Photo: Bruce Hulse
Palisades High tennis coach Bud Kling thought someone would have to step up and play over their head for the Dolphins to take the Division 2 crown last weekend at the annual California Classic in Fresno.
As it turned out, two players were full of surprises. Freshmen Noe Winter and Halsey Hulse teamed up to finish undefeated at No. 1 doubles, but in the end the Dolphins fell a few games short of taking the trophy.
“The girls had a great time,” Pali High Coach Bud Kling said. “Noe and Halsey moved up and didn’t drop a set playing against older, more experienced girls.”
Palisades went 3-0 in pool play Friday, beating Los Altos 5-1, Del Oro 5-1 and Clovis North 4-2. In the semifinals, the Dolphins defeated Tamalpais of Mill Valley 5-1, with Ireland and Sophia Amato winning easily at No. 1 and No. 2 singles and all three doubles teams sweeping.
In the finals against Valencia West Ranch, Winter and Hulse, who were teammates at Paul Revere Middle School and honed their volley skills playing Live Ball at the Palisades Tennis Center, won 6-4, 6-3. Maddy Goore and Alex Miller won by the same score at No. 2 doubles and Sophia Amato won 6-1, 6-2 at No. 2 singles. Both teams won three matches and six sets, but West Ranch ultimately prevailed 53-43 on games.
Palisades opened league play Monday at Hamilton.
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