Palacios Expects to Put His Distress to Rest

Junior Palacios doesn’t remember how he hurt his right hand in the first half of Mater Dei’s game against Loara last Friday. Did he bang it against someone’s helmet? Did someone step on it while he was on the ground after being tackled?

Palacios doesn’t know. At the time, he had only one thought: Not again.

Injuries forced Mater Dei’s senior tailback to miss four games last year, including the Monarchs’ 33-26 victory over Long Beach Poly in the Southern Section Division I final. So when Palacios steps on the field against Concord De La Salle tonight at University of the Pacific, his right hand will be heavily bandaged.

He is not missing this game.

“It was the hardest thing to do, just watching that game,” Palacios said, recalling last year’s title contest against Poly. “I had wanted to play in a championship game my whole life and that was the opportunity. I tried to think of what I had done wrong, but injuries happen in a physical game.”

After playing behind Mike McNair (now at Notre Dame) in 1997, Palacios appeared headed for a big season last year when he rushed for 302 yards and three touchdowns in his first two games. But he injured his knee against Bellflower St. John Bosco, aggravated the injury against De La Salle and sat out games against Irvine and Servite.

Palacios did not score again until Mater Dei’s ninth game of the season, against Dana Hills. And he hurt himself again late in the first half against the Dolphins, pulling a lower abdominal muscle on a running play.

“I had planted my foot and was twisted during the tackle,” he said. “[The pain] came on slowly. I thought it was a groin pull. It felt kind of weird.”

At the time, no one knew the severity of the injury.

“When the pain first dissipated we thought, ‘OK,’ ” Coach Bruce Rollinson said. “Then he pulls the abdominal worse. It’s kind of a rare injury, though hockey players get it. If I had to do it all over again, I would have sat him down for a month. But it’s one of those things where he would practice and it wouldn’t be too bad, then all of a sudden, wham.”

Palacios sat out the Monarchs’ first-round playoff game against Fountain Valley and returned to the lineup against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame the next week.

He had one last big game, rushing for 161 yards and a touchdown against Los Alamitos in a Division I semifinal Dec. 5, but two days later, he could hardly straighten up. Desperate to play in the title game, Palacios waited three days to attend practice, but soon realized he wouldn’t be suiting up.

He ended the season with 628 yards and five touchdowns in 108 carries.

After four months of healing and rehabilitating, Palacios was able to participate in spring and summer practices.

“Coming back from the injury wasn’t my only motivation,” he said. “I want to prove to myself that I can be durable. I could have had a 1,000-yard season last season. I’m shooting for one this year.”

Palacios is running behind an inexperienced line this season, and quarterback Matt Grootegoed also carries the ball when Mater Dei runs the option. Palacios’ yardage total is modest, so far: 27 carries for 153 yards and two touchdowns in two games.

He’s looking to break out against De La Salle, which has won a national-record 90 consecutive games. The Spartans defeated Mater Dei, 28-21, last season at Edison Field.

“Having played them helps,” Palacios said. “Last year, we were intimidated because of the streak and were in awe of the crowd. This year, we can ignore that.

“I’m not saying we’re automatically going to win. We definitely respect them. They are a great team that is disciplined and well-coached.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

MATER DEI VS. CONCORD DE LA SALLE

Featured Game

When: 7:30 tonight

Where: University of the Pacific, Stockton

Records: Mater Dei (1-1); De La Salle (2-0)

Rankings: Mater Dei is ranked No. 1 in Orange County and No. 3 in Southern Section Division I. De La Salle is ranked No. 1 in North Coast Section Division I and No. 3 in the National Prep Poll.

Noteworthy: De La Salle has won a national-record 90 consecutive games. Included in that streak is last year’s 28-21 victory over the Monarchs at Edison Field. Neither team is considered as good as it was last year, but the Spartans are still potent offensively; they defeated Richmond, 56-7, and Bakersfield, 35-8. Mater Dei lost at Fresno Clovis West, 24-17, in its season opener but bounced back last week to beat Loara, 35-0. College recruiters are in hot pursuit of De La Salle linebacker/running back D.J. Williams and Mater Dei quarterback/defensive back Matt Grootegoed.