Palisades Is Deep in Backfield

Senior running backs Terence) O’Neal and Gary Green provided Palisades High with a potent 1-2 punch Friday afternoon at Marshall.

O’Neal gained 107 yards and scored two touchdowns and Green gained 96 yards and scored twice as Palisades beat the Barristers, 38-14.

The outcome was no surprise for Palisades (2-1), but Green’s performance might have been.

Green, a senior, had seen only limited action as O’Neal’s backup in a loss against Cleveland and a victory over Santa Monica.

Against Marshall (1-2), Green gained 41 yards on Palisades’ first play and finished with 12 carries. His touchdown runs of four yards and one yard gave the Dolphins a 14-0 lead with 7:26 left in the first quarter.

“I wanted to prove that I can step up and fill [O’Neal’s] shoes,” Green said. “I wanted to let the coaches know that I can meet their expectations.”

Marshall quarterback Shawn Bailey gained 95 yards in 21 carries. He scored on a one-yard run in the first quarter that pulled the Barristers to within 14-7 and on a 48-yard run for the final touchdown of the game.

O’Neal scored on runs of 53 and three yards, Nathan Rice returned an interception 64 yards for a touchdown and Jonathan Davis kicked a 31-yard field goal for Palisades.