Dolphins Stay on Track for League Title

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Playing its second afternoon game in three weeks, the Palisades Charter High School varsity football team got off to a sluggish start last Friday, October 13, at Westchester, but the Dolphins seized control in the second quarter and grinded out a 37-6 victory to remain tied for first in the Western League with two games remaining.

Palisades downed the Comets for the seventh straight year. The last time the Dolphins lost a game to Westchester was in 2016 when they suffered a 42-32 road setback that led to a three-way tie atop the league standings.

The Dolphins took the lead for good, 13-6, when Roman La Scala connected with Braydon Sanford on a 10-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter. Westchester’s ensuing possession ended when safety Connor Petoyan intercepted a pass at the 50-yard line. The visitors took a seven-point lead to the locker room.

Palisades received the second-half kick but Westchester recovered a fumble at its own 31-yard line. The Dolphins held and La Scala hooked up with Sanford again on a 30-yard touchdown pass, and a two-point conversion run made it 21-6 in the final minute of the third quarter.

The Dolphins broke the game open in the fourth quarter as Jabari Williams scored on a 25-yard run, Teralle Watson ran for a 30-yard touchdown score and run, and the defense forced a safety.

Wyatt Orr’s touchdown pass to Tyler Orr in the first quarter was all that stood between a third shutout for Palisades’ defense, which allowed only 23 yards and less than 150 offensive yards.

Jake Treibatch had 10 tackles, including a sack, Saxon Wald had nine tackles, Jesse Ettus and Joe Bucher-Leighton each had seven, Matt Spoonamore had six, and Evan Nehrenberg had five tackles and two sacks for Palisades (6-2 overall, 3-0 in league). Jayden Joch recovered a fumble.

Other league action Friday saw Venice rout University, 43-6, and Hamilton take down Fairfax, 27-7.

Palisades’ JV squad won 48-22 Thursday, October 12, and has the same record as the varsity at 6-2, 3-0.