Track Teams Sprint Past Uni

To be successful in track and field, teams must be both talented and deep. Palisades has shown an equal measure of both this season’a big reason why the Dolphins are frontrunners in the race for first place in the Western League. ‘We have 100 kids in the program now, which is the most we’ve had since I’ve been here,’ Pali coach Ron Brumel said. ‘And our attrition rate has only been about five percent, much lower than usual, so we’re picking up a lot of points on numbers alone.’ The Dolphins’ skill was on display last Friday in a dual meet against University at Stadium by the Sea. Pali’s varsity boys won nine of 15 events to post a 72-46 victory while the varsity girls won 12 of 15 events to win 83-34 and remain undefeated in league competition. The boys improved to 1-1-1 in the league standings while the girls remained undefeated at 3-0 with only duals against Venice and Fairfax remaining. Leading the boys was sophomore Jeff Fujimoto, who remained unbeaten in league in the 110 high hurdles, winning in 17.9 seconds. ‘He’s been our most consistent points-getter,’ Brumel said of Fujimoto, who is also nationally ranked in judo. Junior Julian Harris was second in the 110 hurdles and Pali teammate Robert Gillette was third. The Dolphins’ 400 relay team of Javon Crowder, Ryan Henry, Chris Henderson and Gillette won in 46.4 seconds. Freshman Marco Tringali ran 5:00 flat in the mile’the fastest 1600 meter time by a Pali ninth-grader since Robert Varie ran a 4:37 in 1998. Wearing her trademark black socks, sophomore Kristabel Doebel-Hickock continued to pace the varsity girls, blazing the 800 in a personal-best 2:30 and doubling to win the mile in 5:35. Senior captain Michelle Mahanian performed well in the long jump (14-5) and triple jump (30-9) while freshman Tukeha Huntley cleared 5-0 to win the high jump and finished second behind fellow Dolphin Unique Shanklin in the 400. Senior Sarajane Onyeama was second in the triple jump and third in the long jump. Freshman Nicole Mahanian, Michelle’s younger sister, is undefeated in the 100 this season and finished second in the frosh/soph long jump (12-7). Palisades’ frosh/soph boys won 101-18 and the girls won 72-17. Baseball Senior right-hander David Bromberg threw his second no-hitter of the season, striking out 12 batters in five innings, as Palisades (11-4 overall, 7-0 in league) cruised to 12-0 win at Venice on Monday. Bromberg, who has 56 strikeouts this season, added a three-run home run and leadoff batter Turhan Folse had three hits and scored two runs. Shortstop Dylan Cohen hit a home run and scored four runs while third baseman Andy Megee had two hits, four RBIs and two runs scored. Austin Jones went two for two and Matt Skolnik had a single, a double and scored a run. Bromberg went four for four with five RBIs, including a two-run homer, and scored four runs while Cohen added two hits, two runs and one RBI as the Dolphins mercied host Hamilton, 14-1, last Wednesday. Megee and Monte Hickock each had two hits and scored a run while Folse allowed one run in five innings and struck out nine to earn the victory. Boys Golf Coach James Paleno’s team hosts Monroe today at 2 p.m. at Rancho Park. The Dolphins return to Rancho next Wednesday afternoon to play defending City team champion Granada Hills in their final regular season match. The 6A League finals are May 11 at Encino Golf course. Softball The Dolphins won their first Western League game last Thursday, beating host University 7-5. Nicole Torres had four hits, including a two-run triple in the fourth inning. Palisades (4-9, 1-5) managed only one hit in a 16-2 loss to first-place Venice on Tuesday at Stadium by the Sea. Swimming Both the boys and girls varsity teams clinched the Marine League title with easy victories over Hamilton last Monday at Temescal Canyon pool in their final regular season meet. The defending City champion boys completed their third straight undefeated season in league by outscoring the Yankees 143-10. The Dolphin girls, looking to recapture the City title they lost last year, won 120-44. Boys Tennis Palisades won the outright Western League title with 5-2 victories over Venice and Fairfax last week, then blanked Westchester 7-0 on Tuesday, with Ariel Oleynik winning 6-0, 6-0 at No. 3 singles. Against Fairfax, the Dolphins (14-2, 10-0) dropped only seven games in four singles matches, led by Stephen Surjue, who won 6-3, 6-3 at No. 1 singles. Adam Deloje won 6-2, 6-0 at No. 1 singles and Palisades swept all three doubles matches against Venice. Hamilton forfeited Wednesday’s league finale. Nine Dolphin players are entered in the 105th annual Ojai Tournament, which begins today. Boys Volleyball Palisades (8-3, 6-2) stayed in contention for a share of the Western League title with a 25-17, 25-11, 14-25, 25-15 victory at Fairfax last Thursday and a 25-16, 25-17, 25-19 sweep of visiting Westchester on Tuesday. Led by co-captains Lucas Pols and Rusty Barneson, the Dolphins’ only league losses this season have come in five games at the hands of Venice and University. Pali hosted Hamilton Wednesday and wraps up regular season play Tuesday at University.