Palisades High Tennis Players Make Section Finals

Palisades High players have advanced to the finals in both singles and doubles at the City Section Individual boys tennis tournament in Encino. 

In singles, top-seeded Oliver Thornton beat Dolphins teammate and fifth-seeded Joseph Silvers, 6-3, 6-2, in the semifinals Wednesday. Thornton will play second-seeded Richard Catabona of Van Nuys for the championship Monday at 1 p.m. at Balboa Sports Center.

It is a rematch of last year's semifinal, when Thornton hurt an ankle in a 6-4, 6-3 loss. The injury hobbled Thornton so badly that he subsequently defaulted his third-place match against Dolphins teammate Max Licona.

Silvers, a sophomore, will play No. 6-seeded Jami Barajas of El Camino Real in the third-place match at the same time and place Monday.

Palisades is assured of winning its second consecutive doubles crown after two Dolphins duos prevailed Wednesday to set up an all-Palisades final Monday at 1 p.m., also at Balboa Sports Center.

Top-seeded Spencer Pekar and Sam Catanzaro defeated fourth-seeded Roger Carnow and Harris Choe of Granada Hills, 6-2, 2-6, 7-6 (7), while second-seeded Robert Silvers and Trinity Thornton beat Eagle Rock's third-seeded William Thi and Aaron Alcaraz, 6-3, 6-4, in the other semifinal Wednesday. 

Last year, Palisades seniors Kramer Waltke and Kyung Choi won the doubles crown, 6-3, 6-1, over Anthony La and Joseph Cho of Narbonne. The Dolphins haven't swept the City team, singles and doubles titles in the same season since 1999.