Boys’ volleyball: Chancellors can answer doubters at Sylmar tourney

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Chatsworth began the season as the overwhelming favorite to win the City Section championship. Having been pushed to five games twice so far in West Valley League matches, however, there’s room to question if the Chancellors are really as good as advertised.

They can answer affirmatively by winning Saturday’s Sylmar tournament, which will feature 35 teams, including most of the top teams in the City Section. Pool-play matches will be played at three sites -- Sylmar, Birmingham and Chatsworth -- with the two best teams from each pool advancing to the elimination round at Sylmar.

Chatsworth Coach Jonathan Sheriff said his team started to gel at the Santa Barbara and Las Vegas tournaments when it played 15 matches in four days against some of the top teams in the state: ‘I think they learned how to overcome a deficit. They seem to know how to step up to the challenge.’

Verdugo Hills Coach Will Reinhart welcomes the challenge of playing Chatsworth, mainly because a win over the Chancellors would likely improve his own team’s seeding for the playoffs: ‘I think the City is more wide open than it’s been in recent years. Chatsworth looks like its the most talented team, but I don’t think anyone’s unbeatable.’

Other City title contenders in the field include Venice, Taft, Carson and host Sylmar. Three notable teams will be absent: Valley Mission League leader Van Nuys, Western League leader Palisades and two-time defending City champion Granada Hills.

-- Steve Galluzzo

-- Image from http://chsvolleyball