Royal Flush

Dolphins Dominate El Camino Real 35-18 in Woodland Hills and Improve Nonleague Record to 4-0

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Offense? Check. Defense? Check. Special teams? Check. The Palisades High varsity football team excelled in all three phases last Friday night in Woodland Hills and the result was a decisive 35-18 victory over El Camino Real that kept the Dolphins on track for a City Open Division playoff berth.

Palisades’ first five drives all ended in touchdowns and by the time  Coach Dylen Smith began taking out his starters midway through the fourth quarter the Dolphins had a 25-point lead and were well on their way to win No. 4 in their quest to finish the 10-game regular season undefeated.   

Jack Thomas had another efficient game at quarterback, completing 13 of 16 passes for 310 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran for a one-yard touchdown on a busted play to make it 28-7 with four minutes left in the second quarter. So far this season Thomas has thrown for 1,304 yuards and 17 touchdowns without an interception.

Malachi Ross gave the visitors a lead they would not relinquish on a 12-yard touchdown catch two and a half minutes into the contest. After the Royals (2-3) turned the ball over on downs at Palisades’ 43-yard line it took the Dolphins four plays to get back in the end zone. Harrison Carter’s two-yard run doubled the lead but on its next possession El Camino Real drove all the way to the Dolphins’ 7 before again being turned away after heavy pressure forced three incomplete passes.

Thomas went to the air immediately, launching a spiral 40 yards    downfield. At the other end, two Royals defenders collided and fell to the turf while trying to cover King Demethris, who had only to catch the ball and race the rest of the way untouched for a 93-yard touchdown, his seventh—and easiest—of the year.

Gabriel Varga’s five-yard quarterback keeper got the home team on the scoreboard but Palisades ballooned the lead back to 21 points on Thomas’ scamper to the pylon. Oree Sabag booted a 37-yard field goal as the clock ran out to pull ECR within 18 points at halftime.

After Palisades’ defense forced a three-and-out to begin the second half, the offense needed six plays to score its last touchdown. Carter  capped the drive with a six-yard catch. Handling the kicking duties for a second straight week, Carter Schwartz was five-for-five on extra points.

Shane Bogacz ran for a seven-yard touchdown with 1:31 left to make the final score closer, but it was too little, too late for the Royals.

Linebacker Enzo Allen had 11 tackles (three for losses) and a pass deflection, end Augie Evans had 11 tackles, a sack and a pass deflection and cornerback Noah Le Chang broke up three passes in the secondary.

Palisades travels to San Pedro to take on Mary Star of the Sea in its final nonleague game Friday at 7 p.m. The JV game is today at 4.