As we embark on yet another exciting year of sports in Pacific Palisades there are so many memorable plays, frantic finishes, record-breaking achievements and storybook endings to look forward to. Before we do, however, let’s take a trip down memory lane to relive some of the best sports moments from the last 12 months. Here’s a countdown of the Palisadian-Post’s Top 10 sports stories in 2015…
10. Tonny Okello Repeats at Will Rogers Race
Before leaving the Palisades Recreation Center with his first-place medal after the previous year’s Palisades-Will Rogers 10K, Tonny Okello vowed to come back to defend his title in 2015. On the Fourth of July, the 31-year-old Ugandan made good on his promise, winning in 32 minutes, 55 seconds to become only the fourth male in the race’s 38-year history to repeat and the first since Kevin Koeper won it back-to-back in 2005-06. Okello first visited the Palisades in November 2013 when he was invited to run at Will Rogers State Historic Park during the filming of the movie “McFarland” starring Kevin Costner. The 5K men’s race was won by former Palisades High cross track runner Drake Johnston in 15:56 and eight-time winner Peter Gilmore was fourth overall in his hometown race in 16:55. The women’s 5K winner was All-West Coast Conference runner Grace Zamudio from Loyola Marymount University (whose time of 18:36 was the fastest by a female winner since 2011) and the women’s 10K champion was 48-year-old Susanne McNeil-Eng, who trains with Track Club LA. She won in 40:33 after finishing second in 2014. Palisadian John Holcomb, 61, finished first in his age division in 19:32, boxing great Sugar Ray Leonard, the Palisades’ former Honorary Mayor, finished in 46:47.
9. Pali High Runners Sweep City Finals
The big question for the Palisades High girls cross country team in the fall was how the Dolphins would fare without City finals record holder and three-time champion Marissa Williams, who graduated the previous spring. The answer? Just fine. The girls won their third straight section title by a comfortable 29 points over San Pedro and the boys topped Santee by five points in the finals at Pierce College for their first City crown since 2011. For the first time, head coach Bob Macias got to take both varsity teams to the CIF state meet at Woodward Park in Fresno. Brittany Darrow was seventh overall for the girls with a time of 19:44.39, Emma Ulfvengren was eighth in 19:45.18 and Kimia Samandi was 10th in 19:48.02. Jakob Pollack was fifth overall for the boys in 15:39.30, Brent Smith was sixth in 15:39.60 and Ben Hamer was eighth in 15:46.42. The frosh/soph girls also took first place with 55 points, paced by 10th-graders Lulu Takei (eighth in 22:08.58) and Zoe Camporaso (ninth in 22:19.18) and junior Ariel Pollack won the junior varsity girls race in 21:03.96. At the state finals a week later, the boys finished 16th with 415 points and the girls were 22nd with 610 points.
8. Cubs, Red Sox & Cards Win PPBA
The Pacific Palisades Baseball Association season culminated with three exciting finals matchups. In the Pinto Division, the Cubs swept the Dodgers. In the Mustang Division, Brendan Gardner singled to left field to drive in Jackson Bentley in extra innings as the Red Sox edged the Dodgers 13-12 to avoid a second and deciding game. In the Bronco Division, the Cardinals reversed three regular season losses by defeating the Dodgers 15-8 and 18-1 in the championship series, giving Joe Collins his first PPBA championship as a head coach. It was quite a remarkable season for the Dodgers, who advanced to the finals at the Field of Dreams in all three age divisions.
7. Football Ties for First in League
Following a demoralizing loss to Venice in its Western League opener, the Palisades High varsity football team appeared to be out of postseason contention. However, coach Tim Hyde rallied his squad to four straight wins and a share of its first league title in 28 years. Palisades started its streak against University, then beat Hamilton, Fairfax and Westchester. Led by All-City quarterback P.J. Hurst, the Dolphins almost upset second-seeded Birmingham in the first round of the City playoffs, losing 26-21 to finish 6-5. It marked Palisades’ fourth straight Division I postseason trip. Coach Ray Marsden’s junior varsity team went 8-1 and repeated as league champion with most of its starters playing both ways.
6. Mike Voelkel Returns as Baseball Coach
In January, head coach Mike Voelkel and his staff (varsity assistants Lee Sugich and Steve Heineman and junior varsity coaches Mike Winger and Will Gumm, all officially returned to the Palisades High baseball program after having resigned before winter break when Voelkel was told by athletic officials that he had to reinstate a player who was removed for violating the team’s code of conduct policy. A public meeting was held in Gilbert Hall, after which the school’s board of trustees released a statement supporting Voelkel’s right to enforce the conduct rules, which are stipulated in a contract signed by the players. Among the nearly 80 people at the meeting were a number of Pali High baseball players and parents who spoke on behalf of Voelkel, who was entering his eighth season. The father of the player who was removed also spoke, asking for fairness in application of the team conduct policy. The Palisadian-Post confirmed through multiple sources that several months before the varsity player had been disciplined for violating team rules on alcohol. In the spring, the Dolphins’ varsity team was runner up in the Western League and qualified for the City Division I playoffs, where it shut out Sylmar 2-0 in the wildcard round and lost to second-seeded Chatsworth 7-2 in the first round to finish 16-14.
5. Danielle Collins Takes Riviera Title
The temperatures on court were sweltering at Riviera for the ITA Women’s All-American Tennis Championships in October, but not nearly as hot as University of Virginia senior Danielle Collins, who did not drop a set in five matches on her way to capturing the singles crown for her second national title of the season. The 2014 NCAA singles champion beat Miami’s Sinead Lohan 6-1, 6-2 in the final to become the first Cavaliers player to win the WAATC in the event’s 33-year history. Cal’s Maegan Manasse and Denise Starr became the third Golden Bears duo to win the doubles crown, defeating North Carolina’s Hayley Carter and Whitney Kay 6-1, 6-4 in the final.
4. Pali High Tennis Nets Triple Crown
Coach Bud Kling enjoyed a triumphant return to the Palisades High girls tennis program, piloting the top-seeded Dolphins to a rare sweep of the City team, singles and doubles championships. Palisades won its third straight team title and record 23rd overall with a 6-1 finals victory over Granada Hills. At the City Individual Tournament in Encino, sophomore Caroline Vincent won the singles title with a 6-3, 6-0 finals triumph over teammate Calypso Peraticos and senior captains Madeline Prins and Lizzie Belokonnyi earned their second straight doubles title with a 2-6, 6-4, 6-3 win against fellow Dolphins Morgan Swan and Abby Schleichkorn. Caroline Goldberg took third place in singles and Sophia and Ireland Amato took third in doubles as Palisades completed its first triple crown since 1997.
3. James Hahn Prevails in Northern Trust Playoff
What a difference one shot can make. In February, James Hahn went from being an unknown to a rising star in the world of professional golf after sinking a 25-foot putt on the third playoff hole to win a rainy Northern Trust Open. Hahn finished 72 holes tied atop the leaderboard with Dustin Johnson and Paul Casey. All three parred the first playoff hole at Riviera Country Club’s famed 18th green but Casey was eliminated on the second when he missed a putt at No. 10. It was the first PGA Tour victory for the 33-year-old Hahn, who displayed nerves of steel on No. 14, rolling in his second shot and breathing a sigh of relief when Johnson missed a putt that would have extended the playoff. Johnson nearly won in regulation but misread a birdie try from just inside 10 feet at No. 18. Casey, meanwhile, closed with a 68 to earn his spot in the playoff. As usual, Riviera’s narrow fairways got the better of the field. Blayne Barber posted the lowest round of the week – a bogey-free, 6-under 65 Sunday that left him in a tie for 12th place. Johnson had to settle for the runner-up check for the second time in a row at Riviera, having lost by two strokes to Bubba Watson the previous year. The playoff was the 19th in the 89-year history of the tournament and the eighth since 1998.
2. Pali High Wrestling Coach Dies
The death of 30-year-old Palisades High wrestling coach Randy Aguirre after his eight-month battle with brain cancer sent shockwaves through the community in January, but his team did Aguirre proud by placing second at City finals — its highest finish ever — and three Dolphins qualified for the state meet. Aguirre’s courageous fight inspired Pali High teachers, faculty members and coaches, many of whom attended his funeral service in Covina. Aguirre’s legacy lives on through the efforts of new head coach Steve Cifonelli and assistant coach Aldo Juliano, who renovated the on-campus practice facility and named it “Randy’s Room” in honor of the man who started the Pali High program in 2011.
1. Pali High Girls Basketball Shoots to City Title
The basketball season is a marathon not a sprint, and Palisades High girls coach Torino Johnson wisely did not panic when his team started 3-10. He knew early injuries and a tough schedule would toughen the Dolphins up for the playoffs and indeed they peaked at the right time, reeling off 20 straight victories on their way to capturing the City Section’s inaugural Open Division championship with a 60-56 victory over Narbonne in the final at Cal State Dominguez Hills. It was Palisades’ first upper division title since 1999 and the program’s third City title under Johnson, who earned Coach of the Year honors. The Dolphins then advanced to the Southern California regional playoffs, falling to eventual state runner-up Mater Dei, and finished their historic campaign with a 23-11 record. Boasting one of the toughest nonleague schedules in the state, Palisades won the Fairfax Tournament in early January, then rolled through the Western League slate unblemished before beating El Camino Real and Fairfax in the first two rounds of the playoffs. The second-seeded Dolphins took a nine-point lead into the fourth quarter against Narbonne and withstood a furious rally in the final minutes by the top-seeded Gauchos. Forward Bianca King and guards Kayla Merrill-Gillett and Chelsey Gipson made the All-City team.
— Steve Galluzzo
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