CITY TENNIS PLAYOFFS : Palisades Routs Kennedy, 27 1/2-2, in the First Round

Palisades High, which has won the City 4-A tennis championship in six of the past seven seasons, defeated Kennedy, 27 1/2-2, in the opening round of the playoffs Tuesday at the Racquet Centre in Studio City.

Palisades’ Jon Kahn and Shawn Helmig, and three of its doubles teams, were undefeated in the round-robin competition.

“They’re not cocky, just confident,” said Palisades Coach Ernest Kling, whose team is seeded No. 1. “Anything less than a City championship and they’ll be disappointed.”

University 16 1/2, Birmingham 10--Robert Vinson was undefeated in four sets for University. Birmingham captured two of the first three doubles matches, but University came back to win six straight matches. The No. 1 team of Jon Nussbaum and Sean Oltan swept its three sets.

North Hollywood 19 1/2, El Camino Real 10--Natt Northong won four times and the doubles team of Chris Preston and Ron Kipnis were 3-0 to lead North Hollywood.

Singles players David Kadin and Jason Freeman, both sophomores, combined for six wins for North Hollywood, the East Valley League champion. El Camino Real’s best efforts came from Tony Cohen (3-1) and the doubles team of Brian Rosenblatt and Eric Hoff (2-1).

Chatsworth 19, Polytechnic 10 1/2--Jonathan Holiday swept past his four opponents and Ronnie Monaplik picked up three wins as second-seeded Chatsworth extended its season record to 17-0. Leading, 10-6, after the singles competition, Chatsworth received two victories from each of its three doubles teams.

Thorton Hilgenfelt won three sets for Poly.

The semifinal round of the playoffs is scheduled for Thursday.