Gossard

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan SOUTHEAST GLENDALE -- Emotionally charged and motivated by skeptics, underestimating Crescenta Valley's ability, Falcon quarterback Hudson Gossard put the naysayers to rest with a brilliant performance at Glendale High's Moyse Field in CV's season-opener against Thousand Oaks. Prior to Friday's contest, much was written and said about Thousand Oaks highly-recruited quarterback Ben Olson and few predicted the Falcons -- ranked third in the CIF Southern Section Division III preseason poll -- to hand the Lancers a loss for the second straight season.

LOS ALAMITOS — For much of the season, the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis doubles teams had plenty of success. They helped the Falcons earn a second-place finish in the Pacific League. On Thursday afternoon, those normally reliable doubles teams were essentially nowhere to be found. Crescenta Valley saw its season end with an 11-7 loss to host Los Alamitos in a CIF Southern Section Division II opening-round match. The Falcons (16-3) only picked up a pair of doubles wins and appeared flat in their losses.

LA CRESCENTA ? With the rest of the team gathered around the court cheering them on and Crescenta Valley High Coach Tom Gossard rooting and coaching with every point, the Falcons doubles team of Courtney Pietsch and Kay Lee was on center stage in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs. Despite the throng of support and an atmosphere normally reserved for a pivotal set, the match had long been decided, but it made no matter as Gossard congratulated his seniors with a grin and a hug. ?

Mirjam Swanson CRESCENTA VALLEY HIGH -- There was a little of everything: a bit of rain, a bit of sun, a bit of wind. Granted, there wasn't much warmth, nor was there a whole lot that Crescenta Valley High girls' tennis Coach Tom Gossard could find fault with Tuesday. "You know the most frustrating thing about this is that they always forget to pick up their balls and (to change) the score," Gossard said. "But if that's all I have to worry about, that's OK."

LA CRESCENTA — Attempting to extend the momentum from Thursday’s momentous win over Pacific League rival Arcadia High, the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis team faced off with Hoover at home on Tuesday. The Falcons’ winning ways in league continued — with a 14-4 victory in which they swept all nine doubles sets — but Crescenta Valley Coach Tom Gossard wasn’t convinced that the urgency and focus transferred. “Hoover’s tough, and we played the best we could,” Gossard said.

LA CRESCENTA — The fatigue factor might be starting to settle in for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis team. It’s only natural with the amount of matches the Falcons have played during the first half of the season. Fatigue or not, they continue to remain perfect, even if they didn’t play one of their best contests. Crescenta Valley saw its regular-season unbeaten streak swell to 30 on Tuesday afternoon with a slim 10-8 Pacific League victory against visiting Arcadia.

ARCADIA — Barring a borderline miracle, it’s unlikely that the members of the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis team will celebrate winning a third straight Pacific League championship. The past two seasons have seen Crescenta Valley sweep through league. With a talented team coming back, the Falcons ran into a roadblock put up by chief rival Arcadia. Arcadia completed the two-match season series sweep Thursday afternoon with a 13-5 home win. Crescenta Valley (8-2 and 5-2 in league)

LA CRESCENTA ? There was no sunlight peeking through the dark clouds that formed along the foothills late Monday afternoon, resulting in the temperature remaining brisk. The elements didn't seem to matter to the members of the Crescenta Valley High girls' tennis team, who posted a 15-3 nonleague home victory against intercity rival Flintridge Prep. Crescenta Valley (14-2) won eight of nine singles sets, and the Falcons' No. 1 doubles team of Kisa Ito and Ashlee Chan swept their sets, 6-1, 6-1, 6-1. The Falcons, who won seven Pacific League championships between 1995 and 2003, built a 9-3 lead through two rounds.

Arcadia-CV girls' tennis story.Tennis: Crescenta Valley outmatched against perennial-power Arcadia, drops key Pacific League match at home.LA CRESCENTA -- For Stephanie Chung, a substitute singles player on Crescenta Valley's girls' tennis team, her hard-fought 7-5 victory in the final set of Wednesday's Pacific League match against Arcadia meant just about everything. Unfortunately for the host Falcons, their only strong effort in singles mattered little when it came down to the final score.

Laura Hanssen Gossard, Burbank resident of 66 years, died on March 21 at her home in Burbank at 101 years old. Laura was preceded in death by the love of her life, husband of 55 years, Alvin Lynn Gossard.   Laura was born February 3, 1910 in Wayne, Nebraska, moved to California in 1924 and attended both Freemont and Manual Arts High Schools.  She also graduated from Woodbury University Business School.   Her interests were travel, golf, badminton, and in her later years, walking and cards.

GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene. GOSSARD BECOMES WINS LEADER AT PCC Pasadena City College football coach and La Crescenta resident Dennis Gossard became the college's winningest coach Saturday after the Lancers recorded a 34-14 nonconference home victory against College of the Desert. Gossard picked up his 53rd victory, passing the mark set by R. Frank Baker . Baker registered 52 victories from 1926-34. "Something like this is based on longevity and having a good bunch of kids and assistant coaches," said Gossard, who improved to 53-42-1 at PCC. "It means I have been at one place for a long time.

GLENDALE — Though there will be a new coach on board, the concept will remain the same for the members of the Crescenta Valley High girls' tennis team. After taking over the program in 1995 and leading the Falcons to nine Pacific League championships, veteran Coach Tom Gossard retired following last season. Gossard's squads finished no worse than second in league, leading to instant respectability in the area and region. Now, Sarah Wiggins, Gossard's successor, will look to uphold the tradition.

LOS ALAMITOS — For much of the season, the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis doubles teams had plenty of success. They helped the Falcons earn a second-place finish in the Pacific League. On Thursday afternoon, those normally reliable doubles teams were essentially nowhere to be found. Crescenta Valley saw its season end with an 11-7 loss to host Los Alamitos in a CIF Southern Section Division II opening-round match. The Falcons (16-3) only picked up a pair of doubles wins and appeared flat in their losses.

ARCADIA — Barring a borderline miracle, it’s unlikely that the members of the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis team will celebrate winning a third straight Pacific League championship. The past two seasons have seen Crescenta Valley sweep through league. With a talented team coming back, the Falcons ran into a roadblock put up by chief rival Arcadia. Arcadia completed the two-match season series sweep Thursday afternoon with a 13-5 home win. Crescenta Valley (8-2 and 5-2 in league)

With the rest of the team gathered around the court cheering them on and Crescenta Valley High Coach Tom Gossard rooting and coaching with every point, the Falcons doubles team of Courtney Pietsch and Kay Lee was on center stage in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs. Despite the throng of support and an atmosphere normally reserved for a pivotal set, the match had long been decided, but it made no matter as Gossard congratulated his seniors with a grin and a hug. ?

LA CRESCENTA — The fatigue factor might be starting to settle in for the Crescenta Valley High girls’ tennis team. It’s only natural with the amount of matches the Falcons have played during the first half of the season. Fatigue or not, they continue to remain perfect, even if they didn’t play one of their best contests. Crescenta Valley saw its regular-season unbeaten streak swell to 30 on Tuesday afternoon with a slim 10-8 Pacific League victory against visiting Arcadia.

With their worst match immediately out of the way, Anna Kim and Tiffany Man set sail on an incredible run that lasted throughout the fall. Kim and Man didn’t fare quite well in a nonleague doubles match against host Valencia in a 13-5 loss in the second match of the season in early September. Part of that turned out to be because the duo wasn’t familiar with each other and their respective tendencies. Then things began to click for the duo, which mostly had its way against its competition en route to teaming up to capture the Pacific League doubles championship at Pasadena High on Oct. 31. The way Kim and Man see it, they turned out to be the ideal combination to help the Falcons win the Pacific League championship for the first time since 2003.