Distance

I am writing you from the frozen climes of northeastern Pennsylvania with snow flurries in the air and daytime temperature in the 20s. It has been almost one year since I left Glendale, but I will always consider it home. During my over 40 years there I was always interested in civic affairs and the political process, which is the subject of this letter. I am writing regarding the forthcoming election and particularly the office of city clerk. Several years ago I actively supported a candidate for city clerk when the office became vacant.

GLENDALE — Fresh off a fourth-place finish at the CIF State Finals in cross-country, the Crescenta Valley High distance runners are hoping to carry that success over to the track and field season. Led by Claire Collison, Shelby Pock and Rachel Lange, distance races will definitely be a forté for the Falcons this season. "Our strength is in our distance team," Crescenta Valley Coach Mark Evans said. "We are going to score a lot of points in distance." While big points will come via the distance events, the rest of the events have potential to be strong as well.

GLENDALE — Off to college went Claire Collison and Rachel Lange, who closed out their stellar high school careers with appearances at the 90th annual CIF State Track and Field Championships at Cerritos College in May. With Collison, a two-time reigning All-Area Track and Field Girls’ Athlete of the Year selection, and Lange now attending Stanford and Brigham Young University, respectively, the show must go on for the Crescenta Valley...

CRESCENTA VALLEY COACH: Mark Evans, 13th year. LEAGUE: Pacific. ATHLETES TO WATCH: Parker Averill, sophomore, sprints/jumps; Zach Balonick, senior, pole vault; Josh Carlos, sophomore, distance; Devin Cullen, senior, 400/sprinter; Mike Duncan, sophomore, distance; James Maturan, sophomore, 400; Nick Psaltis, senior, shot put/discus; Andrew Roide, junior, jumps; Levi Walker, junior, jumps; Bryan Yaung, junior, sprints/jumps....

CRESCENTA VALLEY COACH: Mark Evans, 12th year. LEAGUE: Pacific. ATHLETES TO WATCH: Jessica Beerman, sophomore, sprints; Michelle Callister, senior, distance; Carli Opland, junior, sprints/jumps; Carlotta Pham, senior, distance; Marissa Tessman, senior, 400; Holly Wilson, senior, hurdles. EVANS’ QUOTE: “We’ve got a good group of distance and sprinter people back, so I think we’ll be OK.”   FLINTRIDGE PREP COACH: Kenny Fisher, 17th year.

CRESCENTA VALLEY COACH : Mark Evans, 10th year. LEAGU E : Pacific   ATHLETES TO WATCH : Rachel Lange, distance, junior; Claire Collison, distance, junior; Kristen Muche, shot put, senior; Ashley Snyder, shot put, senior; Sarah Deanay, pole vault, senior; Claire Harrison, 400/800, junior; Alex Tunks, hurdles, senior; Candice Chessum, hurdles, junior. EVANS' QUOTE : "We are a team that's much stronger.

CRESCENTA VALLEY COACH : Mark Evans, 10th year. LEAGU E : Pacific   ATHLETES TO WATCH : Gabe Ramirez, 400, sophomore; ; Mike Sheridan, distance, junior; Erik Kleinsasser, distance, junior; Zack Torres, distance, sophomore; Mike Warr, pole vault, senior. EVANS' QUOTE : "We've got some good distance runners. Our sprinters and hurdles are much improved and they are going to score some points."

Grace Zamudio spent the spring in dominant fashion on all-weather tracks across California. The Glendale Community College women's standout track and field athlete blazed a bunch of trails that saw her excel in the 10,000-, 5,000 and 1,500-meter events. The sophomore finished with nine championships, winning each event in the Western State Conference, Southern California Championships and California Community College State Track & Field Championships. Zamudio's body of work was recognized Thursday, as she was named the 2012-2013 California Community College Athletic Assn.

Having already captured three Western State Conference and Southern California championships, Grace Zamudio would next like to make a name for herself statewide. The Glendale Community College standout distance runner will seek to complete the task when she takes to the track Friday and Saturday at the California Community College Athletic Assn. Track and Field State Championships at College of San Mateo. The sophomore will look to close out her fabulous career at Glendale by attempting to win the 10,000-meter race Friday and the 5,000 and 1,500 on Saturday.

GLENDALE - It was just the phenomenal start the Glendale Community College baseball team was looking to get. Faced with an unfamiliar opponent in Grossmont College, the Vaqueros turned to freshman right-hander Angel Rodriguez, whose consistent excellence has been a keystone in propelling GCC into the 2013 California Community College Athletic Assn. Baseball Southern California Regional. PHOTOS: Glendale Community College vs. Grossmont tournament baseball Rodriguez responded with a clutch performance, hurling a complete game and leading the Vaqueros to a 4-2 win over the visiting Griffins on a hot and breezy Friday afternoon at Stengel Field in the first game of the best-of-three series.

I am writing you from the frozen climes of northeastern Pennsylvania with snow flurries in the air and daytime temperature in the 20s. It has been almost one year since I left Glendale, but I will always consider it home. During my over 40 years there I was always interested in civic affairs and the political process, which is the subject of this letter. I am writing regarding the forthcoming election and particularly the office of city clerk. Several years ago I actively supported a candidate for city clerk when the office became vacant.

With depth and a promising freshmen class, there's plenty of optimism surrounding the Glendale Community College men's and women's track and field teams. The Vaqueros, who will begin their season Feb. 16 at the Pomona-Pitzer All Comers Meet, figure to use their depth to contend for individual Western State Conferences titles with an eye toward challenging for the conference team championships. “We feel like we have the talent to do some damage, from conference to state,” said Glendale college Coach Eddie Lopez, who guided the men's and women's cross-country squads to second-place finishes at state in November.

WESTCHESTER - There was something common and something rare in the Crescenta Valley-Foothill Junior All-Star softball team's victory over Victorville that advanced it to the championship round of the Southern California Division III Tournament. What was familiar to the CVFH fans was their team's offense, which not only stayed hot with 14 hits, but took an early lead as it usually has over the past two weeks in the 9-0 victory at Kent D. Mace Field in Westchester. The rare occurrence for CVFH was the shutout from pitcher Jordan Lousararian, who stayed in for all seven innings instead of being subbed out after four innings for reliever Adela Alatraca, which CVFH's coaching staff has routinely done during his team's run. "They couldn't figure her out so I figured I'm going to ride this horse," Coach Will Thayer said of his decision to stick with Lousararian.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE - Angel Rodriguez had never experienced pitching nine innings in his career. On Friday night, the Glendale Angelenos starter found out what it's like to accomplish the feat. Unfortunately for Rodriguez, his effort fell just short, as he surrendered a pair of runs in the top of the ninth in Glendale's 3-2 loss against the Long Beach Legends in an independent summer collegiate game at Stengel Field. "I wanted the ball in the ninth, and I felt stronger than any point before," said Rodriguez, who struck out five in a 120-pitch performance.

SOUTHEAST GLENDALE - For the sixth straight game, the Glendale High baseball squad failed to muster up an earned run. Unlike the previous five which ended in losses, however, Tuesday afternoon saw the Nitros receive a solid outing from starting pitcher Daniel Aragon and timely defense, as they capitalized on errors to nullify another subpar day at the plate for a 1-0 Pacific League victory over the visiting Pasadena Bulldogs Tuesday afternoon....

WALNUT - Months after winning a state cross-country championship, the Glendale Community College women's distance squad is still setting the tone, just in track and field. Members of the Vaqueros' title squad wrapped up a couple of victories and a few impressive times, highlighted by Alyssa Selve and Cecilia Nicolas, in leading GCC at Saturday's 54th annual Mt. San Antonio College Relays. For the aforementioned Selve, running at Mt. SAC was a return to normalcy for the sophomore from Canyon High, who was competing in only her third race since suffering a stress fracture in her foot at the beginning of the year.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE - Missing a second consecutive meet wasn't what James Knowles had in mind. With his right hamstring healthy, the St. Francis High track and field standout showed he's ready to defend his Mission League championships in a pair of hurdle events. Despite the cool temperatures, Knowles took to the course and heated up, as he captured the 110- and 300-meter hurdles in a Mission League dual meet against Harvard-Westlake on Wednesday afternoon. Knowles clocked 14.16 seconds in the 110 before finishing in 39.09 in the 300 for the Golden Knights, who suffered a 79-48 defeat.