Berry

Scrapbooks have recently been pulled out of drawers, boxes and closets. Memories suddenly begin to flow from what has proved to be the pinnacle moment for the Crescenta Valley High softball program. Recollections pour out from the 1986 season, when Crescenta Valley Coach Dan Berry piloted the Falcons to the CIF Southern Section Division III-A championship. Certain at-bats, pitches, defensive plays and pregame speeches from each of the five postseason contests have been recalled as if they happened yesterday.

Its best hitter is back, and so are its other two All-Area first-team selections. Its two All-Area second-team honorees from 2005 are just sophomores, as is its starting second baseman from a year ago. And, yes, it also returns its starting shortstop and key contributors off the bench. A year removed from winning its eighth consecutive Pacific League championship, the Crescenta Valley High softball team is loaded for a run at another league title and a possible deep trek into the postseason.

New president at Glendale Memorial Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center announced Wednesday that it has selected a new president to head its facility, beginning today. Mark Meyers, who was previously president of California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, will replace past president Cathy Pelley, who retired in October. Meyers has served for the past eight years as president of California Hospital Medical Center, which, along with Glendale Memorial, is part of the San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West hospital group, according to a press release.

Darleene Barrientos Brand Boulevard beware -- a beach party complete with hot rods is on its way. Glendale's annual Cruise Night is July 19, and will feature several hundred pre-1972 classic cars and several live music acts, including headliners Jan and Dean. One of the original California surf-music groups, Jan Berry and Dean Torrence were responsible for hits like "Barbara Ann" and "Dead Man's Curve." The two surf-music icons found success during the 1960s, but also went to school -- Berry went to UCLA, and Torrence graduated with a degree in advertising design from USC. "I have a lot of old friends in Glendale -- a lot of my USC buddies living [there]

During her first two seasons at Crescenta Valley High, particularly her sophomore campaign, Erin Ashby became a standout contributor at the plate and in the infield for the Falcons. With a bona fide all-star cast surrounding her during her freshman and sophomore years, Ashby became one of many Falcons putting up gaudy numbers at the plate and earning herself a Division I scholarship. But as the 2010 season rolled around, Ashby stepped to the forefront for the Falcons, taking on not just a leadership role, but having to maintain her status as one of the team's and area's best hitters, all the while taking on pitching duties.

ARCADIA — Erin Ashby did her job and her teammates promptly followed suit. That’s been the pattern throughout much of the season for the Crescenta Valley High softball team, which concluded the regular-season portion of its schedule Thursday afternoon with a 10-0 victory against host Arcadia in a Pacific League contest called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule. Ashby, a sophomore third baseman and lead-off hitter, finished with three hits and scored three runs to help the Falcons (24-1, 14-0 in league)

LA CRESCENTA ? Sanctuary, relief, victory and the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division III softball playoffs. All of the aforementioned things were found in the glove of Crescenta Valley High third baseman Emily Hanson. "This game goes to Hanson," Falcon Coach Dan Berry said after Crescenta Valley held on to defeat Highland, 4-3, in the opening round of the playoffs Friday afternoon at Crescenta Valley High. The Falcons will meet West Valley or Bloomington in a second-round contest Tuesday.

In team sports, freshmen are expected to ready their skills in order to guide a team to future success, leaving upper classmen to be captains and carry the team through the season. Rarely is a freshman the focal point of a Pacific League championship team's offense, setting single season records, and putting fear in the eyes of opposing pitchers. Crescenta Valley Falcon Baillie Kirker finished her first go-around as a Falcon with 16 home runs, a state record for home runs hit by a freshman in a season.

BURBANK — Apparently, it just wouldn’t be any fun if Crescenta Valley High’s softball team ran roughshod over every Pacific League foe. A season ago, the Falcons staved off a worthy Burbank adversary in two close encounters and, this season, Burroughs emerged as the No. 1 contender to Crescenta Valley’s league title. After a one-run Falcons victory in the teams’ first meeting, the defending champions found themselves embroiled in another nailbiter with the Indians on Thursday.

A catcher is often compared to many things when it comes to describing their role on the diamond. A quarterback, a field general and a backstop are just a few that are most commonly used. When it comes to Crescenta Valley senior catcher Lainey De Pompa, you can simply use all of the above. The Falcons boast an impressive core of standout softball players and for the past three seasons, De Pompa has been their rock behind the plate, keeping everything under control. ?She is our quarterback,?

When legendary Crescenta Valley High softball Coach Dan Berry passed away last October, it was a given that whoever succeeded him at the helm of the Falcons would have huge shoes to fill. Mark Samford, a longtime basketball coach at the school, took up the challenge on an interim basis and kept the Falcons in the chase for a Pacific League title and back in the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs. As a result, Samford was fitted for some more permanent footwear on Tuesday when Crescenta Valley ended its coaching search by officially naming Samford the head man. "That was one of many factors [in his hiring]

Scrapbooks have recently been pulled out of drawers, boxes and closets. Memories suddenly begin to flow from what has proved to be the pinnacle moment for the Crescenta Valley High softball program. Recollections pour out from the 1986 season, when Crescenta Valley Coach Dan Berry piloted the Falcons to the CIF Southern Section Division III-A championship. Certain at-bats, pitches, defensive plays and pregame speeches from each of the five postseason contests have been recalled as if they happened yesterday.

"There's no quit in this group, they fought. You can't ask for any more. " Dan Berry after a game Over the seasons, in this forum, upon these pages and in my own words, I've referred to Dan Berry in a lot of ways - good, bad, ugly and everything in between. You'd be hard-pressed to find a happier man than Dan Berry after a Crescenta Valley High softball victory. He beamed. He joked. And you'd be bewildered, perplexed and taken aback when faced with the grumpy retorts from a displeased Dan Berry after a Falcons loss.

Dan Berry, who formed and coached the Crescenta Valley High softball team to a CIF Southern Section championship and 20 Pacific League titles, died Wednesday morning. He was 65. _________________________ FOR THE RECORD: This corrects an earlier version that stated Berry was 66 when he died. _________________________ Berry was taken to Verdugo Hills Hospital on Oct. 11 after suffering two seizures inside the Crescenta Valley coaches' office. After paramedics arrived, Berry went into cardiac arrest and was treated at the scene before being taken to the hospital.

GLENDALE — With nary a league title or a playoff win among local softball teams a season ago, the 2011 season that opens today will be one in which improvement is sought across the board. Crescenta Valley High, the area's most storied program, finished just a game away from claiming the Pacific League title despite going through what many deemed a rebuilding year, while Flintridge Prep and Holy Family worked their way into the postseason only to fall in the wild-card round.

During her first two seasons at Crescenta Valley High, particularly her sophomore campaign, Erin Ashby became a standout contributor at the plate and in the infield for the Falcons. With a bona fide all-star cast surrounding her during her freshman and sophomore years, Ashby became one of many Falcons putting up gaudy numbers at the plate and earning herself a Division I scholarship. But as the 2010 season rolled around, Ashby stepped to the forefront for the Falcons, taking on not just a leadership role, but having to maintain her status as one of the team's and area's best hitters, all the while taking on pitching duties.

GLENDALE — While every new season brings its share of significant departures and fresh faces, the 2010 softball campaign that begins today will be one of perhaps unprecedented turnover. Crescenta Valley High, which has won three straight Pacific League titles and advanced to the CIF quarterfinals or farther in each of the last two seasons, is without graduated state home run queen Baillie Kirker, along with fellow standouts like Heather Bacon, Kali Cancelosi and Stephanie Ziemann.

ARCADIA — Erin Ashby did her job and her teammates promptly followed suit. That’s been the pattern throughout much of the season for the Crescenta Valley High softball team, which concluded the regular-season portion of its schedule Thursday afternoon with a 10-0 victory against host Arcadia in a Pacific League contest called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule. Ashby, a sophomore third baseman and lead-off hitter, finished with three hits and scored three runs to help the Falcons (24-1, 14-0 in league)

BURBANK — Apparently, it just wouldn’t be any fun if Crescenta Valley High’s softball team ran roughshod over every Pacific League foe. A season ago, the Falcons staved off a worthy Burbank adversary in two close encounters and, this season, Burroughs emerged as the No. 1 contender to Crescenta Valley’s league title. After a one-run Falcons victory in the teams’ first meeting, the defending champions found themselves embroiled in another nailbiter with the Indians on Thursday.

New president at Glendale Memorial Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center announced Wednesday that it has selected a new president to head its facility, beginning today. Mark Meyers, who was previously president of California Hospital Medical Center in Los Angeles, will replace past president Cathy Pelley, who retired in October. Meyers has served for the past eight years as president of California Hospital Medical Center, which, along with Glendale Memorial, is part of the San Francisco-based Catholic Healthcare West hospital group, according to a press release.