Going into the CIF water polo playoffs, Palisades High School has earned the number one ranking and will try to claim its sixth consecutive city section championship.
On October 30, they faced the number sixteenth ranked-team Van Nuys at the Maggie Gilbert Aquatic Center, where they won 13-2.
On November 3, the Dolphins will face El Camino Real, ranked ninth, at home. During the regular season they defeated San Pedro 21-4 and 19-3.
Photo: Ben Trask
They were 8-0 in the Western/Marine league, which includes Venice, San Pedro, LACES and Banning.
Overall, PaliHi was 22-6 for the season, playing a tough schedule with several high- caliber tournaments.
The PaliHi team, which only has two seniors, beat Brentwood (13-6) and Santa Monica (16-10) in nonleague play. They also beat Malibu (9-6) to win the Malibu tournament in September.
The Dolphins had their best showing ever in the South Bay Tournament in October, defeating LaHabra, Hoover and Santa Monica, before losing to Costa Mesa.
PaliHi’s toughest match before reach- ing the City finals mostly likely will be the fourth-ranked Birmingham in the semi-finals on November 7.
If there are no surprises, such as the number three-ranked Granada Hills defeating the number two-ranked Eagle Rock, the Dolphins will face Eagle Rock in the championship game at Valley College on Thursday, November 9.
For the first time, the winner of the CIF tournament will be able to advance to the state water polo tournament.
From the beginning of the sport at the Maggie Gilbert Aquatics Center at PaliHi five years ago, Coach Adam Blakis’s goal was to have the top team in the city. Now he has new goal. “We’re striving to be the best in state,” Blakis said.
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