Pacific League

GLENDALE — From Glendale to La Crescenta and across to the San Gabriel Valley, eight high school football coaches from the Pacific League are devising plans to make their respective way to the top of the Pacific League. At hand for Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover, Muir, Arcadia and Pasadena will be the challenge of knocking off defending co-league champions Burbank and Burroughs. With the nonleague portion of the 10-week schedule complete, those teams will get to work when Pacific League plays begins this week.

LA CRESCENTA — In 2006, its first season in the Pacific League, the success enjoyed by the Burroughs’ High girls’ volleyball team was a pleasant surprise. Welcoming almost all of their starters back, the Indians entered 2007 Pacific League play poised to surpass the accomplishments of last season, in which they went 15-9, placed third in league and reached the quarterfinals of the CIF playoffs for the first time in 20 years. With a 25-11, 25-22, 25-17 victory on Thursday against host Crescenta Valley, last year’s fourth-place team in league, the Indians ran their league record to 4-0 and are quickly emerging as one of the top teams in the Pacific League.

PASADENA — For somebody who just won a second straight individual Pacific League championship, Justin Yu wasn’t overly thrilled. The senior Crescenta Valley High boys’ golfer didn’t turn in the type of performance he believed should merit elite status despite winning by a whopping 12 strokes. Yu carded a seven-over-par 77 on Wednesday afternoon to capture the league title at Brookside Golf Course No. 2 in Pasadena. “Seven-over-par isn’t a good round for me,” said Yu, who recorded a three-round score of 213 to topple Arcadia’s Erik Stratton (225)

GLENDALE — In nonleague competition, the Glendale and Burbank high girls' tennis squads built a respectable rivalry. Now, they will look to do the same while participating in the Pacific League. The Nitros and Bulldogs completed their first league match Tuesday with the Nitros posting a 14-4 home victory. Burbank (1-2) joined the Pacific League, along with Burroughs, after a lengthy stint in the Foothill League. The Nitros (2-0) traditionally play Burbank during the first or second week of the season to prepare for the rigors of competing against perennial Pacific League powerhouses Crescenta Valley and Arcadia.

GLENDALE ? It certainly wasn't an ordinary Pacific League opener for the Hoover and Burroughs high boys' water polo teams. The first-year coaches on both squads would attest to that assessment, though their defensive units seemed to take the day off in Burroughs' 19-17 road victory against Hoover on Tuesday. Hoover Coach Matt Jung and Burroughs Coach Kristina Garcia said following the 36-goal match, that defense had been a strong point. That didn't seem indicative Tuesday.

MEMORIAL FIELD — The Burbank High football team couldn't afford another Pacific League loss after last week's one-point, double-overtime setback to Muir. This meant Friday night's encounter against Arcadia could make or break their chances at a league title. But all is well, as the Bulldogs easily handled the Apaches, 42-14, at Memorial Field. Senior quarterback Robert Linda was especially effective as a runner. In the opening half, Linda accounted for 161 yards on the ground with scoring runs of 19, 56 and 54 yards.

blr-BurroughsBaseball02.TextOV269H59BASEBALL: Crescenta Valley proves too much for Burroughs in Pacific League game on the road, 9-0.Credit: BY TAMMY ABBOTT The Leader Caption: Burroughs High starting pitcher Byron Pacheco delivers Tuesday in a Pacific League game against host Crescenta Valley. The Indians lost, 9-0. blr-BurroughsBaseball02TextN9269H41GNPThe Leader BURROUGHS HIGHBURROUGHS HIGH — With the lone blemish on its Pacific League record coming at the hands of Burroughs High, the Crescenta Valley baseball team set out to atone that lone loss on Tuesday.

LA CRESCENTA — After getting swept in its last two matches, perhaps the Crescenta Valley High girls' volleyball team is beginning to look beatable to the other teams in the Pacific League. Burbank certainly showed no fear of the Falcons in its league match Thursday, testing Crescenta Valley in a tight first game before eventually falling, 25-23, 25-15, 25-18. "I was kind of afraid we would let it slip," said the Falcons' Ally Hearn (five kills) of the first game in which the Bulldogs battled back to tie the score at 23. "We shouldn't have let it get that close."

Yumi So’s reaction to the news that she had been voted swimmer of the year was one of surprise, partly born of modesty and partly of genuine puzzlement. “I was kind of shocked because I haven’t been to a lot of high school meets this year,” the Crescenta Valley High junior said. “I’ve been to less than half.” So’s time with the Falcons this year was fleeting, but when it came to the biggest meets of the Pacific League and CIF Southern Section Division II, So was there and she was unbeatable, leading the sportswriters and editors of the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader and La Cañada Valley Sun to unanimously select her as Girls’ Swimmer of the Year.

BURBANK — There has been a great deal of change with the area's boys' water polo teams since the 2005 season. Burroughs High has a new coach in Kristina Garcia, a 2000 Glendale High graduate who played on the Division I college level at Cal State Northridge and was on the women's coaching staff at College of the Canyons last season. She replaced Carlos Ponce, who is concentrating on just the Indians girls' team after heading both programs last season. At Burbank, second-year Coach Dro Hovanessian — a Burroughs graduate — has retooled much of the Bulldogs' offense and defense.

BURBANK HIGH — A year ago at this time, the Burroughs High baseball team was still reeling from an underage drinking scandal that involved former coaches and players. As a result, the season was canceled and a promising campaign was extinguished. Friday night, some of those same players who were affected by the scandal were basking in the glow of qualifying for the CIF Southern Section playoffs. Led by a superb three-hit performance from Burroughs starting pitcher Luis Pereyra, the Indians defeated cross-town rival Burbank, 2-0, to finish fourth in the Pacific League and clinch the league's final automatic playoff spot.

ARCADIA - With the Crescenta Valley High, Burbank, Burroughs and Arcadia boys' golf teams having already clinched postseason berths, the first round of the Pacific League Tournament on Tuesday afternoon focused more on the field. Sixteen players - including 10 locals - from the field of 36 kept their bids alive for the league's individual crown at Santa Anita Golf Course. The group, which is determined by overall league scoring for the year as well as Tuesday's results, will compete in the tournament's individual final at 1 p.m. today at the same site.

BURROUGHS HIGH — If the Burroughs High boys' volleyball program isn't in the midst of a dynasty in the Pacific League, it is well on its way to starting one. Although the Indians were missing their most potent offensive weapon Thursday against visiting Arcadia, Burroughs was still able to roll to a relatively easy three-game league sweep, 25-18, 25-20, 25-9. The victory gives the Indians (18-3, 11-0 in league) a share of their third straight Pacific League championship. Burroughs can notch its second consecutive undefeated league campaign Tuesday when it hosts Claremont.

NORTHWEST GLENDALE - Few times this season has the Burbank High baseball team been able to couple a solid hitting performance with its already reliable pitching. But the Bulldogs served up a reminder as to how devastating the results can be when they're clicking on all cylinders. The result Tuesday was a 10-0, five-inning win over host Hoover, as Burbank cruised to its third straight Pacific League victory. “This was definitely a team win,” said the Bulldogs' Dylan Mersola, who hit a two-run homer in the second inning.

MEMORIAL FIELD - When Burbank High junior track and field athlete Dennis Palacio ran the 110-meter high hurdles as a freshman, he fell and injured his back. He ran the race only one time since, finishing last. That was until Wednesday, as Palacio was informed the day before that he would be taking part in the event in a Pacific League meet against Burroughs at Memorial Field. With no practice, along with taking part in three additional events, Palacio looked to conquer his hurdle nemesis against the Indians.

Bits and pieces from the local sports scene . Players from Burroughs, Burbank win scholar awards : Burbank High football player Mitch Camacho and Adam Velasco from Burroughs were given 2011- 2012 National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete Awards. The honors were given out at a black-tie event March 20 at the Sportsmen's Lodge where more than 50 athletes were honored. Each year, the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame chapters throughout the United States present scholar-athlete awards to high school and college seniors in their respective areas who have exhibited outstanding football performance, team attitude, academic achievements, campus achievements, citizenship and character.

ARCADIA — Players and coaches from the Burbank High softball team realized they would likely be battling Burroughs and Crescenta Valley in their quest for a Pacific League title this season. But Arcadia made an early bid to put itself among the upper-echelon teams of the league, beginning with two straight wins and outscoring its opponents by a combined 25 runs in those two victories. The Bulldogs brought the Apaches back down to earth Tuesday, as they earned a 3-0 win on the road to remain undefeated in the league standings.

Francisco Baez was an invaluable member of a Burroughs High boys' soccer team that was able to turn its season around. Beginning the year with a 1-5-1 record, the program's worst start since 1985, the Indians came on during Pacific League competition and finished second behind a strong Crescenta Valley squad that went on to win a CIF Southern Section Division III championship. Baez helped lead the turnaround, breaking the program record for goals in league and putting together a string of high-scoring results.

BOYS' SOCCER Burroughs 2, Mayfair 1 : The Indians played well and earned a victory in a CIF Southern Section Division IV first-round match Thursday on the road. The win puts Burroughs into the second round where it will play against Santa Monica at 3 p.m. Tuesday at Burbank High. "The boys played well," said Burroughs Coach Mike Kodama, whose team was runner-up in the Pacific League. "When we went up, 2-1, and they came back with a goal the game became very physical after that.

GLENDALE - For the second time this season, a Pacific League boys' basketball game between Burbank High and Hoover was, for the most part, one-sided. In their first game Jan. 13, the Bulldogs defeated the Tornadoes by 25 points. On Hoover's senior night Friday, the visiting Bulldogs once again overwhelmed the Tornadoes, while keeping their playoff hopes alive with a 70-31 rout. The win snapped a four-game skid for the Bulldogs in Pacific League play. Tornadoes Coach Jack Van Patten, who has been on the wrong side of blowouts multiple times this season, initially chose to delay the postgame meeting with his players.