Pali High Football Earns Passing Grade

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

For the first time since falling in the City Section’s Open Division playofs last November, Palisades High football returners got a chance to compete against     players in different jerseys on Saturday, June 29, at the  Conqueror Classic, a seven-on-seven passing tournament hosted by Los Altos High.

After dropping their first game to Bell Gardens 20-12, the Dolphins beat Bassett, Rowland and Santa Fe to finish pool play 3-1 and secure the No. 4 seed in a field of 20 teams in the single-elimination playoffs.

Quarterbacks Brett Federman and Jack Thomas alternated possessions in the first three games, each tossing a touchdown pass versus Bell Gardens (which earned the No. 1 seed in the playoffs) and each adding two scoring strikes in a 24-6 triumph over Bassett. Federman threw for three touchdowns in a 20-10 win against Rowland and Thomas played the whole game against Santa Fe, throwing TD passes to Max Hejazi and King Demethris. Jaden Joch added two points on an interception in the Dolphins’ 14-12 triumph.

Palisades had a bye in the play-in phase and faced Rowland in the first round in a rematch of the teams’ pool play encounter. This time, the Raiders got off to a fast start, countering a Federman scoring strike to Asher Rothman with two touchdowns and an interception to take a 14-6 lead. Federman hit LeHenry Solomon in stride on a bomb to pull the Dolphins within two and they went ahead 18-14 on Federman’s flip over the middle to tight end Augie Evans. After Rowland answered to regain the lead, Thomas connected with Demethris for an apparent go-ahead touchdown on the ensuing drive but it was nullified because it took too long. Thomas made amends on the next play, rolling left and finding Solomon in the corner of the end zone. Rowland had one last chance and won it 26-24 with a touchdown on fourth-and-goal as time expired.

Afterwards, coach Dylen Smith expressed optimism but also stressed the need to finish the job: “I saw lots of good things but if you beat a team, don’t think they’re gonna roll over if you play them again. It doesn’t work that way. Fatigue wasn’t a factor, we just have to work on our man-to-man and communication on defense.”

Federman ended up with nine TDs and two interceptions in the four games he played. Thomas added six TDs and was picked off twice.   

“I’ve waited for my turn [at QB] for so long,” said Federman, who backed up Roman La Scala last year. “I know this offense inside and out. I worked on my mechanics all offseason, now it’s all about getting the timing down and learning my receivers’ tendencies.”    

The Dolphins will have a chance to show how much they have learned Saturday in the Westside Classic at Culver City High—their second and last seven-on-seven tournament. Fall practice begins July 29, helmets and shoulder pads are permissible August 1-2 and full pads and contact drills are allowed starting Aug. 5.