Yard Marks

Palisades High Football Team Seeks to Build Off Last Year’s Historic Season

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Palisades High football coach Chris Hyduke did not mince words while addressing his team after last Thursday’s scrimmage against reigning City Section champion Birmimgham in scorching heat in Lake Balboa.

“We have too many chiefs and not enough indians,” he stated bluntly. “That needs to change by this time next week.”

The Dolphins host El Camino Real in their season opener Friday night at Stadium by the Sea and the biggest concern for the coaching staff is the team’s inexperience. After all, 32 players graduated from last year’s 11-win team (including Western League Player of the Year and Post Cup winner Daniel Anoh) and a few more transferred to other schools, like quarterback Sammy Silvia (who threw for nearly 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns) and middle linebacker Toby Manheim (an All-City First-Teamer who led Palisades with 76 tackles). Only three starters return on either side of the ball and several of them will likely play both ways versus the Royals, who captured the City Division II title last fall.

Jonah Manheim, Toby’s older brother and 2016 Pali High quarterback who now serves as an offensive consultant for his alma mater, liked the one-two punch provided by running backs Chris Washington and Savyour Riley but he admitted the Dolphins’ receivers and quarterbacks were not always on the same page in the 90-minute scrimmage.

“We’re still hashing out the kinks—it’s all about building rhythm and the guys were off on some of their pass routes,” he said. “Our run game will be really good and we may lean more on that early in the year, we’ll see.   

The offense needs a lot of work, but we’ve got some dudes. [Tight end] Cameron Kohan will be crucial for us along with [receiver/cornerback]Marcus Brown Jr. Let’s face it, we have a ton of new faces out here.”

Palisades failed to score in three sets of 10 plays against Birmingham and the defense allowed two long touchdown passes and a short scoring run.

While the varsity struggled to move the ball, coach Tharen Todd’s junior varsity team dominated from start to finish, scoring eight times—four on passes and four on running plays.

“I’m surprised we played so well,” JV Defensive Coordinator and line coach Kelly Loftus said. “The most impressive thing was our defense making the stop on the goal line on the last play to preserve the shutout. It was our second unit that did that and it shows these kids have pride.”

Quarterbacking the varsity will be juniors Roman La Scala (he posted gaudy stats running and throwing on JV last year before getting called up to varsity for the playoffs) and Zachary Lifton, who split time under center in the scrimmage.

The receiving corps features junior Sean Grier, who impressed in both of the team’s seven-on-seven tournaments; senior Ghamani Andrews; and 11th-graders Braydon Sanford, Jaden Williams, Daniel Nolasco and Mikael King-Haagen (also a track and field standout). Adding depth to the ground game will be senior Maurice Burgess and junior Michael Mazariego, who will help make up for the absence of Josh Russell (the second string tailback behind Anoh last fall), who is now at Inglewood.

Breaking down film of the scrimmage, line coach Johnny Garcia saw lots of room for improvement, more on the mental side than the physical.     

 “It was more a lack of effort than execution,” he said. “It’s all about imposing your will up front and our guys are capable of doing that.”

The O-line will consist of Nick Washington (6-1, 295 lbs.) at center;

left guard Griffin White (6-0, 230); left tackle Nathan Spoonamore (6-2, 260); right guard Christian Baud (6-1, 255); and right tackle Dylan McDowell (6-3, 320). All of them are seniors except McDowell, but only Spoonamore started last year.

Junior Eric Daniels (6-2, 270) is the starting nose guard. Immanuel Robinson will play left defensive end while Augie Evans and Joseph Bucher-Leighton will split time at right end. Junior Kellan Ford will handle kickoffs.