Isaiah

ARCADIA - There were three compelling local story lines involved with the Pacific League cross-country finals Thursday at Arcadia Park. Along with whether the Crescenta Valley High girls' team could capture its ninth straight league championship, there was also the question of would Burroughs' Anthony Monroy be able to win an individual boys' title and could the Arcadia boys' team hold off an upstart Burbank squad? Unfortunately for the area teams and Monroy, the answer on all three counts was no. In an extremely competitive and tight girls' race that was decided in the final few hundred meters, the Falcons fell short of their bid to capture another title as Arcadia pulled out a 24-31 victory.

BURBANK HIGH — It is a busy week for the Burbank High and Burroughs track and field teams. Not only did the squads have to go against one another in their annual rivalry meet Tuesday, but the Indians and Bulldogs — along with the rest of the league — will be back in action Friday for the Pacific League preliminaries at Arcadia High. "The only other way to do it would be to run the prelims and finals in the same week," Burroughs Coach John Peebles said. Looking for momentum heading into Friday's meet, the Bulldogs broke some longstanding streaks by sweeping the Indians in Tuesday's event at Burbank High.

The Supreme Court ruled last week that a city in Utah did not have to display a monument from an obscure local religious group in a public park, even though the park contained a display featuring the Ten Commandments. The religious group, known as Summum, argued that if the city displayed a Christian message on public property, it had an obligation to give all other religions equal space. The court, however, ruled that the 1st Amendment does not cover the right to erect a park monument and that the government could not be expected to appease every group in a community in that regard.

Bits and pieces from the local sports scene : Free event at Pickwick to feature professional ice hockey athletes : Ice hockey enthusiasts and youth players will get a chance to meet and learn fundamentals from members of the Los Angeles Kings. Players, coaches and broadcasters from the organization will be at Pickwick Ice Arena (1001 Riverside Dr.) from 3-4 p.m. Sunday for the 2006 L.A. Kings Rink Tour. Pickwick will be one of eight facilities visited by separate groups of players and coaches in events that are free to the public.

Yahoo.com has offered opportunities for celebrities to ask questions to Yahoo users. Renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has reportedly chimed in with a question ? "In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain itself?" Hawking has reportedly said that the ability for humans to continue living depends on our ability to colonize away from Earth as the planet is increasingly threatened by disaster. From a faith perspective, what do you think humans must do to sustain the human race?

BURBANK — Just one of the four area track and field programs is able to practice and compete on a home track. Providence and Bellarminne-Jefferson highs have never had an on-campus venue to call their own. They are joined this season by Burroughs, which has been displaced because of renovation to Memorial Field. "It's been a hassle, but there's nothing we can do about it," Burroughs Coach John Peebles said about the displacement. "You have to go on. " The Indians join the Guards in holding their practice sessions at Burbank High.

With the graduation of Burroughs High boys' cross-country standout Anthony Monroy, the title of top local male runner is up for grabs this season. Runners will have the chance to claim that title today at the 22nd annual Burbank All-City Meet at Griffith Park. On the girls' side, a new city champion will also be crowned, as last year's winner, Christina Shamirian of Burbank, graduated as well. Here is a closer look at how the teams are shaping up. BURBANK The Bulldogs boys' team enters the season with a potent lineup and valuable experience gained during the 2011 season.

This is the first in a four-part series looking back on the sports accomplishments of the four local high schools during the 2011-12 year. This installment is Burbank High: ¿ It didn't take long from the beginning of the school year for a Burbank High team to enjoy a successful season, as the Bulldogs boys' cross-country squad surprised many during the fall campaign. It had been nine years since the boys' program qualified for the CIF-State Cross-Country Championships.