HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS : Nealon Falters at End, but Poly Prevails, 10-9

Greg Nealon allowed 8 runs and 10 hits in the final 2 innings, but Poly, which had built a nine-run lead, held on to defeat Sylmar, 10-9, in an East Valley League game at Poly on Tuesday.

Nealon (9-2), who had five strikeouts and did not allow a walk, pitched a complete game despite allowing 15 hits. Sylmar trailed, 10-1, after five innings, but had the tying and go-ahead runs on base when Nealon struck out Frank Valdez to end the game.

Danny Gil had three hits and Bill Chavez, Louis Garcia and Joey Speakes each had two for Poly (18-4, 16-2 in league) in the Parrots’ regular-season finale. Donnie Kelley was 4 for 4 for Sylmar (13-8, 11-6), which dropped into a second-place tie with North Hollywood.

BASEBALL

Peter Salehyar collected four hits, including a two-run home run, as North Hollywood crushed Fairfax, 7-0, in an East Valley League game. Salehyar’s home run, his sixth, highlighted a three-run first inning for North Hollywood (11-6 in league).

Dave Waco of Grant had four hits but made an error in the ninth inning that led to two runs as Verdugo Hills defeated Grant, 5-3, in an East Valley League game. Juan Doroteo added two hits for Grant (8-14, 7-10), which was eliminated from playoff contention.

Kirk Surabian struck out five and scattered six hits as Cleveland defeated Taft, 4-2, to claim the final playoff berth in the West Valley League. Surabian (6-3), a junior, retired the last eight batters in order.

El Camino Real took advantage of five errors and scored seven unearned runs in its 11-5 victory over Reseda in a West Valley League game. Carl McFadden of El Camino Real (11-7, 10-5) had four RBIs, three on a fifth-inning home run. Robert Bumgarner added three hits for El Camino Real.

Colin Hines (6-3) struck out nine and scattered two hits as Kennedy defeated Van Nuys, 2-0, to clinch the Mid-Valley League’s fourth playoff spot.

Steve Kovacic’s two-out, RBI single scored the winning run as Granada Hills edged Monroe, 4-3, in a Mid-Valley League game.

GOLF

Tack Tharp of North Hollywood shot an even-par 72, the top individual score, but North Hollywood trails Taft by one stroke after the first round of the City finals at Harding golf course in Griffith Park. Tristan Taylor of North Hollywood (75) is second, and Taft’s David Solomon and North Hollywood’s Alex Woodson are tied for fourth at 76.

BOYS TENNIS

Led by No. 1 singles player Ronny Monatlik, Chatsworth defeated Canoga Park, 6-1, to finish in a first-place tie with El Camino Real in the West Valley League. Chatsworth (12-3, 9-1), the defending league champion, will play El Camino Real at 2:30 today at Taft to determine the league’s first-place representative in the City Section playoffs.

Mark Vukanovich, who did not lose a game against three opponents, led Canyon (13-8) to a 14-4 win over San Dimas in the first round of the Southern Section 2-A playoffs.