By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Palisades High baseball players got the surprise of a lifetime when, near the end of a players-only practice January 29 at Cheviot Hills Recreation Center, they were approached by Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. Having heard of the devastatting fire that ripped through their community, damaged their school and left them without a field to play on this season, Roberts drove up from San Diego to show his support and share a little advice from his decades in the game.

“I couldn’t pass up this opportunity and my thoughts go out to each of you and your families. You’ve been through COVID and now this… just seeing your energy and enthusiasm warms my heart,” said Roberts, who piloted the Dodgers to the World Series title in October—their second MLB championship since he took over the club in 2016. Things happen and how you respond to them is enormous. Learning from a bad situation and growing is how you win in life. You have a leg up. I promise this experience will make you better men moving forward.”

Palisades is set to open the season February 26 at Venice and seeks to regain the Western Leaguie crown it lost to the Gondos last spring. The Dolphins will have to be road warriors as George Robert Field will not be available, but coach Mike Voelkel said Loyola Marymount and Pepperdine have offered their stadiums for Palisades home games where the schedule permits.

“Fortunatey we’ve only had a few players transfer as a result of the fires,” said Voelkel, who enters his 18th season two wins shy of 300 at Palisades. “Eight or nine of our kids lost their homes and many others are displaced. A good friend of mine connected me with Dave. This is bigger than baseball and it was nice of him to come visit with the team.”

Seeing some players having trouble fielding bad hops on the all-dirt infeld got Roberts’ juices flowing.        

“What bothers me the most is excuses,” Roberts continued. “Last year’s team didn’t make excuses and that’s why we won. Whatever happens, I wear it. If it goes bad I’m man enough to say it didn’t work out. Even on a rock hard diamond like this you have to expect to make the play. You guys chose to stick it out and not leave—I respect that. Enjoy practice. All of the great players love to practice. Dominate the fundamentals. Don’t just show up. Hit the cut-off man, creep over a few steps in the hole, learn how to navigate the game. If you’re an infielder it’s about footwork, arm strength and accuracy. That’s what scouts look for. When you’re batting, be able to hit to all fields. Guys at your level shouldn’t strike out much. No matter what position you play you’re job is to be ready when called upon. Strive to get better every day and lastly, get good grades. I was a walk-on at UCLA and there were more talented people than me, but I was dtermined to succeed.”         

Players fired question after question at Roberts,who played for five major league teams in a 10-year career highlighted by a World Series win with the Boston Red Sox in 2004.

“It was pretty cool that he came out and talked to us,” senior catcher Ryan Hirschberg said. “His showing support means a lot. I like how he emphasized the dedication a team has to have to the fundamentals.”   

Before leaving, Roberts posed for a picture with the team.   

“Only one franchise wins the World Series every year,” Roberts said. “Sure, I’d rather manage the Dodgers than a team that loses 120 games but even if I were I’d want to get the most out of my club. I’m going to share this with my guys at spring training. You have the chance to write your own story. Who knows? They might make a movie abut you someday. You’re teaching me more than I’m teaching you, I’ll be following  your progress and I’m going to share this with my guys when I get to spring training.”

Palisades High football coach Dylen Smith and some of his top returning players—quarterback Jack Thomas, tailbacks Harrison Carter and Deveron Kearney, wide receivers LeHenry Solomon, King Demethris and Ricardo Martin, linebacker Nico Townsley, left tackle Liam Hudson and cornerback Jackson Kaufman­—posted a video on X on January 21 with a message that the program will be back strong in August, despite the damage to campus as a result of the Palisades Fire.

One week later Smith was invited onto ESPN LA 710 radio’s Mason & Ireland Show to discuss the upcoming season and a few days after that team members posed for a picture with LA Rams receiver Cooper Kupp.

On February 4, the Dolphins were invited to “The Bolt,” the LA Chargers’ new 14-acre practice facility in El Segundo, for an intense two-hour workout with the local NFL franchise’s energetic strength and conditioning coach Ben Herbert. KCAL News was on hand to film it.

“If players are equal physically, discipline, mentality and attention to detail are what’ll make the difference,” Herbert told his attentive audience. “Successful people are good listeners. The best players want to be coached hard.”

Herbert led the players in a number of exercises­—low dribble, lateral shuffle, high knees, crawls, sled drags—then  escorted them to the weight room to demonstrate proper form for pull-ups and pull downs.

“The lesson learned through  this is perseverance,” said Smith, who stated the Chargers’ $50,000 contribution to his program was beyond his wildest expectations. “Even the most devastating thing that’s happened in your life—you can always come back from it.”

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

For someone who only started wrestling last year, Nick Bertram has already accomplished a lot on the mat. However, he hopes his best results are yet to come. Palisades High’s senior captain saw both of his parents’ homes destroyed in the Palisades Fire (one in the Alphabet Streets, the other in Castellammare) and he has since been living in a Santa Monica hotel.

On Saturday, he could turn tragegy into triumph. After taking first at the regionals last week, Bertram will likely be the No. 1 seed in the 175-pound weight division in the City Championships at Roybal.

Bertram got injured in practice the night before the finals last winter and was unable to compete after taking fifth at regionals. This year he dropped down from 190 to 175 and feels quicker and stronger.

“I like the mental aspect—if you lose you have no one to blame but yourself,” he said. “A few have gone the full six [minutes] but most of my wins have been pins. The near side cradle is my favorite move.”   

Bertram has a 20-4 record and has lost only one match to a section opponent all season and helped the Dolphins reach the City Dual semifinals.

“He’s had some tough ones so he’s probably the team leader in points, Pali High coach Mike Lawlor said. “To be a captain and a leader the way he’s been and also perform the way he has in his second year wrestling is impressive. He’s been Mr. Reliable.”

The sport has been a healthy distraction from the harsh realities of life lately and Bertram is confident the community will rebuild.

“Given what’s happened it’s good being around the guys,” he said. “As for the future I haven’t decided where I want to go to college yet but I definitely want to move back to the Palisades.”

Lawlor is pleased how well the team has performed being that Bertram is one of only two seniors on varsity.

“What’s made him so successful to this point is his athletic ability,” Lawlor said. “He’s played other sports in the past and for a big, strong kid, he has good agility and good hips, which allows him to come out on top when he finds himself in a scramble. He’d even tell you that he’s still learning in terms of his technique but he’s learned on the fly and continues winning while he develops. Others learn while serving as backups or on JV, but Nick’s been learning on the job. He’s been in the varsity lineup since joining the team. He hasn’t even come close to reaching his full potential.”

Losing his home—and a lifetime’s worth of mementos—in the Palisades Fire was devastating  for longtime PPBA Commissioner Bob Benton but despite the personal loss he was determined to see that players in the local PONY program had a place to play. Despite damage to the gym and the tennis pro shop at the Palisades Recreation Center, the diamonds at the Field of Dreams are intact but will not be available for use this spring.  Benton had to find a viable option and is proud to announce that the PPBA is joining the Cheviot Hills League for 2025.

“The amazing thing is we had 450 kids sign up and 75 to 80 percent said they’re coming back,” he reported. “Half of our board isn’t around anymore and some of our umpires, but Dirk [Robinson] will be there along with others.”

There will be six PPBA teams in the Pinto (ages 7-8) and Bronco (ages 11-12) Divisions: Red Sox, Tigers, Orioles, Cardinals, Dodgers and Pirates, to join one Cheviot Pinto team and six Bronco squads. The Mustang (9-10) Division will feature seven PPBA teams (the six listed above plus the Yankees) and three Cheviot teams. There will even be two teams representing the PPBA in the Pony Division (ages 13-14): Pali Blue and Powder Blue. Cheviot, like  Palisades, has four fields and opening day ceremonies will take  place Saturday, March 1.

“Cheviot’s board of directors and President are all in and I have to say the outpouring of support we’re receiving from all over California is incredible,” Benton said.  “Since we’re playing in a different league all of our teams will wear Palisades uniforms and hats.

As for the Shetland Division (for beginning players), Palisades’ four or five teams will participate in the Santa Monica Pony League.

Moments after his team gave up the tying goal, Palisades High girls water polo coach Kevin Basurto called his last timeout to draw up a play with 12 seconds left in the Dolphins’ regular season finale February 5 at Venice.

Lilli Fox told him she wanted the ball and when play resumed the senior hole setter caught a pass 12 meters from the net and looked for an opening. Despite having a defender in her face, Fox cocked and fired  with three seconds to go and the ball deflected off the goalie’s arm into the cage to lift Palisades to a 10-9 triumph over the Gondos and give the Dolphins a reason to celebrate Senior Night.

“In the shallow end the goalie  has the advantage so I was trying to aim it as far away from her as I could,” said Fox, who had the hot hand all game and ended up with five goals. “The plan was to make sure it’s on target—either that or draw a penalty.”

Fox converted on a five-meter opportunity in the first period and added three goals in the third (two on breakaways). The Dolphins’ other four seniors contributed too. Kylie Lupescu tallied four goals, Paulina Garcia played stifling defense and Triana Paris and Corinna Frankel made critical saves in goal. Palisades is seeded No. 3 in the City Open Division playoffs.

“What I’m going to miss most is the friendships I’ve made,” Fox said. “We’re a tight-knit team. We all love each other.”

Elly Tierney has been a scoring machine ever since she joined the Palisades High girls basketball team as a freshman and on January 25 the junior guard achieved a milestone that earned her high fives from teammates and a hug from mom.

A layup late in the first quarter pushed her over the 1,000-point  plateau in her varsity career and she finished with a team-high 23 in a 72-53 defeat to Chaminade at Grant High in Van Nuys.    

Tierney leads the team in both points per game and three-pointers. She has scored in double digits in all but three games and has netted 20 or more six times, including a season-high 28 versus Chatsworth in a showcase game Jan. 4 at Fairfax.

The Dolphins have not played in their own gym since Jan. 6 (the day before the Palisades Fire started). They celebrated Senior Night on Tuesday against Marshall at Intuit Dome and wrap up Western League action Friday at Venice having already clinched third place in the Western League behind Hamilton and Westchester.   City Section playoff brackets will be released Sunday after 5 p.m.

First place in the Western League was at stake last Friday when the Palisades High girls soccer team traveled to Venice. Both teams were 9-0 in league entering the contest and after 80 minutes the Dolphins emerged victorious, 3-1, on three first-half goals­—two by Mechal Green and one by Sibley Norris. Maria Knierim made three saves.

On Monday, the team’s 10 seniors were honored after a 6-0 win versus University. Leila Jafari and Harper Given scored twice apiece  as Palisades improved to 15-1.

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

When he first opened his martial arts studio in Pacific Palisades 43 years ago, Gerry Blanck’s catchphrase was “Keep Kicking!”  Despite losing his apartment and his dojo in the Palisades Fire last month, that mantra has not changed for the community’s most beloved sensei.

Blanck is temporarily keeping business going at MuDo Integrated Martial Art on Lincoln Blvd in Santa Monica, but his long-term goal is to return to the town he has grown to love over four decades.      

“We’re planning to go back to the Palisades,” Blanck vowed. “Yes, we’re going to rebuild it. We have hope. It might take a while, but we’re going to try for that.”    

On February 1 two of Blanck’s most dedicated students embodied the undying spirit of Yoshukai Karate, the discipline their instructor so passionately teaches, by combining to collect six medals at the International Martial Arts Council Winter Nationals in Las Vegas.

Ten-year-old green belt Eden Savoian had nearly everything that she owned go up in smoke when her Castellammare home burned down. She bravely chose to represent her dojo and town anyway, although she had to borrow a gi, a belt and nunchucks (her accessory of choice) to use at the competition. Savoian performed like the rising star she is and left the Gold Coast Casino convention room with bronze medals in Traditional Forms and Traditional Weapons around her neck.

“Losing all the stuff I had before made me want to work even harder to get more,” said Savoian, who has been Blanck’s pupil for a year and a half.   

“I did it for my classmates— my 180 friends who lost their houses,” said Savoian, who is now living near the elementary school she attends in Calabasas. “Everything will turn around again.”

Savoian not only earned medals for herself but arranged for duplicate trophies and medals for her fellow Blanck pupils. She was also third in Forms as a blue belt in October at the IMAC Open in Los Angeles and she performed a kata at the annual Ho!Ho!Ho! in December at Simon Meadow.   

Blanck, who found a place to live at Sixth and Broadway, not far from MuDo, admitted that he was hesitant about letting Savoian competing so soon after the fire: “I didn’t want her to go and not win and be disappointed,” he said. “But now I’m happy she did!”   

Blanck was able to return to the Palisades on Jan. 9, two days after the fire started, only to find his dojo on Marquez Avenue— and all of the other stores on the block—reduced to ashes. He had relocated there from his previous location in the Village in February of 2022.    

“It’s terrible, 15 of my senseis lost their homes and one of my young black belts Ben Zamel and his family lost like four properties in Tahitian Terrace,” Blanck said. “One of my very first students Tamar Springer and her parents lost their homes. People from my hometown in Florida wanted me to move back there, but I won’t.”         

Joining Savoian in Las Vegas was 50-something “karate mom” and fellow green belt Gracy Llana, whose adult division was later that afternoon. She added four medals to her ever-expanding personal collection—three golds and one silver, but her most gratifying reward was a hug from Savoian.

Since Llana started taking kickboxing lessons at Blanck’s studio in April of 2023 and later expanded to karate under the tutelage of Springer, she has never left a competition without hardware. She usually goes to competitions alone but was happy to have her dojo-mate to coach and cheer on in Las Vegas.

“The Yoshukai spirit is in our hearts and it’s a ripple effect,” Llana said. “Tamar mentored me and now I’m mentoring Eden.”

Llana coinsidered moving to the Palisades in November but ultimately decided the timing was not right.

Now, she is dedicated to helping Blanck rebuild and decorating the  dojo with more trophies and medals.

Llana marched in the Palisades Fourth of July Parade last summer alongside Blanck and many fellow students and won gold medals in  both Kata and Sparring at the Elite Karate Cup in Santa Ana lastt May.

A month later she captured three golds in the Adult Novice Division at the USA World Championships, also hed in Las Vegas. She is already established as one of the best female martial artists in the 50+ division in the country.