A distinguished dozen

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — Before an assembly of past and present teachers, coaches, administrators and community supporters at the Chevy Chase Country Club, Crescenta Valley High School opened the doors of its Athletic Hall of Fame for the first time on Friday night.

Into it’s shrine of excellence it welcomed 12 icons of its athletic tradition, from mentors such as George Clausen and Ed Goorjian to past student athletes Kenneth Carpenter, Meredith Cervenka, Greg Goorjian, Michelle Greco, Brad Holland, Tom Holmoe, Mike Hull, James Jenkins, Mike Miller and Don Moses.

Many of the former Falcons athletes who accepted induction on Friday said the success of the school’s athletes and teams would not have been possible without the wisdom and guidance of coaches such as Goorjian, the former boys’ basketball head, who was inducted as an Outstanding Coach and administrators like Clausen, the school’s first athletic director, who received a Meritorious Service citation.

A fixture at the school since 1961, a year after it opened it’s doors, it’s said that Clausen, who could be a stickler for rules and regulations didn’t so much believe in a right and wrong way of doing things, so much as “the Falcon way” of doing things.

“The coaches were a close-knit group,” said Clausen, who retired in 1984, but has remained active with the school. “We were a team and we all had the same philosophy about coaching.

“We wanted to not only make kids winners on the field, but winners in life. Looking out at these athletes [being inducted], I think we’ve accomplished that.”

Coach Goorjian, who compiled a career record of 328-103 and led the Falcons to the 1971 CIF title game, came to Crescenta Valley one year after Clausen. Both men were there through the glory days of the 60s and 70s that produced a host of stellar athletes, many of whom went on to highly successful collegiate and professional careers.

Hull was a pioneer for the Falcons, playing in the school’s first football program in 1960 before moving on to enjoy success at USC and becoming a first-round draft choice for the Chicago Bears in 1968.

In the 70s, Crescenta Valley would develop its reputation as a regional boys’ basketball powerhouse in the region through the close of Coach Goorjian’s Falcons tenure in 1978.