Court Chaos

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Prior to last weekend, Palisades High’s boys volleyball team had the inside track to the top seed in the LA City Section’s Open Division playoffs. That changed last weekend at the Chatsworth Invitational, where the host Chancellors avenged a three-set defeat to Palisades one month earlier in the semifinals of the Venice Tournament.

On Friday, Palisades did not drop a set in pool play, beating St. Monica, JW North and Eastvale Roosevelt.

The Dolphins had a more difficult time in the second round of pool play Saturday morning, surviving a scare against Birmingham (which had beaten Palisades at the Venice Tournament) before prevailing 25-18, 15-25, 16-14 and being pushed all the way in a 25-23, 26-24 victory over Golden Valley. The rematch between Palisades and Chatsworth was not as dramatic as the first encounter when the Dolphins rallied for an 11-25, 25-18, 17-15 triumph.

On Saturday, the host school won 25-16, 25-19 to secure first place in the pool and the Chancellors eventually reached the Gold bracket finals, losing 19-17 in the third set to champion Burroughs of Burbank.

Palisades, meanwhile, also qualified for the Gold bracket but was ousted by Simi Valley Royal in the first round, 27-25, 25-16. Royal then outlasted Eagle Rock, another City team vying for the No. 1 spot, before being swept by Chatsworth in the semifinals. On the other side of the draw, Burroughs took on Windward in the semifinals and survived 16-14 in the third set. Windward beat Palisades in three spirited sets in the championship match of the Venice Tournament. Marshall nearly beat Burroughs in the Gold bracket quarterfinals Saturday and strengthened its case for an Open Division berth come May.

Venice edged City foe Taft 26-24 on its way to capturing the Silver Division, downing Golden Valley 25-15 in the final. Shaking up the City rankings even more, VAAS shocked Birmingham 25-15 on its

march to the semifinals. Van Nuys Grant won the Bronze Division.

Despite losing twice at the Chatsworth Tournament, the Dolphins did clear a major hurdle on their quest for the Western League title with a 27-25, 25-18, 25-21 sweep of Venice on April 3. The Gondos had taken the first two sets before Palisades rallied to win the last three in the teams’ first league meeting.

Chatsworth and Palisades could face off a third time in the playoffs. The teams clashed in the City finals each of the last two seasons, with the Dolphins prevailing three sets to one in 2022 and the Chancellors sweeping 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 last spring at Cal State Northridge.