Gaels

GIRLS' BASKETBALL Pasadena Armenian General Benevolent Union 49, Holy Family 40: Gaby Diaz had 14 points and Jennifer Rodriguez added eight on Thursday for the visiting Gaels (3-14) in a nonleague contest. GIRLS' WATER POLO Burroughs 20, Hoover 1: Maria Alcantar scored the lone goal Thursday for the visiting Tornadoes (1-8, 0-3 in the Pacific League) in a league match.

SOUTHWEST GLENDALE — Toward the end of July, Holy Family volleyball Coach Robert Bringas sensed an accomplishment looming on the horizon. After inheriting a squad full of key returners from James Jimenez, Bringas believed that the Gaels were in line to contend for and win a Horizon League crown for the first time in the program's history. Bringas' hunch turned into reality. Holy Family received 21 assists from Rebecca Sanchez and 27 digs from Alicia Marquez on Tuesday afternoon to earn a 25-12, 25-22, 25-16 league win against visiting Bishop Conaty-Loretto at Pacific Park Community Center, clinching an outright title in the process.

SOUTHWEST GLENDALE — In between the second and third games of their Horizon League match against Alverno on Tuesday afternoon, the members of the Holy Family volleyball team didn't show any signs of distress. After losing a pair of close games, the Gaels listened carefully to Coach Robert Bringas' instructions on how they might be able to mount a comeback and seize control of first place. They didn't miss a beat the remainder of the way. Holy Family received 50 digs from Alicia Marquez and Ashlee Sandoval added 13 kills and 21 digs to help Holy Family net a 27-29, 21-25, 25-19, 25-19, 15-12 win at Pacific Park Community Center.

GLENDALE — Shortly before the season began, Holy Family basketball Coach Ernest Siy mapped out a way for the Gaels to finish in the top three in the Horizon League. Siy concluded he would need big performances from a quartet of players to secure one of those places and earn an automatic berth into the CIF playoffs. And those four players delivered for Siy and the Gaels. Gayle Lachica, Gabby Diaz, Elena Lomeli and Clarizza Merino all earned all-league honors after leading the Gaels to a second-place finish in league.

BURBANK - Down two points entering the fourth quarter, it appeared that the Holy Family basketball team had a good chance to pick up its first victory. That possibility vanished in a hurry during a three-minute stretch to open the final stanza and prolonged the Gaels' search for their first victory for another day. "We are going to get a win, sooner or later," Holy Family Coach Ernest Siy said after the Gaels dropped a 39-30 decision to Carpinteria in a consolation quarterfinal game of the 15th annual Pioneer Shootout at Providence High.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE — In its quest to win the program's first Horizon League championship, the Holy Family softball team has a luxury in having two capable starting pitchers who might help it arrive there. Just two games into league and Elena Lomeli and Rachel Turner have proved how valuable they are to the Gaels. Lomeli took her turn in the circle and struck out seven and scattered five hits to spark Holy Family to a 7-1 league victory against Bishop Conaty-Loretto on Thursday afternoon at the Glendale Sports Complex.

BURBANK — While the Holy Family basketball team was plainly outscored and outrebounded in the second half of Wednesday afternoon's Providence High Pioneer Shootout consolation game, much of what separated the Gaels from Canoga Park over the final 16 minutes couldn't be quantified in the box score. Quicker to every loose ball and defensive rotation, the Hunters simply outworked the discouraged Gaels, who saw a two-point halftime deficit slip away into a 41-31 loss. "It was the hustle factor," Holy Family Coach Ernest Siy said.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL Holy Family 47, Pasadena Armenian General Benevolent Union 42: Tabitha Ruiz and Charise Talaro had 13 points apiece Tuesday for the visiting Gaels (3-8) in a nonleague contest. Melissa Chan added 11 points for Holy Family. BOYS' SOCCER Flintridge Prep 2, Webb 1: Manny Perez had one goal and one assist Tuesday to lead the visiting Rebels in a Prep League match. Bryce Delgado had a goal for Flintridge Prep (5-8-1, 1-1 in league).

BURBANK — There was no strength in numbers for the members of the Holy Family basketball team Monday night. With respect to their roster, the Gaels fielded just seven players. After the first quarter of their opening-round game against L.A. Baptist in the 14th annual Pioneer Shootout, they had no points. It added up to be a long night for the Gaels, who suffered a 71-24 loss at Providence High. In fact, Holy Family Coach Ernest Siy said he wasn't aware that the Gaels had been held scoreless until he examined the team's scorebook after the game.

SAN GABRIEL - Like it's been all year for the Holy Family girls' volleyball team, Thursday's road victory over San Gabriel Mission, which locked up a share of the Horizon Leauge title for the Gaels, was a team effort. Holy Family Coach Robert Bringas played his entire roster, as the Gaels swept the Pioneers, 25-7, 25-17, 25-21, for their second league title - or at least a share of it - in as many years. "As we go into playoffs, the most important thing will be getting everybody, including the girls on our bench, ready to play," Bringas said.

LOS ANGELES - That the Holy Family High School softball team qualified for the playoffs is a victory unto itself. Considering there are no seniors on the Gaels' team and only one junior, that's a whole lot of freshmen and sophomores taking the field. Thus, there may indeed be a silver lining underneath Tuesday afternoon's postseason loss. “I know because I've seen it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year how they've progressed in so many ways,” said Holy Family sophomore shortstop Ginnes Paladini.

Two local softball teams will participate in the CIF Southern Section playoffs after the CIF office unveiled its playoff pairings Monday. Crescenta Valley High and Holy Family will have little time to prepare for their postseason contests, as both the Falcons and Gaels will take part in wild-card games Tuesday. Crescenta Valley (14-10-1) will make the short trip to Pasadena to face La Salle (12-12-1) in a Division III contest at 3:15 p.m. Holy Family (6-14) will host Frazier Mountain (14-7)

BURBANK - With four double plays, three home runs and more than 30 runs scored, Tuesday's nonleague softball game between Holy Family and Providence provided its share of wild moments. However, the most thrilling moments of the contest came in the later innings, as well as in extra innings, as the Gaels and Pioneers tried to settle things in the game at Olive Park. While both teams saw their pitchers struggle, it was finally Holy Family that was able to take advantage of its opportunities down the stretch, as the Gaels scored nine runs in the eighth inning to walk away with a 22-14 victory.

GIRLS' BASKETBALL Holy Family 47, Pasadena Armenian General Benevolent Union 42: Tabitha Ruiz and Charise Talaro had 13 points apiece Tuesday for the visiting Gaels (3-8) in a nonleague contest. Melissa Chan added 11 points for Holy Family. BOYS' SOCCER Flintridge Prep 2, Webb 1: Manny Perez had one goal and one assist Tuesday to lead the visiting Rebels in a Prep League match. Bryce Delgado had a goal for Flintridge Prep (5-8-1, 1-1 in league).

LOS ANGELES - The Holy Family girls' basketball team suffered through a horrendous shooting performance in the first half of its Horizon League opener Thursday afternoon against Sacred Heart of Jesus. As a result, the Gaels fell behind by nine. However, it appeared Holy Family was poised to pull out if its shooting funk early in the third quarter when it converted its first three shots from the field and cut the deficit to six. But the Gaels followed the three makes with five straight misses and the Comets took full advantage.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - For most of its nonleague game Thursday night, the Flintridge Prep girls' basketball team resembled a wall near midcourt. The Rebels had several of their players at center court, daring Holy Family to dribble past them. Flintridge Prep forced numerous turnovers and turned them into baskets. Flintridge Prep recorded 10 steals en route to a 55-23 home victory against Holy Family. “We can't be stagnant, so we have to play good defense and move the ball around,” said Flintridge Prep senior center Kinsey Thompson, who finished with 15 points and eight rebounds to help the Rebels (6-2)

EAGLE ROCK - The Holy Family girls' basketball team didn't want to talk about its 32-point loss in its season-opening game. But it had plenty to talk about after its second game of the season. The Gaels recovered from their loss with a dominating performance against an eight-member St. Monica Academy squad that consists of five freshmen and three juniors. Holy Family forced 38 turnovers, tallied 21 steals and received a game-high 22 points from Charise Talaro in a 61-16 nonleague victory Thursday at the Eagle Rock Recreational Center.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE - For the first time in several seasons, the Flintridge Prep girls' volleyball team appears to be stocked with plenty of talent. It's got Flintridge Prep Coach Sean Beattie excited about the possibilities of his team faring well, not only this season but beyond. “It's a great young core that we have here, probably the best since around 2008,” said Beattie, whose team began its season Thursday afternoon with a convincing 25-7, 25-21, 25-6 nonleague home victory against Holy Family.

BURBANK - With the summer season coming to a close Tuesday night for the Holy Family basketball team, Gaels assistant Roel Sanchez provided an analysis on where the team stands. "Right now, we are somewhere between the junior varsity and varsity level," Sanchez said after Holy Family fell, 55-27, to Heritage Christian in a Providence High Summer League game. "We have good balance between our height and speed, and that looks good going into the season. "We still do need to work on our shooting and defense some more.

BURBANK - Despite being the tallest player on the court, Melody Escovedo was nearly invisible in the box score for the first half of Thursday afternoon's summer league basketball game at Providence High. The Holy Family High junior-to-be was hard to miss in the second half, scoring all of her 12 points and pulling down five of her six rebounds over the final 20 minutes to help her team escape with a 38-37 win over Viewpoint. "I started to realize I needed to shoot more [in the second half]