Linebacker Alec Simpson talks about the defense after Palisades’ 39-7 victory over Westchester.
In a huddle on the field after a demoralizing loss to Venice five weeks ago, Palisades High varsity football coach Tim Hyde implored his team to win its last four games.
The Dolphins took that challenge to heart and as the horn sounded Friday on Senior Night they celebrated not only a fourth straight victory and a Division I playoff berth, but also a share of their first league championship in 28 years.
“Coach Hyde kept preaching just throw the Venice game away and go win four games for me,” senior linebacker Alec Simpson said. “We were 2-4, but we kept pushing, we had two last-second finishes and now we’re 6-4. We did this for Coach Hyde. I’m so proud of what we’ve accomplished.”
Palisades’ 39-7 drubbing of Westchester completed a remarkable turnaround for a team that began the season 0-2, got embarrassed at home in its league opener and started six sophomores Friday.
“I told them if we win out we’ll make the playoffs and give ourselves a chance to win league and that’s what happened,” said Hyde, the first coach to pilot the Dolphins to the postseason in each of his first three seasons since Ron Price led them to five playoff appearances in his five-year tenure from 1996-00. “When it comes to the league title, it’s like turkey on Thanksgiving. As long as you get a piece of it, you’re happy.”
The Dolphins last captured a league title in 1987 when they finished 5-0 in the Crosstown League and rode the arm of quarterback and City Player of the Year Perry Klein all the way to the 3A Division title game. Hyde was then a junior linebacker at Redondo Union High where his defensive coordinator was none other than Chris Hyduke, now a member of Hyde’s coaching staff.
The seniors were honored during pre-game festivities and for each of them, including quarterback P.J. Hurst, it was a memory to cherish forever. Hurst shook off two interceptions to complete 14 of 21 passes for 181 yards and also ran for 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns in 12 carries.
Things got “sticky” in the locker room afterwards as players sprayed each other with bottles of Martinell’s sparkling cider — fitting for a group that stuck together through the ups and downs of a long season.
“I definitely felt it during the ceremony, seeing my family and friends made the reality set in that this was my last game at Stadium by the Sea,” senior offensive lineman-turned-tight end Dennis Zavatzki said. “It’s crazy thinking how time has flown by. I remember watching varsity as a freshman and here I was playing for a league title my senior year. I couldn’t have asked for a better ending.”
Senior tight end and linebacker Gersan Osorio is most proud of how the team has bonded.
“We’ve grown together and together is how winners win,” he said. “We’ve come a long way and to do something big like this my senior year is amazing.”
After Westchester recovered the opening kickoff at the 50-yard line, quarterback Kalen Simmons ended a 13-play march with a one-yard keeper. It was the fifth time in six games the Dolphins allowed the opposition to score on its first drive.
“I wasn’t worried when they scored,” Osorio said. “It turned on the light for our offense to go down and score.”
Hurst capped Palisades’ first possession with a 10-yard run and Marrio Lofton put the Dolphins ahead to stay on a one-yard scoring run in the second quarter. He added a six-yard touchdown run on the final play of the game to finish with 92 yards in 15 carries.
Pierre Kaku had an interception and caught touchdown passes of 24 and 11 yards in the third quarter.
“It’s just having the right execution and performing at a high level,” Kaku said. “On both of my touchdowns it was great communication with P.J. and we’ve been working on check downs for awhile. He had confidence in me to make a play, so he gave me a good ball and I made the play.”
Despite losing two fumbles, Innocent Okoh ran for 152 yards in 17 carries and added two catches for 22 yards.
“I was able to run the ball well because the O-line held their blocks and that allowed me to slither through the holes to get some yardage,” Okoh said. “We saw on film that holes were opening up.”
Palisades would’ve had a larger lead than 18-7 at halftime if it didn’t keep turning the ball over. Yet each time the offense made a mistake, the defense forced a three-and-out.
“It was very frustrating but our mindset is always to keep moving forward and do well on the next play,” Osorio said. “The defense really did a lot for us.”
Safety Kaelynn Lamothe had a team-high 11 tackles, Simpson and Dakotah Hamilton each added nine and Hamilton recovered a fumble in the end zone for a touchback with less than two minutes left.
“I was excited to get back out there on defense,” said Simpson, an All-City player committed to Nevada. “They kept getting the ball and we kept stopping them. The scoreboard says it all.”
Venice’s surprising loss to defending champion Hamilton the previous week opened the door for Palisades, and had Hamilton won Friday it would’ve created a three-way tie atop the Western League standings. However, the Yankees were defeated by Fairfax, meaning Palisades and Venice are co-champions at 4-1.
— Steve Galluzzo
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