Pali High Volleyball Stunned in Finals

By STEVE GALLUZZO | Sports Editor

Even the proudest programs can be humbled from time to time—and that was the case for the Palisades Charter High School boys volleyball team last Saturday night, May 13, at Cal State Northridge.

No. 1-seeded Chatsworth made the Dolphins look like an ordinary team—not a perennial powerhouse—in its 25-18, 25-22, 25-18 sweep in the Open Division final that was easier than anyone anticipated.

After all, the second-seeded Dolphins were the defending champions and defeated the same opponent in four sets in the finals one year earlier. The rematch, however, was all Chancellors.

“We didn’t play our best volleyball, but all credit to them,” said Coach Carlos Gray, who piloted his team to the finals for the seventh time since taking over in 2014. “It’s been a season full of amazing highs and devastating lows.”

Gus Wibbelsman, who pounded 23 kills in last year’s final and was selected City Co-Player of the Year before graduating in June, was invited back to sit on the bench and inspire his former teammates.

Setter Blake Pecsok, who shared MVP honors with Wibbelsman last year, did his best to rally his team, but the Chancellors seemingly had answers for everything he and the Dolphins tried.

“This is the best we’ve played all season,” admitted George Mason-bound outside hitter Blake Pohevitz, who paced the Chancellors with 18 kills. “We knew we’d meet them again the finals. That’s what we wanted. It was a collective effort and we played our hearts out. It was fate, but also hundreds of hours of film study. It’s nice when all of the hard work pays off.”

Playing in its third consecutive final, Chatsworth seized control from the start, building an eight-point cushion in the first set and winning it on James Rockwell’s jump serve into the net.

In the second set, a bad break on a ball that appeared headed out of bounds went Chatsworth’s way at 22-19, and the Chancellors sided out from there. Chatsworth reeled off four straight points to take a 17-13 lead in the third set and force Gray to call timeout.

The Chancellors blocked Enzo Torres on match point. The Dolphins never led at any stage in any set.

“They’ve had our number over the years, but preparation was key … watching film, seeing their tendencies and waiting for some of those guys to graduate,” said Chatsworth head coach Sina Aghassy, a Northridge native who played college volleyball on the same floor at CSUN and led the Chancellors to the Division II title in 2016 and the Open Division title versus his alma mater Taft in 2021. “Pali’s a great program and they outworked us last year. We didn’t want to let that happen again.”

Chatsworth won its 10th City crown, the second most of any team in the City behind Palisades, which has 17. University is third with nine.

Chatsworth holds the record with four straight upper division titles from 2002-05. The last final held at CSUN was in 2008, when Palisades defeated El Camino Real in five sets.

The last time Palisades got swept in a City final was at the hands of Granada Hills in 2013, after which first-year coach, Palisades alum and beach volleyball legend Randy Stoklos resigned.

Both Palisades and Chatsworth advanced to this week’s SoCal Regional Division II playoffs.