Keeping up with the Nitros

This is the third of eight editions in which the News-Press looks back at the area's 2010-11 seasons, school by school, before looking ahead at the year to come.

There proved to be quite a few intriguing storylines throughout the past season for Glendale High. Some resulted in teams reaching the playoffs and individuals turning in fine efforts on the track and courts. Seven programs qualified for the CIF playoffs, including the boys' and girls' basketball and boys' and girls' water polo teams.

The football team regained possession of the "Victory Bell" by posting a lopsided win against cross-town rival Hoover. The track and field teams retained the "Bronze Bowl" after they bested Hoover for the 12th straight season. Sophomore boys' sprinter Mike Davis proved to be the best in the 100- and 200-meter races, capturing Pacific League championships in both races.

Here is a recap of some of the Nitros' athletic highlights and events that unfolded during the past year:

•Sept. 10, 2010 — The football team kicks off its season with a 21-10 nonleague loss against visiting Cathedral. Glendale drives down field but commits a turnover late in the contest.

"If we can keep that ball and go down, we've got a chance late in the fourth quarter," Glendale Coach Alan Eberhart said. "It was 14-10 in the last minute of the game. We wanted to win the game. But we wanted to come out and play hard. We wanted to prove that we could be better."

•Oct. 1, 2010 — The Nitros begin the Pacific League portion of their schedule with a 35-14 loss to rival Crescenta Valley. Glendale gets a rushing touchdown from Alejandro Maravilla.

•Oct. 27, 2010 — Glendale's boys' water polo team gets two goals in overtime from David Grigorian to net a 13-12 Pacific League road win against rival Hoover.

Martin Narinyan, who collects a match-best seven goals, scores with 1:53 left in the first overtime to give Glendale a 10-9 lead. Hoover takes an 11-10 lead before Narinyan tallies again with 14 seconds left to knot the match at 11. In the second overtime, Grigorian scores with 2:16 left to make it 12-11 and closes out the scoring minutes later to help Glendale prevail. Grigorian finishes with four goals.

"We hung on barely," Glendale Coach Forest Holbrook said. "It was a tight game.

"The plan for us was to be patient and see if we could make something happen late on offense."