SoCAL BOYS: CIF Playoffs: Palisades Upsets Chaminade Prep

Palisades Charter is located in the Los Angeles City Section but has been allowed to participate in this year’s Southern Section playoffs by special permission.

But after the way the Dolphins’ boys and girls teams have performed so far, they may risk having their future invitations revoked. On Thursday, lower-seeded teams in what is officially the U.S. Lacrosse Southern Section playoffs went 2-13.

Both wins were by Palisades Charter.

Junior middie Shane Centkowski registered a game-high four points on a goal and three assists to lead the sixth-seeded Dolphins to a 9-3 upset victory over third-seeded Chaminade Prep in a South Division boys quarterfinal.

In the girls tournament, seventh-seeded Palisades Charter upset second-seeded La Canada, 9-8.

For the boys, junior attackman Evan Shaner added three points on two goals and an assist, senior attackman Chuck Black had a goal and two assists and junior attackman Warren Satz scored twice for the two-time defending Los Angeles City Section Dolphins (18-2), who have won 12 straight.

Senior middie Charlie Bailey, sophomore middie Tyler Wenker and junior middie Max Tinglof all had a goal to round out the offense for Palisades Charter.

In the cage, junior goalie Turner Hanley saved nine shots.

With the win, the Dolphins advanced to the South Division semifinals and will face second-seeded Mira Costa. The teams did not meet in the regular season.

“I’m really looking forward to it,” Palisades Charter head coach Scott Hylen said. “We played them two years ago with a team that was mostly freshmen. Now, those freshmen are juniors, and they’ll be ready.”

Chaminade Prep, the Mission League champion, had its six-game winning streak and finished the season 12-2. It was a shockingly meek exit for a team loaded with experienced seniors that was expected to make noise in this year’s tournament.

The Eagles led 1-0 at the end of the first quarter, and the game was tied, 2-2, at halftime. But the second half belonged to Palisades Charter.

The Dolphins scored four unanswered goals in the third quarter to take a 6-2 lead heading into the final 12 minutes, and they cruised to the finish from there.

“We cleaned up our game,” said Hylen, whose team overcame 17 penalties to win its first-round game in overtime against Newbury Park on Tuesday. “We stayed out of the box, and the boys stepped up.”