Pali Tennis Nets Nonleague Wins

The Palisades High boys tennis team opened the season in impressive fashion, winning at Manhattan Beach Mira Costa, 11-7, last Wednesday, scoring a 4-2 victory over Crossroads the following day and beating Beverly Hills Tuesday at Palisades Recreation Center. Senior Ben Tom played No. 1 singles against the Mustangs and swept his three round robin sets, 6-0, 6-2, 6-0. Freshman Chase Pekar swept 6-3, 6-4, 6-3 at No. 2 singles but senior Adam Deloje lost all three of his sets at No. 3 singles. In doubles, Stephen Surjue and Seth Mandelkern won two out of three sets at No. 1 and Sepehr Safii and Michael Light won two out of three at No. 2. Against Crossroads, Pekar played No. 1 singles and lost 6-3, 7-5 using the straight-up scoring used by the City Section. Deloje won 6-2, 6-0 at No. 2 and freshman Justin Atlan won 6-2, 6-0 at No. 3 singles. Surjue and Safii won, 6-0, 6-3, at No. 1 doubles and Mandelkern teamed with Light to win, 6-4, 7-6 (1) at No. 2. The Dolphins (3-0) got off to a fast start against Beverly Hills, winning the first three matches. Tom beat the Normans’ top player, Jeff Lin, 7-5, 6-3, at No. 1 singles, Pekar defeated Beverly Hills’ Eric Bond, 6-3, 2-6, 6-0, at No. 2 and Surjue teamed with Safii for a 7-6 (3), 7-5 doubles win. “We just swept three strong Southern Section opponents, so that’s a good sign,” PaliHi head coach Bud Kling said. “I’m pleased with how we’ve started out.” Baseball In a make-up game against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame last Wednesday, Palisades won 10-6. Mitchell Schwartz had a double, a suicide squeeze and five RBIs and Andy Megee added a double and two RBIs as Pali built a 7-1 lead in the first two innings. Catcher Tim Sunderland had two hits and scored three runs and Schwartz (1-0) allowed eight hits with five strikeouts. The following day, the Dolphins lost 6-2 to Santa Monica–their first loss at George Robert Field this season. Pali hitters were unable to solve pitcher Joe McGrew, who gave up five hits and stuck out three in six innings. Palisades bounced back with a 7-2 victory at Hawthorne last Saturday. Cole Cook (1-1) pitched a two-hitter with 13 strikeouts and Sunderland had a double and two RBIs. Austin Jones continued his hot streak at the plate with two singles and two RBIs. Boys Volleyball Palisades opened the season with a sweep of visiting Valley Alternative, 25-18, 25-13, 25-16 last Wednesday. Two days later, the Dolphins traveled to Carson and won 25-17, 23-25, 22-25, 25-22, 16-14. Softball Keira Leneman hit a game-winning two-run double in the fifth inning to spark Palisades’ 3-1 win Monday at North Hollywood. Freshman Emily Noel had 14 strikeouts and hit two doubles with one RBI in the victory. Despite a strong pitching performance from Noel, who allowed six hits and struck out eight, Palisades (2-1) failed to hold a 4-0 lead and lost to host Lincoln 5-4 last Wednesday.