Pali Tennis Keeps on Rolling

When the season began, Palisades High tennis coach Bud Kling was worried that losing its top two singles players might hinder his team’s chances of defending its league championship and making a run at its first City Section title since 1999. But halfway through the Western League schedule, the Dolphins find themselves in their customary spot atop the standings and have yet to be seriously challenged. After 7-0 shutouts of both Venice and Fairfax, Palisades ousted host Westchester, 5-2, with Ariel Oleynik winning, 6-1, 6-1, at No. 2 singles. Palisades blanked host Hamilton, 7-0, last Tuesday with Stephen Surjue and Seth Mandelkern winning, 6-0, 6-0, at No. 1 doubles. The Dolphins (9-3, 5-0) then beat University last Thursday at Palisades Recreation Center to wrap the first round of league undefeated. Baseball Tested for the first time since their Western League opener, the Dolphins passed with flying colors. After blowout victories in its previous three games, Palisades needed clutch pitching and steady defense to edge Hamilton, 3-1, Monday at George Robert Field. Filling in for injured starter Tim Sunderland, freshman catcher Garrett Champion coralled a strike from center fielder Turhan Folse, blocked the plate, and tagged out a Hamilton runner to complete a game-ending double play. Senior right-hander David Bromberg (5-1) allowed just two hits in six innings with six strikeouts and hit a towering two-run home run into the second lane of traffic on Sunset Boulevard to break a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning. Short stop Dylan Cohen continued his hot hitting, going two for three and driving in the Dolphins’ first run with a double off the center field fence. Cohen also teamed with second baseman Matt Skolnik to turn two double plays. Skolnik pitched the seventh inning to earn his third save for the Dolphins (9-4, 5-0), who are one third of the way to their goal of an undefeated league season. Last Wednesday, Palisades needed only five innings to mercy visiting Fairfax, 11-1, with Austin Jones scoring the 10th run on a fielder’s choice and Skolnik scoring the winning run on an error. Turhan Folse had five strikeouts in four iunnings and tripled to open the bottom of the fourth inning. Cohen doubled to deep center and scored on a single by David Bromberg in the first inning, then doubled off the center field fence to drive in a run in the second inning. Cohen hit an RBI double again in the third inning and scored on Bromberg’s bloop single to right field. Swimming The Dolphin varsity squads remained undefeated in the Marine League with dominating victories over archrival Venice last Friday night at the Gondos’ indoor pool. Palisades’ boys won, 128-57, with Peter Fishler winning the 200 Freestyle in 1:54.15 and the 100 Freestyle in 51.52. For the girls, freshman Kristen Fujii won the 200 Freestyle in 2:03.18 and the 100 Backstroke in 1:04.87 as the Dolphins posted a 109-70 victory. Softball Palisades lost to Hamilton, 11-10, on Monday to remain winless in Western League play. Palisades led 9-8 with two outs in the sixth inning before Pamela Flores singled with the bases loaded for the host Yankees. Crystal Mitchell went two for four with a double and three for the Dolphins (3-10, 0-4), who also lost to Fairfax last Tuesday and defending league champion Westchester last Thursday.