Dolphins Can't Keep Up with Crespi

The football program is headed in the right direction, but Friday night the Dolphins learned how far they still have to go to reach the next level.

Alhough it was able to move the chains in its home opener at Stadium by the Sea, Palisades could not convert inside the red zone in a 40-0 loss to San Fernando Valley powerhouse Crespi.

"We've got to get that fixed," Palisades Coach Perry Jones said of the Dolphins' inability to finish drives. "We left at least 14 points out there and that had nothing to do with them, that's on us. We faced a quality program and they were every bit as good as I expected, but our guys were in the right position to make plays and just didn't make them."

It marked the first time Palisades has been shutout at home since a 35-0 loss to Venice in Week 7 of the 2009 season when the Dolphins finished 1-9. They won seven games and made the semifinals of the City Section Division II playoffs last year—Jones' first as head coach.

Celts quarterback Cody Cordell had a big game, completing 10 of 13 passes for 258 yards and four touchdowns before being replaced after his 32-yard strike to Jabrian Blackwell that closed the scoring midway through the third quarter. Sophomore backup Brad Kaaya played the rest of the game, completing six of his seven throws for 45 yards.

Chalk it up as a learning experience for Cordell's counterpart, Kevin Acosta, who was making his first-ever high school start on his 17th birthday. The 5-5, 150-pound junior was playing in place of injured starting quarterback Nathan Dodson, who hurt his shoulder the week before in the Dolphins' 33-15 loss to Santa Monica. Acosta produced the final points in that game when he threw a two-point conversion pass to Adrian Romero out of the swinging gate formation.

Acosta's friends brought him cupcakes and balloons Friday, but his best present came two days earlier when Jones told him he would likely be starting.

"I prepared all week anticipating Nate might not be able to go and I wanted to prove to myself and my team that I can play," said Acosta, who was the backup quarterback on the frosh/soph squad as a ninth grader and rotated between second and third string on frosh/soph last fall. "I was never really nervous. I know every play backwards and forwards and I felt ready in pre-game warm-ups."

Acosta attempted six passes and had two of them intercepted by Celts cornerback Brandon Arnold, who returned the second 90 yards for a touchdown to give Crespi a 33-0 lead with two seconds left in the first half. Acosta almost had two touchdown passes as well, but both times he overthrew senior tight end Michael Mell, who had slipped behind the defense.

"I guess I just had too much adrenaline pumping because he was wide open twice," said Acosta, who lives near Fairfax High School and has a brother Herbert on Palisades' frosh/soph team, which lost 41-0 earlier in the day. "Their defense was good, they really flowed to the ball, but our [offensive] line did a great job. I had all the time in the world to throw. It should've been two TDs. That was on me."

Jones was proud of Acosta's performance and praised him for a gutsy effort against a team that entered the game ranked No. 7 in the CIF Southern Section's Pac-5 Division.

"Kevin was really amped up and I can understand why," Jones said. "We got down there twice and the plays were there. If he hits those passes it's a closer game, but there's a lot to build on from this. The offense was functioning. I still think we're better than a year ago. As far as the defense, we were in a nickel package to slow down their passing attack but they recognized that and exploited it."   

Mylz Blake broke loose for a 52-yard gain (the Dolphins' longest play of the game) to move the Dolphins inside the Celts' 20-yard line, but Arnold's first interception got Crespi the ball back and five plays later Michael Davison caught a 53-yard touchdown pass to make it 27-0.

"I don't think it was their speed—we were as fast as them," Blake said. "Our offense just needed to execute. We could run the ball—the option was open. We broke a few long ones, but not enough."

Blake led the Dolphins with 62 yards rushing in the first half. Arte' Miura had 44 yards in six carries, including a 28-yard scamper in the fourth quarter when a running clock was used because the margin was more than 35 points.

Crespi scored touchdowns on each of its first three possessions. Star receiver Chris Harper scored on a 26-yard screen pass, Terry Williams scored on a five-yard run, then Harper made it 20-0 with 14 seconds left in the first quarter when he hauled in a 78-yard scoring reception. 

"It's gut-check time guys," Jones told his team after the game. "And for you seniors, there's no next year. We have the Charter Bowl [with Granada Hills] next and that team wants the trophy back."

Score by Quarters

1

2

3

4

Final

Crespi

20

13

7

0

40

Palisades

0

0

0

0

0

Scoring Summary

Crespi -- Harper 26 pass from Cordell (Cassley kick), 9:37 left in 1st qtr.

Crespi -- Williams 5 run (pass failed), 4:01 left in 1st qtr.

Crespi -- Harper 78 pass from Cordell (Cassley kick), 0:14 left in 1st qtr.

Crespi -- Davison 53 pass from Cordell (Cassley kick), 5:30 left in 2nd qtr.

Crespi -- Arnold 90 interception return (kick failed), 0:02 left in 2nd qtr. 

Crespi -- Blackwell 32 pass from Cordell (Cassley kick), 6:59 left in 3rd qtr.

Records: Crespi 4-0; Palisades 0-3.

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