Palisades Boys Tennis Team Celebrates Their 17th Straight City Championship Win

Palisades High School Boys’ Tennis Team Secures 17th Consecutive City Championship Title

Palisades High School’s boys’ tennis team has extended its remarkable winning streak to 17 consecutive City Section championships following a decisive 18.5 to 11 victory over Taft in the Open Division finals on Wednesday at Balboa Sports Center in Encino.

Freshman Kensho Ford, who recently reached the CIF singles semifinals at the Ojai tournament, excelled at No. 1 singles, winning all four sets with a mere three games lost. However, a surprising twist emerged when Zach Cohen, who had played No. 1 doubles throughout the season, swept at No. 4 singles, allowing the top-seeded Dolphins to split the singles points evenly.

“I’ve been asking for two years now, and when Coach Rob told me Saturday I’d be in singles, I was so excited,” Cohen stated. He also played a pivotal role in the team’s success in cross-country, securing the individual title while leading the Dolphins to their fifth consecutive team championship in November.

This victory marks an unprecedented dynasty within City Section history, as no team from a City school has achieved a longer winning streak. Coach Bud Kling, with 55 City titles to his name—33 in boys’ competitions and 22 in girls’ competitions—continues to solidify his legacy in the sport. The Dolphins have reached 21 consecutive finals; the last time other schools contested the upper division title was in 2004.

Adding to the team’s impressive performance, the sophomore duo of Josh Glaser and Bennett Murphy, who were elevated to varsity a month prior, won all three sets at No. 3 doubles, overcoming Taft’s top pairs in tightly contested tiebreakers.

For Taft, Dannes Djalilov managed to secure two set victories at No. 1 singles, while Brandon Celestine mirrored this success at No. 4 singles. The Toreadors, who last defeated Palisades in the finals during 2007 and 2008, were striving for their eighth City title and first since winning Division II in 2019.

As the match concluded, Ford secured the championship with a 6-0 win against Alec Volodarskiy. This allowed the Dolphins to surpass the 15-point threshold when Stuffman and new partner Jack Plotkowski clinched a 6-2 victory at No. 1 doubles.

The triumph not only highlights Palisades’ dominance in boys’ tennis but also emphasizes the program’s enduring legacy within the City Section.