Broncos Run Wild Over Palisades

Sure, the two-hour bus ride south and the quality of the opposition were both contributing factors in the football team's performance Friday evening. But, the biggest reason for the Dolphins' 37-0 loss was the same one that has plagued them all season long: a chronic case of "fumblitis."

showed why it is ranked No. 2 in the 's Inland Division and ninth in Southern California by , getting three touchdown passes from Nicholas Stevens, a 33-yard touchdown run from Kei-Ron Long and three field goals by Tyler Rausa to rout the visiting Dolphins, who finished their difficult nonleague slate without a win.

No doubt, Palisades has played a brutal schedule. In fact, the combined record of the Dolphins' five nonleague opponents is 21-5. Still, they have done themselves no favors with 12 turnovers in their last three games. 

"Our opponent right now is ourselves," Coach Perry Jones said candidly. "We won't beat anyone—let alone a team like Vista Murrieta—if we don't get that corrected. We're moving the ball ... but when we get inside the red zone we're shooting ourselves in the foot." 

Palisades executed its triple option offense Friday, but fumbled six times (five from scrimmage and one on a punt return) and turned the ball over four times in the first half alone (two fumbles and two interceptions) against a ball-hawking Broncos defense that came into the game with 14 takeaways, led by senior defensive back Elijah Brown.

"They are very polished, very well-coached and they play as a team," Jones said of the undefeated Broncos, who were coming off a 38-20 victory over the same Crespi squad that beat Palisades 40-0 in Week 3. "Still, we moved the ball, got it to their 10-yard line on our second drive, then gave it up. We fumbled eight times and lost a bunch of them. That stuff has to stop, it's as simple as that."

The game was essentially over at halftime. By then, Stevens had thrown for 157 yards and three touchdowns, Long had rushed for 75 yards and a score and the Broncos had outgained Palisades 243-48 in building a commanding 31-0 lead.

The highlight of the second half was a career-high 50-yard field goal by Tyler Rausa that hit the crossbar before bouncing through the uprights in the third quarter. Outside linebacker Mylz Blake might have scored on an interception after jumping a route, but the Dolphins senior slipped at the 50-yard line. 

First-string senior quarterback Nathan Dodson played three series, slowly working his way back into the lineup after injuring his shoulder in Week 2 against Santa Monica. Junior backup Kevin Acosta again took the majority of snaps but Jones said Dodson will likely be ready to start this week.

"In regards to Nate [Dodson], we accomplished what we wanted to do," Jones said. "We got him some time, got him through the game and with Kevin being as good as he's been we can take it as slow as we want with Nate."

Jones was especially pleased with his defense, which he thought had taken a step back the previous week in a 27-6 loss at Granada Hills.

"We gave them the ball on our 7-yard line and we held them to a field goal on their second series," Jones said. "They recovered a fumbled punt inside the 20 and we hold them to another field goal. Mylz Blake was great on both sides of the ball. He got the interception, he ran the ball well and he played well on defense. That unit showed a lot of progress from the Granada Hills game to the Vista [Murrieta] game. "

The Dolphins lost to Vista Murrieta 45-16 at last fall, when Ke'monte Reed and Dodson each tossed a touchdown pass and Sam Burt kicked a 31-yard field goal. However, Reed and Burt graduated, as did leading rusher Malcolm Creer (now at the University of Colorado).

On Friday, Jones said the offense was there and he praised the line for its blocking up front. Now, it's up to the backs and receivers to hold onto the ball.

"We can get to the edge," Jones said. "The offense is there, we executed. They used a 4-3 [defense] and we had them outnumbered at the point of attack."

Palisades has scored only six points in its last 12 quarters combined and as the Dolphins head into play Jones knows the Dolphins must be more productive on offense. With Dodson and halfback Ben Ingram back and running back Justin Sinclair likely to return for the next game, Palisades will be as healthy as it's been since Week 1.

"I think Venice is still the team to beat—you have to beat them athletically, physically and mentally," Jones said. "Now is our primary season. This is what preseason is supposed to get us ready for. I thought we got what we needed from this game. We did some things I didn't think we could do."

The Dolphins open league play against L.A. University on Friday at 3 p.m. in West Los Angeles. The Wildcats had lost 24 straight games going into the season but have won three of their first five under new coach Lee Lowe.

"We looked at film and they're much improved," Jones said of the Dolphins' next opponent. "But this is not about Uni, it's about us. Until we decide not to turn it over, it will be more of the same. There's not a team yet that has stopped us. We've got to eliminate our mistakes. When we do, we'll score points and we'll start winning."