The current cast just might be good enough to handle that responsibility, provided it is able to remain conditioned and find scoring punch while taking on all comers.
“We have to address all of our weaknesses right in your face,” said Crescenta Valley Coach Jan Sakonju, whose team posted a 9-8 victory against Arcadia in the league title game at Burbank High before advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division VI semifinals. “We went to high-level summer tournaments in Santa Barbara and around here to find out who we are.
“We want to find out where we are and what we need to fix by the time league and CIF come around. We had a massive turnover with all of our starters graduating. It’s going to be a great challenge.”
Glendale and Hoover have added much-needed depth and will look to snap Crescenta Valley’s string of league crowns. Flintridge Prep, which won 18 matches last season despite missing the playoffs, will aim to qualify for the postseason under first-year Coach Joshua Moser.
Unlike Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover and Flintridge Prep will return several key starters to their respective teams, but there’s still plenty of changes, as Prep and Hoover have both lost their top players.
“We’ll be much improved in that we feel like we can challenge for the league title,” said Glendale Coach Bob Zirovich, who led the school’s girls’ team to the Division IV semifinals last season for the first time in the program’s history. “Of course Crescenta Valley, Arcadia and Burbank will have a lot to say about that and Hoover won’t be a pushover.”
