First-Half Surge Downs Comets

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

It was a story of two halves last Friday night at Stadium by the Sea.

For the first 24 minutes the Palisades High football team looked all but unstoppable, scoring six touchdowns in eight possessions and forcing two turnovers. Over the final 24 minutes, however, the offense sputtered and the Dolphins were held scoreless. Fortunately, they had a big enough lead to hold on for a 40-24 homecoming victory over Westchester.

Speedster Amari Yolas got the fans off of their seats on the Dolphins’ fourth offensive play, finding a seam in the Comets’ defense and catching a 55-yard touchdown pass from Roman La Scala. Kellan Ford added the extra point for a 7-0 lead.

After the teams exchanged punts, need five plays to pull within 7-6,  capped by an 11-yard touchdown scamper by Ashton Banks. Yolas broke through the line to block the extra point. Palisades responded with a nine-play, 78-yard march ending on a 10-yard scoring run by Chris Washington.    

On the first play of Westchester’s ensuing possession linebacker Jake Treibatch forced a fumble and defensive end Immanuel Robinson scooped up the loose ball and returned it eight yards for a touchdown to increase the Dolphins’ lead to 14 points.

La Scala’s nifty three-yard quarterback keeper upped the score to 27-6 and he connected with Yolas again on a 66-yard scoring strike less than four minutes later.

Dual threat quarterback Terrell Boatner completed a five-play, 80-yard drive with a three-yard run but his two-point conversion run failed. It took three plays for Palisades to answer as La Scala hooked up with wideout Sean Grier on a 56-yard touchdown pass but Curtis Moss hauled in a 46-yard touchdown pass from Boatner to make it 40-18.

A 19-yard interception return by captain Savyour Riley gave Palisades the ball at the Westchester 17 late in the half, but the Dolphins were unable to capitalize when Ford came up short on a 34-yard field goal try.

“The plan was to throw the ball and take advantage of man-on-man situations,” said Grier, who had six catches for 102 yards. “It feels good when a throw comes to me. I’ve improved a lot since our first game.”

Following a lengthy intermission due to homecoming, Palisades came out of the locker room flat, failing to gain a first down in the third quarter. In five second-half possessions the Dolphins had four punts and one turnover  on downs. However, the defense stopped the Comets twice inside the 20 before allowing a six-yard scoring pass from Boatner to  Noah Evans with 4:07. Players on the sideline could finally breathe easy when Yolas intercepted a pass to seal it with two minutes to go.

La Scala threw for a season-high  244 yards and Jesse Ettus had nine tackles. Coach Chris Hyduke’s message afterwards was two-fold: enjoy it but come ready to work Monday.

The Dolphins host Venice for the league title Friday. Palisades has won three of the last four meetings.

Click on any image below to view slide show