Bell Gardens

The following information was taken from police reports: 611 N. Brand Blvd.: A San Gabriel man reported Thursday his stereo equipment and Nike sneakers were stolen from his car parked in the Bank of America parking lot. 1000 S. Central Ave.: A 42-year-old Bell Gardens man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of trying to walk out of Albertsons with two jars of Taster's Brand coffee tucked into his waistband. 1235 S. Brand Blvd.: A Glendale Mitsubishi employee reported Thursday a 2000 GMC Yukon was stolen from the back lot. Brand Boulevard and Goode Avenue: A 25-year-old Los Angeles man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of possessing a purse and belongings reported stolen with the Pasadena Police Department.

Darleene Barrientos Police on Thursday were investigating the death of an 83-year-old man who tried to cross San Fernando Road and was hit by a car, the second fatal accident Wednesday and the second pedestrian accident in two days. The man, whose name was not released, tried to cross San Fernando 30 feet north of Garfield Avenue about 7:50 p.m. Wednesday, according to a police news release. A 1995 Mitsubishi Galant driven by 34-year-old Burbank resident Varuzhan Kizirian struck the man, who was taken to Glendale Memorial Hospital and pronounced dead.

As the girls' Crescenta Valley water polo team was winning the Pacific League Championships last week, the dismal coverage of their games was apparent. First, there was no coverage of the Tuesday prelims. Then on Friday, all I saw was a bunch of basketball coverage on Thursday's losing games and a little corner article about the water polo Pacific League Champs. To top it off, one of our leading scorers seemed to have taken on a name change from Debbie Snyder to Debbie Reynolds.

Mirjam Swanson GLENDALE HIGH -- The visiting team sang, laughed and practiced their synchronized swimming moves before the start of Tuesday's Pacific League girls' water polo match at Glendale High. Meanwhile, at the other end of the pool, the home team went through warmups quietly, methodically. Then the visiting Crescenta Valley High squad went out and beat host Glendale High, 10-3. Although they were never completely focused, the Falcons (22-2, 3-0 in league)

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan For being a Pacific League champion, the Glendale High boys' water polo team didn't get much respect Monday when the CIF Southern Section Division III playoff pairings were announced at the CIF office. The Nitros were unranked in the division top 10 poll and Arcadia -- a squad Glendale defeated, 11-9, on Nov. 7 to win its first league title since 1998 -- finished 10th in the poll. Glendale (14-14) will be one of three area teams to host an opening-round match when it takes on Bell Gardens (20-9)

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan Maybe this year's Flintridge Prep boys' water polo team is better than last season's squad. Maybe the Rebels have two or three productive scorers instead of just one. And maybe Brad Netherton's squad is better than its No. 7 ranking in CIF Southern Section Division VI. -- BOX SCORE -- -- Santa Monica 1 0 5 2 -- 8 Flintridge Prep 3 2 3 1 -- 9 -- ...

Erik Boal CERRITOS -- For the Crescenta Valley, Flintridge Prep and La Canada girls' water polo teams, the preliminary work is finished. Now the three local squads will test their skills against 22 other teams in the CIF Southern Section Division III playoff draw, which was announced Sunday at the CIF office in Cerritos. All three teams captured undefeated league titles, including the first in the Rio Hondo League for La Canada and the first in the Prep League for Flintridge Prep.

Hamlet Nalbandyan CERRITOS -- CIF Southern Section Division III is a crowded place to be if you're a girls' water polo team. The Glendale, Crescenta Valley and La Canada highs will find out just how tough it is when the playoffs start. All three got the invitations to the big dance, which starts Saturday with first-round matches at 3:15 p.m. The Nitros are the only local team to get a bye in the first round. Glendale (21-6, 7-0 for first place in the Pacific League)

Charles Rich On paper, they figure to be the odds-on favorite to win their third CIF Southern Section Division III championship since 1997. But the Crescenta Valley and Glendale high boys' water polo squads might have a say as to whether La Canada will win another championship. La Canada, CV and Glendale will begin their postseasons Thursday. Flintridge Prep (20-7) will meet host Beverly Hills (5-10) in a Division VI first-round match at 3:15 p.m. today.

Hamlet Nalbandyan GLENDALE -- The Crescenta Valley and La Canada high's girls' water polo teams weren't able to get themselves into the upper echelon of CIF Southern Section Division III this year, but they sure did come close. In a division that is dominated by Bell Gardens and Harvard-Westlake, the Falcons advanced to the semifinals and the Spartans made it to the quarterfinals, showing that they can at least compete. And when the All-CIF teams were announced, the Falcons and Spartans were handsomely rewarded for their great showings, getting a combined seven players on the team.