Photo: Steve Galluzzo
For the 10th time in 11 years the Palisades High girls tennis team will play Granada Hills for the City Section championship. The teams meet for the Open Division title at 11 a.m. today at Balboa Sports Center in Encino and Palisades Coach Bud Kling expects a close match.
“A lot depends on whether their No. 1 girl plays or not, but no matter what it should be tight,” Kling said. “We’re the top seed and their No. 2 so by no means will it be easy.”
Palisades regained the title last year, topping the Highlanders, 6-1. The two schools have combined to win every upper division girls tennis title since 2002. Palisades has won a City-best 27 girls titles (inckluding the inaugural Open Division crown in 2017) since the section sanctioned the sport in 1973. Granada Hills is second with 12—its last in 2019 when it beat Palisades 5-2.
The Dolphins blanked No. 4 Taft 7-0 in the semifinals Tuesday while Granada Hills ousted third-seeded El Camino Real. Palisades is led by senior Iris Berman, the reigning City Individual Singles champion. Rounding out the singles lineup are Jade Finestone, Sophie Szeder and Anaya Ayanbadejo. The final is best-of-seven consisting of four singles and three doubles matches.
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