Crescenta Valley High star softball player Baillie Kirker put up hefty numbers, including setting a CIF Southern Section home run record.
And, a pair of veteran coaches won their 500th career games.
WINTER BOYS’ BASKETBALL
Renaissance Academy (27-4) didn’t advance to the CIF title game for the first time in four years, though the Wildcats reached the semifinals and made strides, elsewhere. Under Coach Sid Cooke, Renaissance turned to standout players that included Justin Cook, tabbed as the All-Area Player of the Year, Anthony Stover, Josh Thomas and others to make sure they were among the area’s top programs.
The Wildcats picked up a 55-52 win against longtime postseason nemesis Price at Mater Dei High in the Division V State Championships Southern Regional Final before advancing to the finals, where they succumbed to perennial power Ross Branson.
Cook and Stover earned All-LA84 honors, along with Hoover’s Shara Babakhanians.
Crescenta Valley, Hoover, Glendale and Flintridge Prep also qualified for the postseason.
GIRLS’ BASKETBALL
A year removed from advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-A championship contest, Flintridge Prep (22-6) once again made another deep playoff run. The Rebels, behind standouts Megan Musashi and Courtney Robinson, moved on to the division semifinals before falling to powerful Laguna Hills.
Musashi and Robinson earned All-LA84 accolades.
Crescenta Valley, led by guard Cassie Pappas, was the only other area squad to appear in the postseason.
COLLEGE BASKETBALL
The Glendale Community College men’s squad savored several moments, which included veteran Coach Brian Beauchemin winning his 500th career game and the team advancing to the Southern California Regionals for the first time since 2003.
