Even though he threw five touchdowns and led his team to a 56-54 victory over Venice on Friday night, Palisades quarterback Jack Thomas was hardly satisfied.
“I need to play better — we lost five passes and that’s my fault,” the senior said after completing 25 of 42 passes for a career-high 460 yards. “The defense made some big stops. We expected it to be a shootout.”
The teams traded scores throughout a frantic first half that featured six lead changes and ended with Gondolier leading 28-27 despite DeMar Dezern's 75-yard touchdown run with 42 seconds left in the second quarter.
“I didn’t think it could get any better than last year,” Thomas said of his receiving corps, which now includes Dezern, a transfer from Bishop Alemany. “We have a lot of guys who can play, so I want to pass first, that’s my priority.”
Dezern had seven receptions for 156 yards and three touchdowns and scored on a 55-yard interception return to give Palisades a 42-35 lead midway through the third quarter. He has a team-best 12 catches and four interceptions, two of which are touchdowns.
Harrison Carter scored on runs of 14 and 10 yards in the first half and added a seven-yard touchdown run to give the Dolphins a 14-point lead heading into the fourth quarter. Malachi Ross added 10 catches for 141 yards and a score.
Venice quarterback Bennett Dome scores from 4 yards out to give the Gondoliers a 28-21 lead heading into the second quarter Friday.
Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Bennett Dome completed 19 of 35 passes for 288 yards and three touchdowns and ran for one more run for Venice (3-4, 1-1, No. 9 in The Times' City Division rankings), but was intercepted three times, most recently by middle linebacker Enzo Allen at the Palisades 45 with 10 seconds left, sealing the result.
Joshua Aaron rushed for 170 yards and four touchdowns and Aaron Minter caught passes of 10 and 63 yards for the Gondoliers, who hold a 31-27-1 advantage in a rivalry that dates back to 1961 when Palisades opened.
The schools have shared the last six Western League titles, and Friday's win puts the Dolphins (7-0, 2-0, No. 3 in The Times' City Section rankings) in sole possession of first place with three games left.
Thomas accounted for all six of his team's touchdowns (four passing and two running) in last season's game, which resulted in five ties and four lead changes before the Gondoliers cruised to a 45-44 victory when Palisades missed a last-second field goal. The Dolphins set a school record for points in a season and advanced to the Division I championship game. They are preparing to compete in the Open Division this fall.
“We have to continue to get better,” said Thomas, who raised his season total to 28 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Opening up is no joke.”
Palisades teammates congratulate Enzo Allen after his game-tying interception at midfield with 10 seconds left Friday night.
(Steve Galluzzo/For The Times)
