Road Warriors

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The concerns for Palisades High head football coach Chris Hyduke and offensive coordinator Rocky Montz heading into their team’s first road trip last Friday were how the Dolphins would handle a long bus ride, oppressive heat and the poor lighting and natural grass field at Reseda.

Check those off the list. Thanks to three more touchdowns by Daniel Anoh and a relentless defense that disrupted numerous plays and even forced a safety, Palisades kept its perfect record intact with a 33-14 triumph over a Regents team that won the City Division I title and reached the CIF state Division 5-A bowl game two years ago.

With each win, the Dolphins (4-0) climb higher in the City rankings and closer to a berth in the Open Division playoffs, reserved for the section’s top eight teams at the end of the regular season.

Anoh broke the ice with a seven-yard run up the middle with 7:25 left in the second quarter but Reseda answered with an 80-yard drive to tie it 7-7 and that remained the score at halftime.   

Palisades regained the lead on its first possession of the third quarter when Dylan Hassid connected with Eli Ghodooshim on a 40-yard touchdown pass play. Anoh broke free for a 75-yard touchdown run to make it 21-7. A snap over the punter’s head and out the back of Reseda’s end zone added two more points and a 22-yard field goal made it 26-7.

Reseda (0-2) crept closer on a 25-yard pass halfway through the fourth quarter, but Anoh’s eight-yard touchdown catch from backup Sammy Silvia sealed the win.

Palisades has a bye before traveling to Brentwood for the “Sunset Showdown” on September 25.