CIF-Los Angeles City Section (Preseason #1: Palisades Charter)

CIF-LOS ANGELES CITY SECTION BOYS

The Team to Beat: Palisades Charter

The Dolphins steamrolled their way to the first Los Angeles City title last season, winning their 12 section games by a combined 148-15 margin. That came as no surprise considering Palisades Charter has had a big head start on their rivals in terms of development, and this season is expected to follow the same script.

Palisades Charter graduated nine seniors and brings back a young and experienced lineup. The Dolphins anticipate having just two seniors in their starting 10, so they are expected to continue to dominate for at least another two seasons.

Senior defenseman Juan Climaco and senior middie Charlie Bailey are the only two upperclassmen expected to start. They will be joined by junior attackman Warren Satz, junior goalie Turner Hanley and sophomore middie Tyler Wenker, all of whom are expected to make big contributions.

Contenders: Manual Arts, Birmingham

The Toilers are coming off their first winning season and first 10-win season in program history. Five starters will be back from that group, including two first-line middies, as Manual Arts is expected to once again be Palisades Charter’s closest competition. Experienced senior middie Ernesto Melero will be looked to for leadership.

Birmingham will be starting almost from scratch this season after graduating all but six from last year’s roster. But beginning from the beginning didn’t seem to hurt last year when the Patriots posted a surprising 7-5 record in their first season as a varsity program. Birmingham has one returning starter in senior defenseman Julian Richardson, and it will get a big contribution from junior middie Matt Hernandez.

Sleeper: South Gate

After going 2-8 in its first varsity season, South Gate hired its first coach with lacrosse experience. Mike Delabar, who was the head coach of the JV team at Beverly Hills for the last three seasons, was an NCAA Division II All-American honorable mention as a college player. With proper instruction this year, this program could take a giant leap forward.

Top Players: Charlie Bailey, MF, Palisades Charter; Christian Chicas, Def., Manual Arts; Juan Climaco, Def., Palisades Charter; Josue Flores, G, Manual Arts; Turner Hanley, G, Palisades Charter; Matt Hernandez, MF, Birmingham; Miguel Maniquez, G, Jordan; Chris Marroquin, MF, Jordan; Ernesto Melero, MF, Manual Arts; Salvador Melgoza, MF, Jordan; Joe Minero, Att., Manual Arts; Juan Orrellana, Def., Jordan; Miguel Orrellana, Def., Jordan; Luis “Junior” Reyes, MF, Huntington Park; Julian Richardson, Def., Birmingham; Warren Satz, Att., Palisades Charter; Erick Veliz, Def., Manual Arts; Tyler Wenker, MF, Palisades Charter.

Preseason Top 6: 1. Palisades Charter, 2. Manual Arts, 3. Birmingham, 4. South Gate, 5. Huntington Park, 6. Jordan.

Notes: The first year of full-fledged Los Angeles City Section lacrosse made a world of difference for Manual Arts. In the four seasons between 2005 and 2008, the Toilers compiled a dreadful 2-46 record, having gone winless in 2005 and 2008 and having won one game in 2006 and 2007. In 2009, Manual Arts finished 10-5, by far the best record in school history....There’s no place to go but up for Jordan, which went 0-14 and was outscored 190-11 in its first season as a varsity program. Jordan brings back half its starting lineup, including senior goalie Miguel Maniquez, who probably faced more shots than most net minders in Southern California last season.