Falcons

After falling just shy of a Pacific League championship the past three years, one could argue the Crescenta Valley High boys' basketball team would be the early favorite heading into the 2014 season. The league found itself in a wave of change this offseason, as Pasadena - the nine-time reining champion - had its coach of 18 years, Tim Tucker, step down and accept an open position at Maranatha in March. Even without the All-Area Player of the Year in Cole Currie, it appeared the Falcons were in the strongest position to not only take league but make another run in the CIF Southern Section Division I-A playoffs with a trio of key returners.

While the Crescenta Valley High boys' swimming team goes into the two-day CIF Southern Section Division II championship meet as the reigning champion, Falcons Coach Jan Sakonju sees his team in a much different light this year. Last season, CV just held off Damien, 301-293, to capture the Division II championship and waiting not much further behind was Los Osos (203). “I don't think [Los Osos is] the main contender, they're the favorite for sure,” said Sakonju, whose team has placed in the top three in Division II the last three years.

LA CRESCENTA - With a full squad, the Crescenta Valley High boys' tennis team felt confident it could compete in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs. Unfortunately, the Falcons were without one of their top players in Patrick Meserkhani for Tuesday's wild-card matchup with visiting Redondo Union, a Bay League at-large entrant. Crescenta Valley Coach Sam Hyun, who is in his first year at the helm, had to switch players around and saw his unforeseen new lineup affect the team's strategy negatively in a 16-2 season-ending defeat.

For a second season in a row, the Hoover High boys' tennis team finds itself in the CIF Southern Section playoffs and the Tornadoes find themselves with a daunting task. Hoover is set to face Harvard-Westlake, the third seed in the CIF Southern Section Division I playoffs, in the first round on Wednesday at 3 p.m. Elsewhere in Division I, Crescenta Valley will host Redondo Union in Tuesday's wild-card round, while Flintridge Prep, in Division II, will travel to face Walnut in a Division II wild-card matchup.

At first glance, it appeared as though the St. Francis and Crescenta Valley boys' golf teams would enter the season in a state of transition. The Golden Knights and Falcons changed their identity at the top by bringing in new coaches in Kyle Ostrom and Lee Pope, respectively, to revamp their teams. Looking to meet different expectations bestowed by Ostrom and Pope, St. Francis and Crescenta Valley struggled earlier on before seeing their fortunes change to put them in line for potential playoff contention.

GLENDALE - Thanks to some clutch two-out hitting, the Crescenta Valley High baseball team provided another example of why it is among the top squads in the Pacific League. The Falcons displayed that trait Friday night during a league home contest against Pasadena at Stengel Field. Crescenta Valley scored five runs with two outs in the second inning en route to a key 7-3 victory. The Falcons remain atop the league with Burbank with two games remaining for each team. “Those are the kind of things you need to do in order to be successful,” said left fielder Michael Russo, who finished with three runs batted in to help the Falcons complete a two-game season series sweep of the Bulldogs.

ARCADIA - On an evening in which the Crescenta Valley High track and field teams proved themselves the dominant area program within the Pacific League, both Glendale and Hoover highs also enjoyed some success at Friday night's Pacific League Finals at Arcadia's Salter Stadium. A few victories came from multiple-event winners, including by the Falcons' super sophomore tandem of Megan Melnyk and Emmie Walker. Melnyk was dominant in the distances, coming from behind to clinch the 800-meter run, while holding off a hard-charging challenger in the 1,600.

BURBANK - In the span of 14 innings and less than 24 hours, the Crescenta Valley High baseball team has created quite a stir atop the Pacific League standings. Not yet a full day removed from displacing Burbank from its spot alone in first and creating a four-way tie, the Falcons took on host Burroughs on Wednesday afternoon and delivered the Indians a 4-2 loss that left three teams standing at the top of the Pacific League. PHOTOS: Crescenta Valley vs. Burroughs boys' baseball “Coming into this week, our coach told us we had to win these two games,” said Falcons senior Ted Boeke.

ARCADIA - It was a must-win situation for the Crescenta Valley High boys' volleyball team Tuesday evening, but Falcons Coach John Nelson wasn't quite sure why they didn't play like it. The Falcons needed to win their regular season finale against host Arcadia to finish in fourth place in the Pacific League standings and, in turn, earn an automatic playoff berth. Arcadia needed the win just as badly, as both teams went into the match at 5-6 in league play. Ultimately, the Falcons were flat and succumbed to a more energized team that played up to the high stakes and were swept, 25-23, 25-16, 25-17.