By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor
As we embark on another exciting year of sports in Pacific Palisades there are many memorable plays, record-breaking achievements and storybook endings in store. Before we look ahead, however, let us take a quick look back at the highlights of the past 12 months. Here is a countdown of the Palisadian-Post’s Top 10 sports stories in 2023…
Noah Wexler Wins Will Rogers 5K on Fourth of July
10A field of nearly 2,250 runners participated in the annual Palisades Will Rogers 5 & 10K Run on the Fourth of July and exactly 16 minutes into the race University of Michigan club runner Noah Wexler crossed the finish line at the Palisades Recereation Center entrance to win the 5K for the first time after taking second in the Palisades Turkey Trot the previous Thanksgiving. The former Palisades High cross country and track team member had just completed his freshman year in Ann Arbor.
Dylen Smith Pilots Pali High Football to League Title
9Hired as the 13th head coach in Pali High football history in February, Dylen Smith enjoyed a succesful first season at the helm, piloting a program that lost 30 players to graduation to the Western League title and a berth in the City’s upper division playoffs. The Dolphins finished 7-3 and gave favored Gardena a scare before falling 14-10 in the Open Division quarterfinals. Smith was voted LA Chargers Coach of the Week after his team’s 28-24 victory at rival Venice in October to clinch the league title.
Blue Crew All-Stars Advance to Pony Super Regions
8It was a super summer for the Blue Crew, the PPBA’s Mustang 10U All-Stars, who came within one win of a trip to the PONY West Zone Tournament. Over seven stellar weeks the squad went 32-4 with five tournament titles, taking first place in the Section 3 playoffs at the Field of Dreams and the North Region playoffs in Camarillo. In 36 total games, head coach David Hoffman’s team outscored its opponents by a margin of 367-124. Its run finally ended with an extra innings loss in the Super Region round.
Pali Predators Third at Western State Championships
7The Palisades Predators, a girls 10U AYSO Region 69 Extra team, took third place at the Western State Championships in Moorpark. Representing Section 1, the local squad was among four teams in its age group competing against teams from San Diego to San Luis Obispo. The Predators lost their first game 8-1 to Ladera Ranch but rallied to beat Quartz Hill 5-3 in the consolation round. The Predators were second at the Section 1 West Circuit playoffs, then advanced to the finals of the Regional tournament in February.
Pali High Lacrosse Squads Sweep City Section Finals
6Sticks were raised in May when the Dolphins’ girls and boys lacrosse teams secured City titles hours apart at Stadium by the Sea. Making their ninth finals appearance since 2014, the girls earned their second section crown with an 18-9 triumph over five-time champ Birmingham. Emme Silberberg tallied six goals. Later, the boys beat El Camino Real 19-2 for their seventh straight title and eighth overall. Axel Greve and Trey Tzung scored four goals apiece. Dominic Zuniga and Dylan Wong each added three.
Girls Minor All-Stars Capture Citywide Hoops Crown
5For a second straight year, the Palisades Recreation Center’s Girls Minor Division All-Stars won the Citywide basketball tournament with a 21-13 finals victory over Metro Region winner Queen Anne at Obama Sports Complex in Rancho Cienega—a satisyfing end to a “March Madness” run for a talented group of local 9 and 10-year-olds. Palisades won its five regional games by an average of nearly 20 points and trailed only once—by one point at halftime against Mar Vista in the West Region final.
Pali High Boys Water Polo Stretches Title Streak to 11
4With their 23-10 blowout of Granada Hills in the inaugural Open Division final at Valley College, the Dolphins secured their 11th consecutive City Section title and extended their current playoff winning streak to 42—more than any team in any sport in the City. Senior Owen Grant led the way with 12 goals and four other players scored at least two. Under head coach Adam Blakis the team has not suffered a postseason defeat since 2011.
Corpus Flaggers Are Unbeaten in CYO Open Playoffs
3In November, the Corpus Christi varsity flag football team capped off its magical season with a 16-12 triumph over St. Catherine Laboure of Torrance to claim the Open Division championship of the Catholic Youth Organization. The Stingrays went 17-0 with seven shutouts, outscoring the opposition 382-78. Since the CYO switched to four divisions seven years ago, Corpus Christi has won the Gold, the Navy and the Open (highest level).
Pali High Basketball Scrutinized After Nine Transfers
2After nine high-profile players transferred to Pali High over the summer, prompting an investigation by City Section Commissioner Vicky Lagos, boys basketball coach Donzell Hayes and his staff were asked to step away from the program one day before the season opener. The most notable players denied eligibility were Jon Mani from Beverly Hills, K.J. Perry from a prep school in Arizona and Souljah Niles from City champion Taft. Girls assisant LeBre Merritt was made interim boys coach Nov. 17.
Rahm Regains No. 1 Ranking with Triumph at Riviera
1No lead is safe on Sunday at Riviera Country Club, which Jon Rahm learned in winning the Genesis Invitational. He began the final round with a three-shot cushion, but 2021 Genesis champion Max Homa moved ahead on the 12th hole after Rahm three-putted. The Spaniard raised his game, starting with a 45-foot birdie putt at No. 14, to prevail by two strokes with a 17-under 267 and vault over Scottie Scheffler into the top spot in the World Golf Rankings. It was his fifth victory in his last nine events worldwide.
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