Granada Hills Wins Third Consecutive Title

In a rematch of last year’s City Section girls’ tennis final, it took only an hour and 15 minutes for Granada Hills to win its third consecutive Championship division title Friday at Balboa Sports Complex in Encino.

The top-seeded Highlanders (14-2) won the first four matches in the best-of-seven format and breezed to a 5-2 victory over second-seeded Palisades (13-3), which was looking to avenge its 6-1 loss a year ago.

Moments after sophomore Jennifer To wrapped up her 6-4, 6-0 victory at No. 4 singles to give Granada Hills a 3-0 lead, seniors Alex Margolin and Kristine Mayor clinched the Highlanders’ sixth section title with a 6-4, 6-0 victory at No. 1 doubles. Seniors Maria Cardenas and Ramya Sreepathi won in straight sets at No. 2 and No. 3 singles.

Sreepathi is the only girl in school history to play in four City finals, the first two under former coach Ron Wood and the last two with Wood’s successor, Simon Robertshaw.

The longest match was at No. 1 singles, where Roxanne Plata dealt Palisades’ Krista Slocum her first loss of the season, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-4.

Granada Hills has reached seven consecutive City finals, winning four. Palisades beat Granada Hills, 4-3, to win the last of its 17 City titles in 1998.

Reseda swept all four singles matches to defeat Valley Mission League rival Sylmar, 5-2, in the Invitational final. Sara Pilgreen and Gabi Weiss won, 2-6, 6-3, 7-5, at No. 2 doubles to clinch the victory for the Regents (12-4), who defeated Sylmar (9-7) for the third time this season.

Steve Galluzzo

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Boys’ Water Polo

Three-time defending champion Long Beach Wilson advanced to its fourth consecutive Southern Section Division I final with a 9-7 victory over North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake in a semifinal game Friday night at William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center at Irvine Heritage Park.

Top-seeded Wilson’s victory over the fourth-seeded Wolverines (26-5) came one round earlier than last year’s 9-8 decision in the title game. The Bruins (29-2), who have won nine titles -- two of their last three at the expense of the Wolverines -- will face Santa Ana Foothill (22-8) in the final at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

“We never take that for granted,” Long Beach Wilson Coach Tony Martinho said. “It’s so hard to get to the finals.”

Wilson jumped on Harvard-Westlake for a 4-2 lead after the first quarter thanks to three goals by Matt Sagehorn. Scott Swanson added two goals in the second quarter as Wilson took a 7-5 halftime lead. He also registered the Bruins’ last goal with 2:07 to play, allowing them to hold off Harvard-Westlake down the stretch.

Justin Rappel and Eric Vreeland each had two goals and an assist for Harvard-Westlake. Will Hindle-Katel, Alex Kofsky and Johnny Cirelle had the Wolverines’ other goals.

In the other Division I semifinal, also at Heritage Park, Foothill scored three goals and held second-seeded Corona del Mar (20-9) scoreless in the fourth quarter for a 12-9 victory.

A penalty shot by Ryan Cummins, who finished with four goals, gave third-seeded Foothill an 11-9 lead with 4:41 to play. Thomas Pearson scored five goals for the Sea Kings (20-9).

-- Lauren Peterson