Dolphins Earn All-City Hoops, Soccer Honors

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

The Los Angeles City Section released its All-City basketball teams last week—and Palisades Charter High School players made both the boys and girls lists.

The Open Division boys squad included Dolphins junior center Aten Hassan and senior guard Jordan Farhadian. Both were instrumental in Palisades winning 10 of its last 13 regular season contests to earn a spot in the Open Division bracket as one of the top eight teams in the City.

Palisades was one of three Western League teams selected to the Open Division (along with Westchester and LACES). The Dolphins were seeded seventh and fell to No. 2 King/Drew in the first round.

Farhadian led Palisades with 16 points. The Golden Eagles went on to take the championship under Lloyd Webster, who was named Coach of the Year.

Donald Thompson of King/Drew and Alijah Arenas of Chatsworth were named Co-Players of the Year. Ryan Conner and Donovan Cornelius of LACES and Khaeden Grady-Asher and Dillon Chelsea of Westchester were also Open Division picks.

The Open Division girls squad included Dolphins sophomore guard Elly Tierney and senior forward Aniah Bradley. Each played a pivotal role in Palisades’ third-place finish in the Western League, which netted them the fifth seed in the Open Division. League champion Westchester and runner-up Hamilton were No. 2 and No. 3, respectively.

Palisades lost to No. 4 King/Drew in the first round, despite Tierney’s 18 points. She also made the All-League first team along with junior Alyssa Ramirez while Bradley earned second team recognition with fellow Dolphin Ayla Teegardin.

Open Division Player of the Year honors were shared by DeeDee Berry, Nat Lopez and Sammy Velasquez from City champion Birmingham while Patriots pilot Victor Koopongsakorn was voted Coach of the Year. Also among the All-Open honorees were Mariah Blake, Savannah Myles of runner-up Westchester, and Jade Fort and Kinidi Curl of Hamilton.

On Monday, March 18, the City Section released its All-City boys and girls soccer teams, and Palisades was represented on both lists.

Senior forward Jayce Jones made the Division I boys team after leading Palisades to the Western League title and the Division I quarterfinals, where they lost 2-1 in overtime to eventual finalist El Camino Real. Jones scored a team-high 19 goals and added 12 assists for a team-best total of 50 points.

Senior defender Daniel Romero of City champion Birmingham was chosen Player of the Year while Patriots pilot Gus Villalobos was named Coach of the Year.

Meanwhile, two Dolphins were selected for the Division I girls squad: senior striker Erica Hamilton and senior midfielder Alex DiGennaro, after powering their team to the Western League title and the City semifinals, where Palisades fell in a shootout to eventual champion Cleveland.

Hamilton tallied a school-record 33 goals in 21 games played, including a four-goal effort in the quarterfinals against Venice. She also converted her penalty kick in the shootout versus Cleveland.

DiGennaro also played 21 games, scoring eight times and racking up a team-high 14 assists, including four in the playoffs. Grace Kehr of Venice also made the Division I team.

Cleveland midfielder Alexa Monge was selected Player of the Year, and Cavaliers pilot Greg Ibach was chosen Coach of the Year.