Net Result

Dolphins Gain Respect Versus City Champ Chatsworth

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

In an early season matchup of City Section title contenders the Palisades High boys volleyball team battled to the last point last Thursday evening versus reigning champion Chatsworth, which won 25-21, 25-27, 25-20, 26-24 last Thursday at the Dolphins’ gym.

There were plenty of handshakes to go around as coaches and players wished each other luck and looked forward to meeting again in the playoffs in six weeks, each side confident it would play better in a potential rematch.

“This year is all about what are we doing with adversity?” Chatsworth Coach Sina Aghassy said. “I told my guys after they let the second set get away that the third set would tell me a lot about the character of our team. Palisades is well coached and has always had skilled players so I’m sure we’ll see them down the line. Hopefully this isn’t our best volleyball.”       

Oftentimes in sports familiarty breeds contempt, but in this case it has bred mutual repect. The teams  have faced each other in the playoffs three times in the last five years, including the finals in 2018, and have combined to capture the last four City Open Division titles.    

It appeared the Dolphins (5-1) would force a fifth and deciding set when they raced to leads of 9-2 and 16-10 in the fourth before the Chancellors rallied behind seniors CJ Blankenship (16 kills and three aces) and Jamaal Unuakhalu (two blocks, 14 kills) and junior Blake  Pohevitz (12 kills, two blocks). Behind pinpoint setting by junior Blake Pecsok and the digging of freshman libero Sean Wahlig, the Dolphins got 12 kills and five aces from senior Gus Wibbelsman.    

   “I said at the start of the season they’re the team to beat and they showed why they’re the champs,” Pali High Coach Carlos Gray said of the Chancellors (14-4). “We’re inexperienced at a lot of positions and it showed at critical moments. Closing out [sets] is an acquired skill that this team hasn’t learned yet, but to go up against an opponent of that caliber and know you can play with them is huge.”