Harrison Carter runs a 90-yard TD.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
At the end of regulation play, Palisades High School Dolphins and the Brentwood Eagles were tied 21-21.
Another minute and the score might have been a Pali win. Brentwood punted to their own 44 with 11 seconds left in the game. Two quick passes from PaliHi quarterback Jack Thomas, took the ball to the 10-yard-line, and then time ran out
Overtime went into effect. After a coin toss to determine which team goes first, a team starts on the 25. Brentwood had first possession and scored; the PAT was not good. Pali had to score, and they did with Harrison Carter taking it in for a TD. The PAT was blocked, and the score remained tied 27 to 27.
Kicker Jack Malloy’s PAT is blocked that would have given PaliHi a win.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT
Pali was given the ball on the 25, Carter ran to the 14, but Brentwood’s defense kicked in. Jack Malloy kicked a 31-yard-field goal to put the Dolphins up 30-27.
The Dolphins needed to hold Brentwood for the win. But Eagles quarterback Ben Mikail was aided by a Dolphin personal foul, which placed the ball on the nine-yard-line. On third down Mikail looked to pass, and saw his receivers were covered. He found a hole in the line and scrambled through to score the winning touchdown, 33-30.
The two schools, Pali and Brentwood, one public, one private, are located about six miles apart off Sunset, and the annual challenge between the two football teams is dubbed “Sunset Showdown.”
PaliHi’s coach Dylen Smith was an assistant to Brentwood Coach Jake Ford for nine years before coming to Pali last year.
“This one hurt a little more,” Smith said after the game. “We missed tackles all night and we didn’t make plays on both sides.” His team is now 3-1.
Late in the first quarter, Brentwood had to punt. Pali fumbled it on their own nine-yard-line, and it was recovered by the Eagles. Several plays later Brentwood capitalized on Pali’s error, scoring a TD, the PAT good.
Palisades thought they were on the score board when quarterback Jack Thomas made a 35-run into the end zone, but holding against the Dolphins brought the ball back. A completed pass to Harrison Carter gave Pali its first TD, Malloy would make the first of three PATs.
The Eagles were up 21 to 7 six minutes in the third quarter. The packed stadium was subdued. But Carter made a 90-yard return on the kickoff, scoring, and the crowd was on their feet.
Five minutes into the fourth, Thomas would complete a pass to Max Hejazi in the end zone and the game was tied.
Quarter Jack Thomas threw 283 yards and two touchdowns.
Photo: RICH SCMITT
Thomas threw for 283 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed for 76 yards on four carries. Carter gained 98 total yards and three touchdowns.
Defensively, Cash Allen led with eight tackles, five solo and three assists.
After the game, one of the coaches reminded players that “Winning is hard. But nothing his fine, unless it’s hard.”
Palisades will have their first away game at Harvard-Westlake at 7 p.m. on September 20. League starts on October 4 when the Dolphins travel to face Fairfax.
Max Hejazi makes the TD catch in the end zone.
Photo: RICH SCHMITT