Pali High Boys Water Polo Seeded Second in Playoffs

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

For the second straight season, a nonleague loss early in the season has cost the Palisades High boys water polo team the No. 1 seed in the City Section playoffs.
Despite having won three straight City titles and dominating their Western League opponents, the Dolphins were penalized for a 9-5 defeat to El Camino Real in early September – a game played by Palisades’ JV because the varsity squad was participating in the Conejo Classic the same day. As a result, Palisades was seeded second behind West Valley League champion Birmingham and will host No. 15 Los Angeles in the first round today at Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center.

A similar scenario unfolded last fall when Palisades was seeded No. 2 because of a league setback against LACES (without its varsity lineup) but still beat No. 1 Birmingham 11-9 in the finals. The Dolphins hope history repeats itself should the teams meet for the crown again Nov. 18 at Valley College.
“I’m actually glad because it puts more pressure on them as the No. 1 seed,” Pali High senior Mitchell Kim said. “It doesn’t mean much.”
Palisades prepped for their playoff run by traveling to Servite High in Anaheim last weekend to play in the Hank Vellekamp Tournament. The Dolphins won their pool with convincing victories over Ocean View (22-3) and Loyola’s JV (17-8) on Friday, before losing to the other two pool winners, Mater Dei’s JV (17-16) and Santa Monica (10-5) on Saturday to finish third out of nine teams.
Zach Senator had a stellar tournament, racking up six goals, five assists and six steals in three quarters against Loyola, adding four goals, six assists and four steals against Mater Dei and adding three goals and three steals against Santa Monica. Palisades’ JV went 1-2, beating Sonora and losing to Huntington Beach and Los Alamitos.
Should the Dolphins beat Los Angeles they will host either No. 7 Eagle Rock or No. 10 Fremont in the quarterfinals at 3 p.m. Monday.