La Habra

TODAY Football (7 p.m.) Compton Centennial at Laguna TUESDAY Boys' Water Polo (3:15 p.m.) Laguna vs. Foothill/Riverside Poly (scrimmage) THURSDAY Frosh Soph Football (3:15 p.m.) Laguna at La Quinta FRIDAY, Sept. 9 Football (7 p.m.) Laguna at La Quinta SATURDAY, Sept. 10 Boys' Cross Country (8 a.m.) Laguna at Las Vegas Invite Cross Country (8 a.m.) Laguna at Mt. SAC Fastback Shootout Girls' JV Volleyball (8 a.m.)

Hamlet Nalbandyan STENGEL FIELD -- Just a week ago, the Crescenta Valley High baseball team's offense looked unstoppable. But after Wednesday's 5-3 loss to La Habra on the final day of the Babe Herman Tournament at Stengel Field, the Falcons are left searching for their bats. For the third straight day, CV struggled on the field, dropping its record to 9-7 overall and 1-3 in the Babe Herman Tournament. The Falcons came in as back-to-back champions of the 37th annual tournament.

Robert Chacon More than 300 people showed up for Glendale's first Relay for Life, raising $45,000 to help find a cure for breast cancer. The event was far more successful than anticipated by the American Cancer Society and Glendale officials, who had expected to raise only $25,000, since this was the city's first Relay for Life. City employees from various departments, including fire, police and water and power, made up about half of the walkers who circled the baseball diamond at Scholl Canyon Park for 24 hours, beginning 9 a.m. Saturday.

Tim Willert GLENDALE -- The state average for gas has reached $2 per gallon, but prices in Glendale rank among the lowest in L.A. County, according to a monthly survey released Tuesday by the Automobile Club of Southern California. Glendale ranked sixth lowest among 17 cities in the county with an average price of $1.983 per gallon for regular unleaded gas. La Habra, at $1.88 per gallon, continued to boast the lowest average price for fuel in the state.

Paul M. Anderson GLENDALE -- Glendale investigators believe they have cracked a major shoplifting ring at the Glendale Galleria, police said Monday. Five people were arrested Sunday at Columbus Avenue and Colorado Street after a plainclothes Glendale investigator spotted them using a complicated system to shoplift from a Galleria store, according to a police report. Three of the five suspects refused to give police their addresses. The suspects were identified as Bryan Eduardo Garcia, 25, of La Habra; Gilberto Loaiza, 49, of Highland Park; Bertilda Avellaneda, 45; Rudencindo Montealegre, 52; and Clouis Guerrero Vargas, 38. Glendale investigators will contact other police agencies to see if the five suspects shoplifted at another mall, said Glendale Police Sgt. Rick Young.

The Crescenta Valley varsity baseball team fell to the Sonora Raiders of La Habra in the championship game of the 41st Babe Herman Tournament, 7-5, at Stengel Field on Wednesday, despite a rally in the sixth-inning. The Falcons, who were the tournament's defending champions, struggled in pitching, hitting, and defense en route to losing their first game of the year and falling to 12-1 "We just played really sloppy, but we've been able to come back from that before, but tonight we couldn't," said Falcon Coach Phil Torres.

Three Laguna Beach High sports teams -- boys' water polo, girls' tennis, and girls' volleyball -- opened their seasons on winning notes. BOYS' WATER POLO Laguna began its 2005 campaign Tuesday with an exciting 12-11 double-overtime victory over La Habra. The Breakers bolted to an early lead, but the visiting Highlanders rallied to tie the score, 7-7, at the half. Laguna held a one-goal advantage entering the third period, but La Habra again caught the Breakers to force overtime.

If the measuring stick for a team is the hard work and dedication it puts forth during the off-season, then the upcoming campaign for the Laguna Beach High boys' water polo team should be nothing short of a success. The Breakers, says head coach Rick McKee, have worked hard leading up to Tuesday's season opener at home against La Habra. "Strong and experienced," were two words McKee used to describe his 2005 edition. "One of the hardest and most dedicated group of boys I have ever worked with."

The Huntington Beach High boys' water polo team came up with a big rally Monday and pulled out a 12-11 overtime victory over host Tesoro in nonleague play. The Oilers trailed throughout the match and were down by two at the half, but they rallied in the second of two overtime periods. They outscored the Titans, 3-0, in the second overtime. "This was a great win for us," Huntington coach Eugene Char said. "We were down 5-3 at the half and shut them out in the second overtime.

Mark R. Madler Mike Post was already looking toward retiring from police work when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks provided a shift in his professional career. After 28 years with the Glendale Police Department, Post moved on to become the director of public safety at Bob Hope Airport where he oversaw security changes necessary following the terrorist attacks. After three years in that position, Post will leave in early January. His successor, Steven Staveley, a veteran law enforcement officer, took over the post of overseeing the police and fire departments at the airport on Dec. 10. "There's been tremendous progress made over the past three years, and it's something the community should be proud of," Staveley said.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE ? The city of La Cañada Flintridge is looking for a new director of public works, having bid its former director Steve Castellanos adieu on Aug. 7. Castellanos left his job, which he'd held for six years, to be closer to his home, said Mark Alexander, La Cañada Flintridge's city manager. He is now the public works director for the city of La Habra. Alexander hopes to have an interim director in place by mid-September, he said. Alexander wants to use an executive search firm to find a permanent director ?

The Crescenta Valley varsity baseball team fell to the Sonora Raiders of La Habra in the championship game of the 41st Babe Herman Tournament, 7-5, at Stengel Field on Wednesday, despite a rally in the sixth-inning. The Falcons, who were the tournament's defending champions, struggled in pitching, hitting, and defense en route to losing their first game of the year and falling to 12-1 "We just played really sloppy, but we've been able to come back from that before, but tonight we couldn't," said Falcon Coach Phil Torres.

NEEDS IF YOU GO BOXMontrose resident continues work to raise funds to benefit research into cystic fibrosis.It didn't take long for Montrose resident Mary Garcia to bring a community fundraiser to benefit cystic fibrosis research to Montrose. Four years ago, as a student at Rosemont Middle School, Mary decided to organize a local fundraiser for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation in memory of her sister Claire, who died of Cystic Fibrosis at the age of 9 on Feb. 20, 1987. Mary, now a 17-year-old student at Verdugo Academy, went to area schools and asked students and the schools' key clubs and builder's clubs to collect money for "Bowl for Breath," a fundraiser that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which sponsors such bowling events nationwide.

The Huntington Beach High boys' water polo team came up with a big rally Monday and pulled out a 12-11 overtime victory over host Tesoro in nonleague play. The Oilers trailed throughout the match and were down by two at the half, but they rallied in the second of two overtime periods. They outscored the Titans, 3-0, in the second overtime. "This was a great win for us," Huntington coach Eugene Char said. "We were down 5-3 at the half and shut them out in the second overtime.

Three Laguna Beach High sports teams -- boys' water polo, girls' tennis, and girls' volleyball -- opened their seasons on winning notes. BOYS' WATER POLO Laguna began its 2005 campaign Tuesday with an exciting 12-11 double-overtime victory over La Habra. The Breakers bolted to an early lead, but the visiting Highlanders rallied to tie the score, 7-7, at the half. Laguna held a one-goal advantage entering the third period, but La Habra again caught the Breakers to force overtime.

If the measuring stick for a team is the hard work and dedication it puts forth during the off-season, then the upcoming campaign for the Laguna Beach High boys' water polo team should be nothing short of a success. The Breakers, says head coach Rick McKee, have worked hard leading up to Tuesday's season opener at home against La Habra. "Strong and experienced," were two words McKee used to describe his 2005 edition. "One of the hardest and most dedicated group of boys I have ever worked with."

TODAY Football (7 p.m.) Compton Centennial at Laguna TUESDAY Boys' Water Polo (3:15 p.m.) Laguna vs. Foothill/Riverside Poly (scrimmage) THURSDAY Frosh Soph Football (3:15 p.m.) Laguna at La Quinta FRIDAY, Sept. 9 Football (7 p.m.) Laguna at La Quinta SATURDAY, Sept. 10 Boys' Cross Country (8 a.m.) Laguna at Las Vegas Invite Cross Country (8 a.m.) Laguna at Mt. SAC Fastback Shootout Girls' JV Volleyball (8 a.m.)

Mark R. Madler Mike Post was already looking toward retiring from police work when the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks provided a shift in his professional career. After 28 years with the Glendale Police Department, Post moved on to become the director of public safety at Bob Hope Airport where he oversaw security changes necessary following the terrorist attacks. After three years in that position, Post will leave in early January. His successor, Steven Staveley, a veteran law enforcement officer, took over the post of overseeing the police and fire departments at the airport on Dec. 10. "There's been tremendous progress made over the past three years, and it's something the community should be proud of," Staveley said.

Robert Chacon More than 300 people showed up for Glendale's first Relay for Life, raising $45,000 to help find a cure for breast cancer. The event was far more successful than anticipated by the American Cancer Society and Glendale officials, who had expected to raise only $25,000, since this was the city's first Relay for Life. City employees from various departments, including fire, police and water and power, made up about half of the walkers who circled the baseball diamond at Scholl Canyon Park for 24 hours, beginning 9 a.m. Saturday.

BOYS' WATER POLO Carlsbad 9, La Canada 8: The Spartans, ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division III, yielded a goal with seven seconds remaining in a championship quarterfinal match of the Villa Park Tournament on Friday. Jordan Thompson scored three goals and Doug McNeese added two for the Spartans (7-6). La Canada scored two goals in the final two minutes before Carlsbad, ranked No. 1 in CIF San Diego Section Division I, notched the match-winner.