Heart Academy

Erik Boal LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- Don't ever say that the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls' volleyball team isn't a gracious host. After agreeing to move their CIF Southern Section Division IVAA second-round playoff match against L.A. Baptist up two hours in order to accomodate their opponent's request to attend a banquet later Thursday evening, the Tologs also did their part to make sure their guest arrived on time. Flintridge Sacred Heart needed just 53 minutes to dispatch of the visiting Knights, 15-4, 15-1, 15-7, in a match that was highlighted by Tolog Coach Nancy Tinkham inhaling half the helium in one of the decoratory balloons and calling a timeout in the third game to talk to her team.

Erik Boal LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- They were ready and willing, but with only 14 players suiting up for Friday's nonleague match againts Pasadena Poly, the able part was a little hard to come by for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls' soccer team. As the match progressed, the Tologs' already-sparse bench became that much thinner as two players -- senior Meghan O'Keen and freshman Hannah Hand -- were regulated to the sideline with injuries, making the alrady-daunting task that much tougher.

Grant Gordon Against relentless rain and a steady stream of shots, Chaminade High's Jessica McGovern never wavered. That was the story on Friday night according to Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy Co-coach Frank Pace. The rest of the story was the age-old soccer story. One team dominated, but it didn't show on the scoreboard. That team was Flintridge Sacred Heart, the other was Chaminade, a 1-0 winner of Friday's Mission League girls' soccer match at St. Francis' Friedman Field.

From Staff Reports A most productive practice: Ted Grissom didn't like the direction his La Canada High girls' volleyball team was headed. And neither did his players. After wins against CIF Southern Section ranked opponents San Pedro Mary Star of the Sea and Redondo Union -- along with a hard-fought, four-game loss to national-power Long Beach Wilson -- to open the season, the Spartans (4-3) were swept by Long Beach Millikan and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, which prompted a much-needed team discussion during Wednesday's practice.

Darleene Barrientos Annelise Lupica remembers once approaching her younger sister Marisa, then a baby, as she sat in her automatic swing and "punching her to see what would happen." "But she always forgave me," 16-year-old Annelise said, as the audience chuckled at the memory. "Marisa and I were a team. We always did things together. "Marisa," she said, as she finished her brief tribute to her sister, "you were truly my best friend. I love you."

Peter Samore LOS ANGELES -- Mission League woes continued for the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy softball team Monday. Infield mistakes and a few close calls enabled Harvard-Westlake School to stay undefeated in league play in the Tologs' 10-0 loss at Los Angeles Valley College. The game was called in the bottom of the sixth as the Wolverines scored their final two runs to enact the mercy rule. "Inexperience showed up today," Tolog Coach George Tibbetts said.

Erik Boal ENCINO -- Kathy Desmond had seen it happen plenty of times during her eight-year career and Saturday served as just the latest image in her all-too-familiar nightmare. Desmond and co-Coach Frank Pace watched as their Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls' soccer team competed with Woodland Hills Louisville for 80 minutes, only to have a few defensive miscues and a couple unlucky bounces ultimately decide the outcome of their Mission League contest.

Erik Boal Frank Pace said with the amount of depth and parity in this year's Mission League, that none of the six teams would survive the 10-match schedule without a loss. That list now includes he and Kathy Desmond's Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy soccer team. After rallying for an important tie against Woodland Hills Louisville and recording their first victory in 19 tries against West Hills Chaminade, the host Tologs couldn't summon a similar type of magic Thursday against Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, resulting in a tough 1-0 loss.

Charles Rich He had a chance to make a player substitution during a minute-long timeout, but chose otherwise. With less than a minute remaining, Crescenta Valley High girls' basketball Coach Alan Eberhart stuck with Delia Ceja with the idea that she could make a big shot. Despite lacking confidence in her shooting, Ceja came through. Ceja -- the younger sister of former Falcon football standout Sean-Paul Ceja -- made a 14-foot jump shot with 21 seconds left to give CV a 47-45 nonleague victory against host Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy on Tuesday.

Charles Rich In a three-hour span, Audrey Andrade's emotions came full circle. Andrade, a star Glendale High softball player, first had her uniform number retired along with several other former Nitro greats before doing damage with her aluminum bat. Andrade hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lead Glendale to a 2-1 nonleague victory against Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy on Tuesday....