Pali High Football Takes On Fairfax

The varsity football team will try to stay on course for the Western League crown Thursday at 7 p.m. when it takes on host Fairfax at Belmont High School.

Still riding the wave of momentum from last week's thrilling 30-24 homecoming victory over Hamilton, the Dolphins have had one less day to prepare for their third league opponent, which bounced back from its league-opening loss to Venice with an impressive 28-7 win at University.

"For us, it's about doing what we do," Dolphins Coach Perry Jones said. "We're going to run our offense. Hopefully, the execution will keep getting better. The defense played as well in the fourth quarter [against Hamilton] as it has played all season, so that was good to see."

Fairfax is short in numbers this season, with only 27 players listed on the varsity roster. However, Palisades Coach Perry Jones said what this year's pride of Lions lacks in quantity it makes up for in quality.

"Skill-wise they are as good as any team in the league," Jones said. "They may not have a ton of guys but the guys they do have are all good football players. You could see that on tape. I think they're the best team we've faced in league yet."

Last year's game was a track meet, with Palisades ultimately prevailing 44-34. The Lions had no answer for the Dolphins' trap, but Jones expects that Fairfax Coach Shane Cox has devised a scheme to neutralize the play.

"He's a good coach and they've had a whole year to look at that game last year and analyze what happened, so I'm sure there will be new wrinkles on defense. They're fast and they fly to the ball. We're going to have to be more precise on our reads in the triple option."

Palisades received word earlier in the week that its 37-0 loss at Vista Murrieta would be because the Broncos had used an ineligible player for the intersectional contest Oct. 7. Jones addressed his team about the situation after practice Tuesday, telling his players that Vista Murrieta did the right thing by turning itself in when the violation was discovered. Since the Broncos did not have to forfeit any league games, they can still secure a playoff berth.

"I don't look at it as a win for us, it's loss for them," said Jones, who knows Vista Murrieta Coach Coley Candaele. "They'll be fine. They are undefeated in league just like the Dolphins."

After losing to Palisades last fall, Fairfax won its final five games—ending with a 51-7 trouncing of Chatsworth in the City Section Division II championship game at East L.A. College. Fairfax has to find alternate sites for home games this season because its on-campus stadium is being renovated.

Here's a look at this week's Western League matchups:

Thursday, Oct. 27

Palisades (3-4, 2-0) vs. Fairfax (4-3, 1-1) at Belmont High, 7 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28

Hamilton (4-3, 1-1) at Venice (3-4, 2-0), 7 p.m.

University (3-4, 0-2) at Westchester (4-3, 0-2), 7 p.m.

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