Falcons

LA CRESCENTA — When first the Burbank High and Crescenta Valley softball teams locked up in a Pacific League affair, the teams combined for 15 runs with the Bulldogs taking home a dramatic extra-inning, one-run victory. Though the teams combined once more for 15 runs, Tuesday’s showdown was a far different ballgame, as consequently, Crescenta Valley appears to be a much different ballclub after winning its 10th straight game in the form of an emphatic 11-4 home victory against Burbank.

Jordan Card, Junior, Utility Player, Burbank Earned a spot on All-Pacific League first team. Finished with team-high 99 goals, second all-time in program history, and added 69 steals.   Christine Cho, Junior, Driver, Crescenta Valley Helped the Falcons win the Pacific League championship en route to securing all-league first-team and All-CIF second-team honors. Collected 57 goals and 30 steals.   Adrienne Ingalla, Junior, Utility Player, Cres.

Talented and complete all-around players have routinely come through the pipeline the past decade to eventually star for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ water polo team. When the chips were down, an athlete like Jessie Stiles, Kristin McLaughlin or Lybov Tchougounova would rise up and become the go-to player the Falcons needed to carry them to a victory or a wealth of Pacific League championships. These days, Crescenta Valley has another player in that mold in Kim Fraisse, who didn’t begin playing water polo until four years ago. Since then, she’s earned plenty of recognition with her ability to shoot with pinpoint accuracy and hustle back on defense to break up counter-attacks.

BURROUGHS HIGH — Crescenta Valley High boys’ volleyball Coach John Nelson and Burroughs Coach Joel Brinton agree that their respective teams are similar. Entering the first of their two head-to-head meetings Friday night, the Falcons and Indians came in with identical records and run nearly the same offenses. That changed thanks to a big performance from Tyler Yanez. Yanez contributed a match-best 30 assists and for bocks to propel host Burroughs to a 25-23, 25-22, 20-25, 25-21 Pacific League victory.

GLENDALE— One big key to success for the Crescenta Valley High baseball team in Friday night’s Pacific League game against Burbank was to maintain a healthy distance from the dangerous bat of Bulldogs shortstop Lonnie Kauppila. The distance from the on-deck circle to the batter’s box proved to be an effective buffer zone, as the hot-hitting senior bound for Stanford University represented the go-ahead run in the bottom of the seventh inning, but never made it to the plate, as the Falcons held on for a 6-4 victory at Stengel Field.

BURROUGHS HIGH — Just call it the Burroughs High bounce. In the Pacific League opener for both teams, the Indians took advantage of a strange hop in the second inning to score four runs en route to a 5-2 victory Tuesday against Crescenta Valley at Burroughs. “Sometimes the bounces go your way, and some times the bounces go against you. That’s just the nature of the game,” Burroughs first-year Coach J.R. Schwer said. “We have had our share of bad bounces over the years.

LA CRESCENTA — In its Pacific League game Tuesday against Burbank High, Crescenta Valley served notice that it can play a solid inside game. In the first quarter, the Falcons began the game blocking shots, grabbing rebounds and dominating play in the paint. It was that inside game, coupled with some timely outside shooting, that allowed the Falcons to earn a crucial 60-54 league victory against the Bulldogs at home. “We’ve known all season that we have some very good outside shooters,” Falcons Coach Shawn Zargarian said.

MEMORIAL FIELD — There is a shift of power taking place in the Pacific League. Maybe, the shift has already taken place. The Burroughs High boys’ soccer team, which has won two consecutive league championships, has struggled this season. Not only are the Indians not going to win a title this season, but it’s possible they won’t even qualify for the postseason. Crescenta Valley, on the other hand, has taken the league by storm and the Falcons sit in first place with their sights set on the league crown.

LA CRESCENTA — The way they played in the early going Wednesday, it appeared the Crescenta Valley High and Burroughs girls’ basketball teams were in for another tight contest. The Falcons, who defeated the Indians by four points earlier this month, held just a one-point lead after one quarter, as the squads were embroiled in a defensive battle. But Crescenta Valley stepped things up in the second quarter — taking advantage of poor shooting by the Indians — to go on a big run, which ultimately helped it earn a 48-32 victory at home.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Glendale Community College 78, West L.A. College 50: Sophomore center Kendra Carter finished with a game-high 28 points and sophomore forward Amanda Quesada added 20 on Wednesday at Glendale Community College to spark the Vaqueros in a Western State Conference Southern Division game. Carter is a Burbank High graduate. Sophomore guard Amanda Gupilan, who went to Bellarmine-Jefferson High, had 13 points for the Vaqueros (9-10, 2-2 in the division)