PaliHi Dolphins (4-1) Rout Chatsworth, 56-6

Palisades High School dominated Chatsworth, 56-6, on Friday, Sept. 30 and will now pursue a Western League championship after a 4-1 preseason campaign.

The Dolphins, who were crushed in their season opener by Sierra Canyon (now ranked 71st in California), have won four straight games and will host University High School on Friday, Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. The JV game begins at 4 p.m.

Senior Innocent Okoh carried the ball 194 yards on 15 carries. Photo: Drew Vaupen

Against Chatsworth, PaliHi once again relied on a tough, opportunistic defense and a strong running game, as senior Innocent Okah accounted for 194 yards on just 15 carries and scored two touchdowns.

Chatsworth received the opening kick-off, but on third down, Donald Cook intercepted a pass, and two plays later, Okah ran for the touchdown. Jake Taitelman kicked the first of his eight PATs.

Following the kickoff, Chatsworth had possession at its 44-yard line. A bad snap popped in the air and was nabbed by Dolphin middle linebacker Quinn Perry, who ran downfield for a touchdown.

“I wasn’t expecting that,” Perry said. “We were running a blitz, I saw the ball, grabbed it and capitalized on it.”

The Chancellors scored their only TD with about two minutes left in the first quarter. But the Dolphins drove downfield from their 7-yard line behind Okoh’s running, and scored on a short pass from quarterback Johan Manheim to Alex Vaupen.

The Palisades High School team wanted to make a statement about Black Lives Matter. They discussed the pros and cons of either sitting, raising a fist or interlocking hands. The team divided but ultimately came together to interlock hands during the national anthem. Photo: Drew Vaupen

Palisades received the second-half kickoff and wide receiver Cameron Baily returned it 78 yards for a touchdown. He later scored on an electrifying play from Pali’s 13-yard line—catching a pass from Manheim on the 37 and running the rest of the way to the end zone.

Also scoring for the Dolphins were running back Marrio Lofton and linebacker RayneCamden.

Okoh, who has been playing football since he was five, has good speed and the ability to spot openings in the line. “The only way I can find them is because of my linemen,” he said.“I can’t do anything without them.”

“We’ve got a great group of football players,” Palisades Head Coach Tim Hyde said. “We played hard, we had a lot of energy and spunk. We pushed ourselves and now it’s on to league.”