couple hits in the mouth, then knuckled down and took care of business.”
Tailback Daniel Anoh carried eight times for 43 yards and sat out the second half after being kept out of the end zone for the first time this fall. He finished the regular season with 1,276 yards and 19 touchdowns—the most rushing yards by a Palisades player since Innocent Okoh set the school record with 1,579 five years ago. Anoh is averaging a program-best 11.8 yards per carry.
Palisades has not trailed in a game all season but the Comets nearly changed that on their first drive when receiver Curtis Moss was ruled out of bounds in the back of the end zone on fourth down. Having dodged a bullet the Dolphins proceeded to march 87 yards in 14 plays, scoring on a 20-yard touchdown pass from Sammy Silvia to Moses Ross, who added a 15-yard scoring grab in the second quarter, upping his season totals to 992 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns.
Silvia has completed 79 of his 137 attempts (a .577 percentage) for 1,371 yards, 19 touchdowns and only two interceptions. He hooked up with Kwazi Estes for a 42-yard scoring pass in the second quarter and added an 83-yard strike to Josh Russell in the fourth quarter.
Johnny Babala and Victor Mindel led the defense with six tackles apiece and linebacker Toby Manheim added five, giving him a team-best 66 this fall. Ricardo Abrego and Trinity Camden each recorded a sack and Amari Yolas returned a fumble 53 yards for a touchdown. Palisades has given up 94 points in 10 games—six off the school record of 88 points allowed set in 2018.
The current 13-game winning streak, which includes the last three games in the spring, is the longest in school history. The only other time Palisades finished the regular season undefeated was in 1976 when it reeled off 11 straight wins before losing in the City 4A semifinals.
Having achieved their first goal by winning the Western League title, the Dolphins now set their sights on the playoffs. Seeded third in the eight-team Open Division they will host No. 6 South Gate in the quarterfinals Nov. 12.
Junior Varsity
Trailing at halftime, the Dolphins battled back to take the lead on two quarterback sneaks by Brett Federman and settled for a 14-14 tie with Banning last Thursday at Stadium by the Sea.
“This is the most resilient bunch I’ve had—because they’ve had to be,” Coach Ray Marsden said. “They have heart.” Palisades finished 7-1-1.
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