Dolphins Streak Past Comets in League Battle

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Palisades Charter High School football coach Dylen Smith challenged his team to increase its intensity in practice leading up to the Friday, October 11, Western League game versus Westchester.

The Dolphins were ready to play from the opening kickoff, and it was critical to the outcome, as they needed all 48 minutes to secure the 42-34 victory that kept them on track to retain the league title.

Defensive back Connor Petoyan set the tone on the third play from scrimmage when he intercepted a pass in the flat and raced 52 yards for a touchdown to get the fans at Stadium by the Sea fired up and give his team the early lead his coach so desperately wanted.

“We came out fast and made them play catch-up,” said Smith, who improved his record to 13-4 in two seasons at Palisades. “Offensively and defensively it was what we expected from them. They had a lot of holes in the zone we knew we could take advantage of, and we were running the ball so well, which in turn opened up opportunities in the passing game. If we play Pali football nobody’s beating us in league—that’s the mentality we need to have.”

Jack Thomas again showed why he is one of the top quarterbacks in the City Section, throwing three touchdown passes and scoring on a one-yard sneak late in the fourth quarter. Through seven games he has 17 touchdown passes and only one interception, and has added five touchdown runs.

Harrison Carter set up Thomas’ sneak with a dazzling 41-yard catch and run before being dragged down just short of the goal line. His 31-yard touchdown catch early in the third quarter gave the Dolphins (6-1, 2-0) a 21-point lead but that hardly discouraged the Comets, who entered the contest undefeated.

Rashad Wallace caught a 40-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, and later, quarterback Jayden Hightower scored on a one-yard plunge to pull Westchester (6-1, 1-1) within 35-28 with 6:02 remaining.

Carter continued to be the most potent weapon in the Dolphins’ high-tempo attack, catching three passes for 80 yards and adding 75 yards in 14 carries. Showing his versatility, he also returned a kickoff 20 yards.

“Whenever coach puts me in, I do whatever I can to help my team win,” said Carter, who juked several defenders at the line of scrimmage and broke two tackles on his reception that set up Thomas’ sneak with 2:26 left that put the home team up by two scores. “On that last catch, I was just thinking to myself, ‘Get the first down no matter what happens,’ and I ended up getting a lot more. I’m a junior and my goal is to get our seniors a [City] championship.”

Amir Rogers caught a seven-yard touchdown pass from Hightower with 14 seconds left but Justen Key was stopped short on the two-point run. Carter pounced on a bouncing ball on the onside kick, and Thomas took a knee on Palisades’ next play to secure the Dolphins’ eighth win in a row against the Comets.

“He was Johnny on the spot,” Smith said of Carter’s game-clinching recovery near midfield on the onside kick with 12 ticks remaining. “It was a good try by them.”

Palisades last lost to Westchester in 2016 when the Comets prevailed, 42-32. That season, those two teams and Venice finished in a three-way tie for first place.

Key’s 15-yard rush up the middle capped a 10-play, 85-yard drive to pull the Comets within 7-6 with 18 seconds left in the first quarter but the extra point was wide. On the ensuing kickoff, returner LeHenry Solomon appeared to be trapped near the sideline at the 13 but somehow he escaped and sprinted 87 yards for a touchdown as the first-quarter clock expired.

After Palisades’ defense forced a quick three-and-out, the offense took nine plays to increase its lead to 21-6 almost midway through the second quarter. Thomas found Solomon wide open in the end zone on an 11-yard touchdown pass to complete the drive.

Jordan Rodgers caught a 20-yard touchdown pass from Hightower and added the two-point grab to narrow the Comets’ deficit to 21-14 with 1:11 left in the second quarter, but Thomas escaped the pocket, rolled to his right and threw across the field to Max Hejazi for a 45-yard touchdown on the final play of the first half, leaving the Comets stunned. Palisades headed to the locker room up 28-14.

Hejazi finished with three receptions for 90 yards. Petoyan and Nico Townsley each made nine tackles and Joseph Bucher-Leighton had a sack. Jack Malloy went six-for-six on extra point attempts and pinned Westchester inside its 20 three times on punts.

Palisades hosts archival Venice (3-4, 2-0) on Friday, October 18, for sole possession of first place in league. The Gondoliers outscored their first two league foes, Hamilton and University, by a combined 90-0.

“We spoiled their homecoming last year, and now they want to do the same to us,” Smith warned his players. “So we have to be ready.”