Lions

After losing five seniors and four of the top six scorers from the team that won the Golden State Athletic Conference championship in 2004, Vanguard University men's soccer coach Randy Dodge has restocked the roster for the upcoming season. Dodge, in fact, believes this year's additions may give him more options and depth than last season. Andrew Elliott has transferred from UC Irvine, where he played one season. Elliott, a native of Scotland, was the leading scorer for Paisley United in his home country for two seasons, prior to attending UCI. Elliott and two more transfers, Ryan Sullivan and Sem Lopez, will be expected to make an immediate impact and be a big part of the Lions' future.

While contemplating whether the new film ?Lions for Lambs? contains the fierceness associated with the former or the timidity of the latter, the conclusion is obvious and unfortunate. You absolutely want to be drawn into potentially compelling stories, and the failure to get anywhere close only magnifies the disappointment. In stripping away the original concept from the finished product, I would have been very cautious in foreseeing a sure-fire winner, even with three powerhouse stars to get people into the theaters.

Coming off a slow start early in the game, the Verdugo Hills High varsity football team rallied with two touchdowns in the final quarter to defeat Lincoln, 26-6, at Turner Stadium last Friday. With the win, the Dons advanced to the next round of the CIF city football championships, which was played at home against University High on Wednesday. No results were available at press time. The Dons have never previously advanced any further than the first round, but they came up against a team that they beaten in a playoff game in 1980 when the field was named Kersey Field.

Senior Amanda Vazquez recorded a match-high 22 kills and led the UC Irvine women's volleyball team to its second victory Saturday, a 30-27, 27-30, 30-27, 27-30, 15-9 triumph over visiting Long Island at Crawford Court. UCI had posted a five-game victory earlier in the day over Hofstra, as sophomore transfer Kristin Kelley slammed a match-leading and collegiate career-high 21 kills. Against Long Island, Trisha White followed Vazquez with 18 kills, while Whitney Pavlik posted 16 and Kelley notched 15. Both Lizelle Jackson and Martina Wagner posted 21 kills apiece for Long Island, while Adela Igniska and Jade Gold had 10 each.

Vanguard University women's basketball coach Russ Davis graduated only a couple of players from the 2004-05 season, but those losses included his best outside shooter (Lacey Mills) and All-American point guard (Lisa Faulkner), leaving big shoes to fill. After three straight Golden State Athletic Conference championships, however, the holes in the lineup sometimes fill themselves with hot recruits and Davis has picked up some quality talent again, signing three transfers and four freshmen to the 2005-06 team.

MEMORIAL FIELD -- For now, the Burbank High football squad can say its the only team to hold a lead against powerhouse Oaks Christian this season. That lead lasted exactly one minute. The game's other 47 minutes didn't go in Burbank's favor against one of the state's premier offenses. Oaks Christian quarterback Jimmy Clausen threw for 331 yards and five touchdowns to spark the Lions to a 50-10 nonleague victory against Burbank in a locally televised contest at Memorial Field on Friday night.

The Crescenta Valley High varsity softball team fell short of upsetting top-seeded Oaks Christian in the quarterfinals of the CIF Southern Section Division III playoffs at home on May 25. The two teams had previously split the season-series in two close ball games. The third meeting would prove not to be any different. The Falcons (22-8) held a one-run lead in the fourth inning but could not hold on and fell to the Lions, 3-2. CV softball coach Dan Berry was not upset, but content with knowing that his team put up a good fight against Oaks Christian (27-5)

The UC Irvine women's golf team finished second at the Ron Moore Intercollegiate held at the Highlands Ranch Golf Club in Highlands Ranch, Colo. The Anteaters shot a final round of 310 Tuesday to end the two-day tournament with a score of 905 (291-304-310). Tournament host Denver ran away with the title, shooting a 289 on the final round to finish with an 880 total. Campbell was second (903) and Colorado was third (904), a stroke ahead of UCI. Freshman Selanee Henderson was tied for third after carding a 218 (72-70-76)

Sergei Aftandelian Hoover High Coach Rob Swartz emotionally summarized his team's 31-14 thrashing of El Monte by saying, "This is the best effort I've seen since I've been here." The Tornadoes (2-1-1) wore down an undermanned Lions team with 273 yards rushing in the second half en route to their drubbing of El Monte (1-3) Friday night in a nonleague game at Glendale High's Moyse Field. It was a game of two different halves for Swartz's squad.

Alex Leon The Witt brothers played catch Monday and that meant bad news for Brigham Young-Hawaii University. Once, twice, and then three times, the ball went back and forth between Kyle, a senior setter for Loyola Marymount University men's water polo team, and Kevin, a junior driver, until Kevin saw the opening he wanted and drilled the ball into the net for a score. The Lions' 16-7 win over the Seasiders improved LMU's record to 4-1 this year thanks to three goals from Kevin and three assists from Kyle.

Police officials have notified the California Department of Fish and Wildlife of a “fairly-large” mountain lion that is wandering inside the yard of a La Crescenta home. The lion, which was spotted just before 2 p.m., doesn't appear to be disturbing anything at the home in the 4500 block of New York Avenue, according to Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz. While no one was inside the home, Lorenz said police are trying to maintain a calm environment for the lion so it does not become agitated.

A “fairly large” mountain lion that was spotted roaming in a La Crescenta neighborhood Thursday afternoon was tranquilized to be relocated in the wild, a state wildlife official said. Officers with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife were called in after the lion was spotted just before 2 p.m. and didn't appear to be disturbing anything at the home in the 4500 block of New York Avenue, according to Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz. PHOTOS: Mountain lion captured in La Crescenta residential area From there, the lion roamed the area and was seen in the 3300 and 3400 blocks of Thelma Street.

The Northwest Glendale Lions Club presented the annual Community Appreciation Award to the Glendale Youth Alliance at the Feb. 7 meeting at Shaker's Restaurant. Karine Grigoryan, Community Development supervisor for Glendale Youth Alliance, accepted the award. The Glendale Youth Alliance is a nonprofit organization that provides jobs and employment preparedness training for Glendale's low-income youth ages 14 to 24. -- JOYCE RUDOLPH can be contacted at rudolphjoyce10@gmail.com .

Members of the Northwest Glendale Lions Club received an update on their special pet project - guide puppy in training - when Cybelle came to visit the Jan. 24 meeting at Shakers Restaurant. Sarah Jane Chelin, puppy raiser, and her mother, Chantal Chelin, talked about Cybelle's home life and progress with her training. The dog is cosponsored by the Lions Club and Glen-Park Retirement in Glendale owned by Lions member Tillman Pink. It was Pink's suggestion to adopt the Guide Dogs of America Project.

A deer was found dead at the Sports Complex in Glendale and authorities believe the animal was killed by an adult mountain lion and an offspring. Community Services and Park personnel found the deer's body this week at 2200 Fern Lane. Mountain lion footprints were found in the area. Glendale police suggest residents take steps to protect children and small pets from mountain lions in the area. Installing ample outdoor lighting, trimming bushes and providing shelter for animals are some way residents can avoid attracting deer or mountain lions, according to police.

The Northwest Glendale Lions Club provided vision screenings during the third annual Glendale Health Festival sponsored by the Armenian American Medical Society of Southern California at the Pacific Community Center in November. The Lions have provided eye screenings at this event since it began, according to member Ross Adams. A total of 326 people were screened. Fifteen children, infants to age 6, were screened in the KidSight program. The Lions provided 100 certificates for free eyeglasses.

A mountain lion was spotted Wednesday on Stancrest Frontage Road, near the 2 Freeway in Glendale, according to police. The sighting was reported to the Pasadena Humane Society around 1 p.m. by a solo hiker, said Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz. Mountain lions typically avoid human contact, but officials advise residents to exercise precaution and not run away from the animal if they come in its path. Instead, they advise residents to face the mountain lion and make loud noise and throw rocks or other objects.

Northwest Glendale Lions have supported Guide Dogs of America for more than 20 years. Now the club has a puppy to call its own. The club and member Tillman Pink Jr. are sponsoring a puppy - a female Labrador/golden retriever mix named Cybelle - at a cost of $5,000, which goes to training the puppy. The guide dog-to-be will be raised by Sarah Jane Chelin of Chatsworth. The puppy will wear a vest with the names “NW Glendale Lions Club” and “Glen-Park Retirement Communities,” which is owned by Pink, the club's second vice-president.

A mountain lion mauled a 1-year-old German-Belgian shepherd mix named Cookie to death Saturday, making it the first reported killing of its kind this year in Glendale, officials said. The attack prompted Glendale police officials to renew warnings to hillside residents to keep their pets indoors at night. “She was a great dog,” said Cookie's owner, Karine Tatevossian. “It's just really scary.” The shepherd mix was staying at her parents' home in the 1800 block of Emerald Terrace for the weekend, she said.

Northwest Glendale Lions awarded three scholarships of $1,000 each to special needs students of Glendale Community College and Hoover High School at a luncheon meeting on May 24. Recipients are Natasha Lynn Desianto, of Glendale Community College, and David Corral-Mancilla and Daniel Marin of Hoover High School. Special guests attending included school board member Mary Boger, counselor Monica Lewis from Hoover High School, and parents of the recipients. Ryan Nekota was chairman of the Scholarship Committee.