Big Games : Palisades at Hamilton

This one, at 2:30 p.m. Friday, doesn’t look like a big game, if you compare the teams’ records. Hamilton is 0-6 overall and 0-2 in the Crosstown League, and Palisades is 3-3, 2-0.

But this is an old rivalry, and Palisades has a new coach in Jack Epstein, who was the old coach at Hamilton, now directed by Dave Lertzman.

Hamilton may look like a soft touch, but, except for a 42-6 rout by unbeaten Fairfax, the Yankees have been in every game, including last week’s 13-12 loss to Manual Arts.

And Palisades has won three straight, including last week’s 30-14 defeat of Jordan, after starting the season with three losses. The Dolphins also are trying to keep pace with Fairfax in Crosstown play.

Said Epstein: “You never know with Hamilton. It’s a big game and one they really want to win. They’ve had a pretty rough time up to now. But they have good receivers, and I look for a very high-spirited game from them.”

Polytechnic at University

If this game, at 2:30 p.m. Friday, had been played a month ago, it would have been of little consequence. But University, which lost its first three games as Palisades did, is also on a hot streak and is trying to keep up with Venice (5-1, 4-0 in the Pac 8 League) for the league title.

University Coach Joe Sedia, whose team has won three in a row and is 3-3 overall but 3-1 in the Pac 8, must still play Venice and Westchester (5-1, 3-1).

Sedia said, “The toughies are coming, and Poly (1-5, 1-3) has played everybody tough. Our depth situation is not very great also.”

Kevin Allsup, a starting defensive tackle, has a hairline fracture of his right ankle and is definitely out for the Poly game, and starting offensive tackle Dana Vatanpour may not play because of an injured hand.

University has had a hot offense in the last couple of weeks, with a 47-0 victory over Grant and last week’s 33-6 rout of North Hollywood. Hottest of the hot have been the passing combo of Jonn Moomaw to Paul Richardson and the running of William Harris.