La Salle

Under the bright sun, the La Canada High football team left the field without a sunny disposition. For a squad that's accustomed to playing night games, La Canada saw its bid for an undefeated season evaporate on the FieldTurf. La Canada's defense allowed 462 yards of total offense in a 37-20 nonleague road loss to La Salle on Friday afternoon. The Spartans, who are ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division X behind Lompoc Cabrillo, concluded the first half of their season at 4-1. Finding a way to get back on track with Rio Hondo League action set to start Friday against host South Pasadena will be imperative.

Micaela Anderson, Junior, Outside Hitter, La Cañada The 6-foot-1 attacker averaged four kills per game and totaled 309 kills, 61 digs and 50 aces this season while winning the Rio Hondo League co-Most Valuable Player of the Year award. Anderson led the Spartans to a league championship and into the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II-AA Playoffs. Haley De Sales, Freshman, Outside Hitter, La Salle The Lancers' newcomer thrived at both the right side and outside this season.

The Crescenta Valley girls' varsity soccer team shut out visiting Muir, 8-0, in a Pacific League match on Tuesday to remain unbeaten in league competition. The Falcons, who upped their overall mark to 10-7-2, are 4-0 in league play. They traveled to Arcadia yesterday (Thursday) for a league contest, but results were not available at press time. CV will host Hoover next Tuesday in a league tussle at 3:15 p.m. Three Falcons scored two goals apiece, Rachael Rigamat, Sydney Vermillion and Naomi Ehrlich.

PASADENA ? They would have gladly traded Thursday night's win for a trip to the CIF Southern Section Division IV-AA championship match last year. Unfortunately for the members of the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy volleyball squad, they couldn't. Flintridge Sacred Heart earned a token of revenge with a 25-23, 25-20, 25-18 nonleague victory against host La Salle. In a semifinal playoff home match last season, the Tologs built a 2-0 lead on the Lancers before La Salle regrouped to win the next three.

CV girls lose first of year Crescenta Valley girls’ soccer lost to Valencia in the Hart Showcase last Saturday, 3-1. It was the Falcons’ (5-1-4) first loss of the year. Brittani Dearman had the lone goal. CV had tied Valencia earlier in the year, at Valencia. CV ended the showcase with a win, a loss and a tie. They beat Knight earlier in the day, 4-0. Tori Baldridge had two goals in the game and Brittany Johnson and Jordan Royer each had one.   Former LC coaches lose to LC It was a funny scene, La Cañada beating St. Francis to get to the finals of the La Salle Tournament: for many years, co-Coaches Jeff Stephens and Ray O’Brien helped prepare many of the current La Cañada players to achieve success.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan PASADENA -- The first step to becoming a good basketball team is developing fundamentals. That means tireless hours of conditioning, practicing rebounding, dribbling and breaking down a defense. Now, only if the Village Christian High boys' basketball team could prefect these fundamentals will it achieve great success. Until that point, the Crusaders will continue to struggle like they did against Los Angeles Marshall High Wednesday at La Salle.

GLENDALE ? They have already enjoyed one memorable postseason. Now, the members of the Glendale High girls? water polo team want to experience another. A year removed from advancing to the CIF Southern Section Division IV semifinals for the first time in the program?s history, Glendale opened its latest postseason run Tuesday afternoon with a 16-7 road win against Carpinteria. ?Last year was an inspiration for us,? Glendale Coach Bob Zirovich said. ?We set a standard, and it?

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan PASADENA -- Plain and simple. Without Matt Hirsh, the St. Francis High baseball team might have lost its nonleague game against La Salle on Friday. The junior meant everything to his squad on the mound and especially at the plate, as the Golden Knights handed the Lancers its ninth loss of the season with an 8-5 victory at Brookside Park. With St. Francis (10-8-1) trailing, 4-2, and struggling both offensively and defensively, Hirsh -- the No. 9 batter in the order -- tripled to right field in the fourth inning, bringing in three runs and lifting the Golden Knights to their fourth straight victory.

Charles Rich TUJUNGA -- He briefly reverted back to an old habit Thursday, then broke it with the flick of his bulky wrists. Village Christian High baseball player Ian Martin has subliminally found a comfort zone with his swing, something the junior didn't have when he meekly struck out in the first inning of Thursday's 12-2 nonleague victory against La Salle at Tujunga Field. Then Martin shortened his swing and produced two run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly to lead the Crusaders (5-1)

TODAY MEN?S BASKETBALL ?Glendale college in Palm Desert Tournament, TBA ? WOMEN?S BASKETBALL ?Glendale college in Ventura College Tournament, TBA ? BOYS? BASKETBALL ?Crescenta Valley, St. Francis in La Salle/Temple City Tournament, TBA ?Flintridge Prep in Torrey Pines Tournament, TBA ?Hoover in Cathedral City Tournament, TBA ?Glendale vs. Camarillo in Hart Tournament, 6 p.m. ?Glendale Adventist Academy in Loma Linda Tournament, TBA ?