Palisades secured a 35-18 victory over Hamilton in a Western League matchup Friday night, propelled by strong offensive and defensive performances. Running back Jameson Della Bella led the Dolphins with 86 rushing yards and two touchdowns, while quarterback Robert Holohan contributed with a rushing touchdown and a passing touchdown.

The Palisades defense was instrumental in containing Hamilton’s quarterback, Thaddeus Breaux, intercepting two of his passes and recording four sacks. Breaux, a sophomore who drew a scholarship offer from UCLA after throwing for 382 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s 46-30 loss to Palisades, was held to 217 passing yards on 27 completions in 44 attempts. Most of his production came in the fourth quarter after the outcome was largely decided. He connected on scoring passes of eight, 11, and four yards during that period.

Safety Aidan Wilson-Turner highlighted the defensive effort, recalling a critical interception in the second half. “It was fourth down, we had to make something happen, I saw him throw and I just ran full speed and dove for it,” Wilson-Turner said, referring to a pick he made near Palisades’ 18-yard line that prevented Hamilton from scoring late in the first half.

Wilson-Turner also credited the defensive line with maintaining consistent pressure on Breaux, enabling the secondary to focus on zone coverage. “The defensive line did a great job putting pressure on him. Our job in the secondary was to stay deep, play off of them and stay true to our zones,” he explained.

Palisades improved to 4-3 overall and 3-0 in league play, boosting its chances of defending the league title. The Dolphins face two remaining league opponents: a road game against fifth-place Fairfax and a home game versus last-place Westchester.

Hamilton dropped to 3-5 overall and 2-1 in the league. The Yankees have not won the league title since 2014.