dolphins

Jason Grant made a diving catch in the end zone with eight seconds left to lift Crenshaw past host Palisades 34-29 on Friday night in a battle of likely City Section Open Division playoff teams.

Danniel Flowers escaped the pocket, rolled to his right and lofted a pass to Grant, who saved the day for the Cougars after it looked like Palisades would pull off the upset against the team that lost in the section championship game last fall. Flowers ran for the two-point conversion.

“I ran an outside go route and I had to stretch out but I got my knees down,” Grant said. “We’ve been working all summer and the hard work paid off.”

Grant gave a shout-out to interim coach Terrence Whitehead, who guide the Cougars to the finals last fall in the absence of longtime coach Robert Garrett, who was put on administrative leave just before the start of the 2025 season.

“I love him,” Grant said. “He trusted me enough to put me in.”

After the kickoff, Palisades had one last chance from its own 26-yard line with two seconds left but Kyion Rattler intercepted Robert Holohan’s desperation pass at the Cougars’ 35.

Joshua Jones scores Crenshaw’s first touchdown in Friday night’s 34-29 season-opening win at Palisades.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

Flowers, who was injured on a sack earlier in the fourth quarter but returned to lead his team on the game-winning drive, threw touchdown passes of 46 yards to Rattler in the second quarter and 23 yards to Jovan Clark with 6:04 left in the fourth quarter that gave Crenshaw a 29-26 lead.

Playing on campus for the first time since the 2024 playoffs, Palisades regained the lead on Holohan’s 33-yard strike to Malachi Ross with 2:48 left for the 29-26 lead. The Dolphins thought they recovered a fumble at the Crenshaw 20 on the ensuing kickoff but the officials awarded the visitors the ball and tacked on a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that allowed the Cougars to start their final drive at their own 35.

“I had to come back in,” Flowers said of his late-game heroics. “I saw the D-end coming out so I just had to wait for a teammate to get open. We knew we’d win if we played four quarters. When we got down we kept our composure.”

Joshua Jones ran for 124 yards and one touchdown in 24 carries, De’Andre Kirkpatrick ran for a one-yard touchdown and intercepted a pass in the fourth quarter to keep Crenshaw close.

“We for sure want to go back to the finals and win,” Flowers added. “Defense wins games, but our offense won this one.”

Making his first varsity start, Holohan threw for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Dolphins established themselves as early Open Division contenders. They lost to Garfield in the Open Division quarterfinals last season, playing every game on the road as a consequence of the Palisades fire.

The teams were meeting for the first time since 1984 when both played in the Crosstown League.

Enjoy a two or three-night break sailing from Plymouth or Portsmouth to Santander with our great 2 for 1 offer

We’ve teamed up with Brittany Ferries to give readers a Spanish mini-cruise this Autumn and save pounds with an exclusive 2-for-1 offer.

We have two great offers with prices starting from as little as £49.50 per person* and both packages include en suite cabin accommodation and all port charges. You can travel from September 15 to November 2 with this great offer.

From Plymouth, sail on Brittany Ferries’ luxurious flagship Pont-Aven for two days and nights, with fine French food and wine served in elegant surroundings, a choice of bars with live entertainment, a large boutique with tempting duty-free prices, and even a spa and swimming pool. From Portsmouth, sail on the stylish and contemporary Salamanca for three nights, with the elegant Restaurant Azul, casual dining at La Taberna, the lively Plaza Mayor bar inspired by Salamanca’s famous city square, and a boutique with a great range of duty-free products.

En route to Spain, you can also spot wildlife. The Bay of Biscay is one of the most remarkable and reliable places to spot whales and dolphins in the world.

On arrival, both ships dock in Santander – the capital of Cantabria – with a little time to explore this vibrant resort city on foot. With tree-lined boulevards, elegant plazas, beautiful parks and a bustling town centre packed with shops, cafes and tapas bars, it offers a wonderful taste of northern Spain. Pont-Aven docks right in the heart of the city, with up to three hours ashore.

From Plymouth, departures operate on Wednesdays and Sundays. From Portsmouth, choose a Friday evening departure returning Monday, or a Monday evening departure returning Thursday.

HOW TO BOOK: Click here to take up this offer. The offer is subject to availability.

Terms and conditions

The 2-for-1 discount applies only during the promotional period.

The promotional offer applies to a round trip as part of one booking i.e. departure and return. Departing and returning to Plymouth or Portsmouth – Santander.

Plymouth departures: The £49.50 per person price is based on 3 or 4 people sharing a 4-berth inside cabin.

Portsmouth departures: The £64.50 per person price is based on 2 people sharing a 4-berth inside cabin.

Single supplement of £94.50 applies

The offer is valid for foot passengers only.

Travel period is September 15 – November 2, 2026.

Full payment is required at the time of booking. It’s non-refundable and no amendments to bookings can be made.

The offer is bookable via the website only.

The offer is subject to availability.

Brittany Ferries terms of business apply to all bookings. For more information, read the terms and conditions here