Hamlet Nalbandyan
Editor's note: In an effort to keep track of local athletes who
now compete at the collegiate level, the News-Press will devote space
to a weekly update.
GLENDALE -- John Sciarra (St. Francis, 2000), redshirt freshman,
UCLA football: The former Golden Knight standout played in the waning
moments of UCLA's 27-13 victory against New Mexico in the Las Vegas
Bowl at Sam Boyd Stadium on Dec. 25 in front of 30,324 spectators.
Sciarra didn't throw any passes, but did get sacked once for a
loss of four yards.
The bowl game was the fifth time that Sciarra appeared in a game
for the Bruins (8-5) this season.
He threw 12 passes, completing five of them for 75 yards. He did
have a touchdown pass, coming Nov. 23 in a 52-21 loss to USC when he
found fellow freshman Marcedes Lewis on a 14-yard play with 52
seconds left in the fourth quarter.
Sciarra also threw one interception and had a quarterback rating
of 105.
His most significant playing time came against California on Oct.
19. With starting quarterback Cory Paus going out with a
season-ending injury in the third quarter and backup Drew Olson
getting hurt early in the fourth, Sciarra was thrown into the fire.
He completed just one of seven passes for 10 yards and also had an
interception as the Bruins lost a key Pacific-10 Conference game,
17-12.
Michelle Greco (Crescenta Valley, 1998), redshirt senior, UCLA
women's basketball: In addition to helping the Bruins to a pair of
Pac-10 victories, the former Falcon phenom received other honors.
She was named UCLA's Student Athlete of the Week for the second
consecutive week, which was also the fourth time Greco had received
the honor in her career.
The week began with an impressive 93-68 victory against Oregon on
Friday at McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore., in front of 4,700 fans.
The Ducks -- who won the Pac-10 title two years ago -- were
without star players Shaquala Williams (season-ending suspension) and
Cathrine Kraayeveld (knee injury).
Williams, a senior who is regarded as one of the best guards in
the nation, was suspended from the team for violating a team rule in
mid-December.
Greco tallied 11 points, six assists and three steals as the
Bruins handed Oregon -- which upset USC on Sunday, 79-73 -- its worst
home defeat since 1998, when UCLA beat the Ducks by 28 points.
Freshman Nikki Blue had a game-high 26 points for UCLA and Whitney
Jones added 24, setting a career high.
Greco followed the Oregon game with a 29-point, five-rebound
performance at Oregon State (7-4) on Sunday as the Bruins were
victorious, 58-54.
She scored 16 points in the first half and had a strong finish to
give the Bruins (7-4, 2-0 in conference) a come-from- behind victory.
The Bruins will next be in action at 7 p.m. Friday, when they
host 9-1 Washington at Pauley Pavilion.
