PALISADES HIGH FOOTBALL PREVIEW
By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
Last fall, a season that began with promise ended in disappointment for the Palisades High varsity football team. Sure, it tied for second in the Western League and reached the City Section Division I playoffs for the second straight year, but players and coaches alike thought they were better than their 6-5 record showed.
Now the Dolphins have a clean slate, a blank page on which to write the latest chapter in the program’s history. The question is, what kind of legacy will they leave?
“I asked the team after practice Monday ‘What are you going to be remembered for?” Hyde said. “It’s all up to you.”
The season begins Friday night and although the future is unknown, one thing Hyde sees clearly is speed – all over the field.
“This is definitely the most speed top to bottom that we’ve had since I’ve been here,” he said. “Now, it’s all about playing hard-nosed football. We’re going to keep it really simple, play snap after snap and get after it.”
After four weeks of practice, Hyde and his staff think they’ve finally found where all the pieces to the puzzle fit.
“Literally, it’s probably been a week since we’ve solidified the O-line – who’s going from left to right, where the sixth and seventh guys are going to plug in where needed,” Hyde said. “We know we have four running backs that we can count on at any given moment and a collection of receivers where we know who is going to play left and right and our slot.”
Hyde describes his team as a “work in progress,” but believes this group of players has improved the most since the first day of camp.
“It’s been a wonderful month and we’re a better team today than we were a month ago,” Hyde said. “Now we’ve really got to up the ante and keep improving, keep taking those positive steps. We spent a couple weeks moving guys around, getting them in the right places and we think this is the group we can go to battle with.”
Scrimmaging El Camino Real last Friday gave the coaches a look at the team through a different lens.
“Anytime you get film it’s good and we’ve watched more film this camp than anywhere I’ve ever been,” Hyde said. “It’s great for this collection of kids to see the steps they’re taking each and every day and the improvement.”
The mantra heading into the first game is simple: play hard until the clock reads zero.
“We have an athletic team and and they play hard – at the end of the day it’s how hard you play for 48 minutes,” Hyde said. “You don’t have to be 6-foot-5, 275 pounds to be a great high school football player. You have to play with a lot of energy on both sides of the ball. Scores matter from here on out.”
OFFENSE
Last season, P.J. Hurst grew to become one of the top quarterbacks in the City Section, throwing for 2,220 yards and 23 touchdowns. Despite the graduation of his top four receivers, the Dolphins’ senior still has plenty of weapons – namely Pierre Kaku (a standout on JV last season), speedburner Ryan Ashmore, Chris Hooks, Justin Mason, Jake Taitelman and tight end Gersan Osorio.
The backfield is blessed with a bevy of talented runners, led by junior Innocent Okoh (brought up to varsity at midseason last fall), Stone Maderer, fullback Willy Rosenfeld and Nathan Grzesiak.
Charged with opening up holes and protecting the passers is an offensive line represented by Franklin Moran, Ari Sallus, Gage Stauff, Dennis Zavatski and Brandon Castro.
Other offensive linemen include Valentino Sterza and Caleb Robinson.
Backing up Hurst at quarterback are Gabe Galef and Jonah Manheim (last year’s JV starter) while Gus Cleveland, Christian Heard-Thompson and Jonathan Melendez will also play receiver.
DEFENSE
Palisades was susceptible to big plays in the secondary last season but two things evident from the ECR scrimmage were the Dolphins’ closing speed on deep routes and their lateral pursuit.
The catalysts will be All-City linebacker and University of Nevada commit Alec Simpson, who led the team with 115 tackles last season, and outside backer Marrio Lofton, second with 91 tackles a year ago. Also at linebacker are Joshua Garcia, Quinn Perry, Chris Arrue, Jason Martinez and Noah Bleakley.
Patroling the secondary will be cornerbacks Aaron Butler, Oscar Romero, Donald Cook and Jeremy Chambers. Galef will also play free safety along with Eddie Burd and Kaelynn Lamothe will be the strong safety.
The defensive front will consist of Rosenfeld, Perry, Ethan Lewis and Jimmy Reyes, along with Daniel Grzesiak, Valentino Flores, Edmund Cook, Llywen St. John, David Gran, Nathan Campos and Syr Riley.
SPECIAL TEAMS
The Dolphins were fortunate to have All-City punter/kicker Ethan Erickson last season. Now he’s a walk-on at Cal, but filling his shoes punting will be Perry. Garcia, Taitelman and Osorio will share the placekicking duties, with Simpson and Galef available as capable long snappers.
SCHEDULE
By the time the bye week rolls around in Week 2, the Dolphins will have a good idea where they stand. After opening at Sierra Canyon tomorrow the Dolphins return home to play City Division II finalist Sylmar next Thursday.
After that are three contests against San Fernando Valley schools. First is a home matchup with Canoga Park, which has lost to the Dolphins the last two years, then comes a road game versus Granada Hills in the schools’ annual Charter Bowl. After wrapping up nonleague play at Chatsworth the Dolphins open league play at home against Venice. In Week 8, Palisades hosts reigning league champion Hamilton and the season finale is home against Westchester.
JUNIOR VARSITY
With last year’s starting quarterback, leading rusher and top receiver now all up on varsity, head coach Ray Marsden doesn’t expect the Dolphins to be nearly as explosive on offense.
“You’re not going to be seeing any fireworks shows like last year,” Marsden said. “The chance of us scoring 30 points will depend on how bad the other team is. Mark my words, we’re going to win a game 6-0 this year. All of them are going to be close, within one or two touchdowns.”
Noah Karp, last year’s freshman MVP, is the projected starter at quarterback and linebacker. Jared Dodson and Rayne Camden are competing for the backup quarterback spot, leading the receiving corps is Chris Howard and Devin Frye and Kai Henneberg will get the bulk of the carries at running back.
On defense, Karp had an interception in the ECR scrimmage and will anchor a unit consisting of defensive back Alex Vaupen and linebacker Dakota Hamilton.
“We only have one returning offensive lineman and he wasn’t a starter,” Marsden said. “The defensive line is our weak spot right now but the things that are broken we can fix.”
Marsden called this week’s extra bye a blessing in disguise.
“The offense will be more predictable,” he said. “My preference is to be 50-50 run/pass but realistically it’ll be more like 80-20 this year. The goal for inside runs will be to get three or four yards, the goal for middle runs will be four to five yards and the goal for outside runs is five to six yards. If we can do that — if we can stay out of second-and-long and third-and-long situations, it’ll open up the passing game a little.”
This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.