Taft and Palisades Renew Tennis Tradition

It is becoming almost a pre-Thanksgiving family reunion for the girls’ tennis teams of Taft and Palisades highs.

For the seventh consecutive season, Taft (15-0) and Palisades (14-0) will meet in the City Section 4-A Division final, which starts at 2 p.m. today at the Racquet Centre.

Palisades has won four of these showdowns, Taft the past two by 6-1 scores.

But Taft will defend its title without Brahna Pastorini, the City champion who graduated in June.

Julia Feldman, who has a 46-0 record in team play over three seasons, leads a strong group of singles players. But Taft has been inconsistent this season.

“One day we look powerful, the next day the match is close,” Taft Coach Marvin Jones said. “You can win pretty or you can win ugly, but you take a win any way you can get it.”

Taft slipped past University, 4-3, in Monday’s semifinals while Palisades routed Granada Hills, 7-0.

Taft has beaten Granada Hills by scores of 6-1 and 4-3. The Dolphins twice swept University, 7-0.

For Taft, Nos. 2 and 3 singles players Ravid Levi and Alicia Whelan are each 3-0 since switching from No. 1 doubles. The pair were 12-0 at doubles. Marissa Parker is 13-2 at No. 4 singles.

“My team is pretty solid,” Jones said. “Our No. 1 goal was to get to the final. It wasn’t to go undefeated or be perfect. We made it.”