Soccer

Burroughs High girls' soccer Coach Eddie Garcia knows a little something about his team's first-round opponent in the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs. To be more specific, he coached a pair of players on the team that will be the Indians' first-round opponent. Burroughs will take on host Flintridge Prep at 5 p.m. Thursday in a playoff opener. “I coached two of the girls on that team,” said Garcia, who is also a club coach. “I also know that [Prep] is a very good program and they usually have their share of good players.

After a police investigation, a story about a man who molested a boy in a local park turned about to be untrue. The story gathered a life of its own after a 10-year-old boy told his father that a man asked for help in looking for his lost dog at Pacific Park, but the boy was trying to get out of waiting for his older brother's soccer practice, Police Sgt. Bill Taylor said. As the story circulated, it included the falsity that the boy was molested by the man. When the commissioner of the local AYSO soccer league found out about it, she repeated it in an e-mail sent to parents in the league.

BURBANK - The South Pasadena boys' soccer team was already fully entrenched in its season when it took on Burbank on Tuesday, having played two matches and posting two shutouts. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, came into the contest with no game experience. Burbank was scheduled to play Monrovia to open its campaign last week, but the match had to be postponed. Despite the lack of experience, the Bulldogs only trailed by one goal after the first half. However, defensive lapses proved to be Burbank's downfall in the second half, as the Tigers were able to capitalize on the mistakes and roll to a 6-0 nonleague victory at Burbank.

PALMDALE - A gamut of emotions swarmed the members of the Burroughs High boys' soccer team Friday night. On the cusp of advancing to the semifinals, Burroughs seemed to have things under control. Then Palmdale's Oscar Torres spoiled Burroughs' playoff run. Torres scored four goals, including the winner on a penalty shot, to hand visiting Burroughs a 4-3 loss in a CIF Southern Section quarterfinal match. Torres was tripped up inside the goal box, warranting the penalty kick.

Nick Posthuma reminisced fondly about some of the highlights that ranged from initially becoming a full-time starter to winning a league championship to competing in postseason matches for the St. Francis High boys’ soccer team. At no time did Posthuma struggle to sum up what it meant playing for a program steeped in tradition. “It’s different with St. Francis soccer,” said Posthuma, who finished the season with a team-high 21 goals and eight assists for 50 points before being tabbed the All-Area Boys’ Soccer Player of the Year by the sportswriters and editors of the Glendale News-Press, Burbank Leader and La Cañada Valley Sun for the second consecutive year.

He's got a leg, and he knows how to use it. Opponents have learned that the hard way when left-footed Gary Au lets one loose from his midfield position. The Flintridge Prep boys' soccer player has frequently caught opposing goalkeepers by surprise after rocketing a ball past them from long distance. Such a strong foot ? one which can routinely kick a soccer ball three quarters of a football field ? has earned the 17-year-old plenty of impressive accolades during his four years as a Rebel.

A one-word response from their star player left the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy soccer coaches reassured. With grand expectations already in place for another banner season, Flintridge Sacred Heart Co-coaches Frank Pace and Kathy Desmond huddled with Lauren Bustos to discuss her being prepared to start at different positions based on who the Tologs faced. It was Bustos' response that surprised Pace and Desmond, who have carefully nurtured the rising CIF Southern Section Division I program for the past eight seasons.

Kordo Doski knew full well what he was getting into when he took over the boys’ soccer program at Providence High. Competing in the relatively new CIF Southern Section sport of boys’ fall soccer, the coach inherited a squad that was in just its second season as an organization. He also realized that the Pioneers were coming off a season in which they went 3-11 and failed to make it to the playoffs. Needless to say, expectations for Providence to put together a successful season were pretty low. “When we suited up and we took the field for our first game, I had eight guys on my roster who had never played organized soccer before,” Doski said.

LA CRESCENTA — In its first year of Pacific League play, the Burbank High girls' soccer team has made quite a splash. Thus, when perennial league power Crescenta Valley played host to the likewise league-unbeaten Burbank, rivals or not, familiar or not, Friday's contest was supposed to be a showdown of old and new for Pacific supremacy. Technically it was, but nobody predicted the lopsided fashion in which the old guard prevailed, as the Falcons cruised past the Bulldogs, 4-0. "[The players]

The Providence High boys' soccer team ended the 2012-13 season with a disappointing loss, as the squad fell to Tarbut V'Torah, 3-1, in a CIF Southern Section Division VII first-round playoff match. However, as much as the loss stung for the Pioneers players and coaches, the defeat couldn't dampen what Providence was able to accomplish during the season. For the first time in program history, the Pioneers captured a league championship, earning a crown in the Heritage League with a 4-0-4 record.

The Burroughs High boys' soccer program has a rich history of churning out players who have earned All-CIF Southern Section awards over the years. Monday, the Indians' program added five additional athletes to the list when the selections were released for the 2012-13 season. Earning All-CIF Division III first-team accolades was senior midfielder Brian Arzate and senior midfielder Manny Celio. Making the second team was senior forward Jorman Herrera, while junior forward Michael Conrad and junior forward Brandon Gerlach were third-team selections.

Coach Mike Kodama's Burroughs High boys' soccer teams have had a history of success through the years. In just his second season back after leading the program for 22 years and stepping down after the 2008-09 season, the Indians were again a formidable squad. Burroughs was able to win the Pacific League championship, its first since 2009. The league crown was the eighth for Kodama - five in the Foothill League and three in the Pacific League. Because of its latest success, the Indians had eight players named to the all-league team, including senior midfielder Brian Arzate, who was honored with the Pacific League Player of the Year award.

PALMDALE - A gamut of emotions swarmed the members of the Burroughs High boys' soccer team Friday night. On the cusp of advancing to the semifinals, Burroughs seemed to have things under control. Then Palmdale's Oscar Torres spoiled Burroughs' playoff run. Torres scored four goals, including the winner on a penalty shot, to hand visiting Burroughs a 4-3 loss in a CIF Southern Section quarterfinal match. Torres was tripped up inside the goal box, warranting the penalty kick.

Heading out on the road to participate in a playoff contest didn't seem to faze the Burroughs High boys' soccer team. The Indians accepted the challenge Wednesday afternoon, building an early cushion en route to a 2-1 CIF Southern Section Division III second-round victory against Redlands East Valley at Redlands Sports Park. Burroughs (15-6-3) will meet host Palmdale in a quarterfinal match, scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday. It marked the first time since 2009 that the Indians reached the quarterfinals, when they fell to top-seeded Channel Islands, 1-0. “It's always difficult to go out on the road and win a game, especially in the playoffs, so this was just a huge accomplishment,” said Burroughs Coach Michael Kodama, who received first-half goals from Xavi Izquieta and Brandon Gerlach before watching the Indians stave off a late comeback bid by the Wildcats (22-2-3)

After leading the Burroughs High boys' soccer program for 22 years, Coach Mike Kodama stepped down after the 2009 season. Kodama's absence from the program lasted just two seasons, as he returned to head the Indians for the 2011-12 campaign. In two seasons, Kodama's squads have two CIF Southern Section playoff appearances and a Pacific League championship this season. Kodama has eight league titles to his credit at Burroughs. Burroughs will be one of three local teams in playoff action Wednesday - one in boys' soccer and two in girls' basketball.

BURBANK - First, the Burroughs High boys' soccer team had to come back, then it had to stave off an Anaheim rally. But when all was settled, the Indians provided plenty of firepower to do both, as Burroughs defeated visiting Anaheim, 4-2, on Friday evening at Memorial Field in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs, propelled by two goals and an assist from Xavi Izqueta and a goal and an assist from Brandon Gerlach....

GIRLS' SOCCER Arroyo Grande 2, Burbank 0 : The Bulldogs fell on the road Thursday in a CIF Southern Section Division III first-round game. The Burbank defense played well in the first half, as both teams went into halftime scoreless. However, the Bulldogs allowed two second-half goals. Burbank (13-9-1) was the fourth-place team from the Pacific League. Arroyo Grande (17-1-6) captured a championship in the PAC 7 League. GIRLS' BASKETBALL St. Bernard 66, Bellarmine-Jefferson 37 : The Guards fell on the road Thursday to the No. 4 seed in the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA playoffs.

GLENDALE - The Providence High boys' soccer team was hoping to continue its historic season Thursday when it faced Tarbut V'Torah in a CIF Southern Section Division VII first-round playoff match. The Pioneers came into the postseason after winning a league championship for the first time in program history. The team's appearance in the postseason was also a first. However, in the early going against the Lions, it looked as if Providence would have to come up with some additional magic if it hoped to move on in the playoffs.