One of California's top sprinters has a career-high 202 yards receiving as the Dolphins' Jack Thomas has five TD passes in intersectional victory.
Demare Dezeurn has already established himself as one of the fastest high school sprinters in California.
Now he wants to prove he is one of the state’s best wide receivers. The junior from Palisades made a believer out of everyone who witnessed Thursday night’s season opener at Harvard-Westlake, catching four touchdown passes in the Dolphins’ 37-34 intersectional victory.
Dezeurn was third in the 100-meter dash at the CIF state track and field finals in the spring and put his speed to good use on the gridiron in his Dolphins debut. Asked if he thought his performance Thursday would cause scouts to ponder which is his best sport, he called it “a good start.”
“People still doubt me but I’m out to prove everyone wrong,” said Dezeurn, who caught 13 passes for a career-high 202 yards. “Four TDs said a lot and I’m proud of myself. The last one stands out the most because I had to break a lot of tackles.”
Dezeurn who transferred to Palisades after spending the first two years of his prep career at Bishop Alemany, ended the Dolphins’ first two drives with touchdown catches of 16 and 20 yards, added a 44-yard scoring reception early in the fourth quarter and capped off his Dolphins debut with a 15-yard touchdown grab with five minutes left.
Palisades needed every one of them to hold off the Wolverines, who pulled to within three points on a two-yard run by Auggie Sone — his third touchdown of the game — with 1:12 left.
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Palisades recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the clock.
Jack Thomas was the Western League player of the year and City Section's offensive most valuable player after throwing for 46 touchdowns and running for 12 more last fall and picked up right where he left off Thursday, throwing for 378 yards and five touchdowns — the four to Dezeurn and a 55-yarder to King Demethris that regained the lead for Palisades, 25-20.
“We’re just getting started,” Dezeurn said of what might be the most feared quarterback-receiver combo in the City Section. “I know if I mess up an assignment or I’m running too slow I’ll hear about it from Jack. Knowing how good he is pushes me to be better.”
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Category: General Sports
