Long Beach Poly

Erik Boal As the sun set over the Peninsula Racquet Club late Saturday afternoon, Crescenta Valley High girls' tennis Coach Tom Gossard took one last opportunity to partake in a photo opportunity with seniors Lauren Hawthorne, Hana Im, Nara Im, Katie Sullivan and Arlene Ward. Just moments earlier, Hawthorne and Sullivan had dropped a 6-3, 7-5 decision in the third round of their regional -- and round of 32 overall -- to the Dana Point Dana Hills duo of Amy Beck and Kendra Ivey, ending one of the most dominant runs for a doubles team in area history.

From Staff Reports Wish becomes a reality: Loi Phan had a wish. Max and Albert Ocon made that wish a reality. Phan, the head coach for the Glendale High football program, wanted to see a sea of red in the stands during a home game. The Ocon brothers heard Phan's request and bought 1,000 T-shirts for Friday's game against Hoover. Albert -- the defensive coordinator for the Nitros -- and Max, who played for Glendale in 1990 and 1991, paid $3,000 for the red, CIF playoff shirts.

SPORT Football SCHOOL CV YEAR Junior THIS SEASON Leads area with 1,187 total offensive yards and eight TDs. LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE Salazar continued to shine in his first year as the starting quarterback for the Falcons (2-2). He threw for a career- high 268 yards and rushed for 87 yards, scoring twice in CV's 25-13 nonleague win against La Canada on Friday. SPORT Volleyball SCHOOL La Canada YEAR Senior THIS SEASON One of the area's most talented middle blockers.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan Brent Smith wasn't about to fool himself. He possessed the necessary speed to win Pacific League track and field titles in the 200- and 400-meter events. But just qualifying for the CIF Southern Section Division I final in each race might have been too daunting. Not because Smith, a senior at Crescenta Valley High, wasn't good. He certainly was. He was faster than previous years. And he had learned the necessary techniques that factor into running a good race.

CIF SOUTHERN SECTION RANKINGS FOOTBALL Division I 1. Long Beach Poly 2. Los Alamitos 3. Anaheim Servite 4. Santa Ana Mater Dei 5. Anaheim Esperanza 6. Bellflower St. John Bosco 7. Lakewood 8. LOYOLA 9. Rancho Santa Margarita 10. Redlands East Valley Division III 1. Manhattan Beach Mira Costa 2. Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 3. Arcadia 4. Antelope Valley...

FOOTBALL Division I 1. Long Beach Poly (4-0). 2. LOYOLA (4-0). 3. Los Alamitos (3-0-1). 4. Anaheim Esperanza (4-0). 5. Rancho Santa Margarita (4-0). 6. Anaheim Servite (4-0). 7. Lakewood (4-0). 8. Santa Ana Mater Dei (3-1). 9. La Puente Bishop Amat (3-1). 10. Bellflower St. John Bosco (2-2). Division XIII 1. Temecula Linfield (3-1). 2. Cypress Brethren Christian (3-1). 3. Pasadena Poly (3-1). 4. North Hollywood Campbell Hall (2-2)

Erik Boal With their performance at the Sept. 21 Woodbridge Invitational, they had already proven that they could compete with Long Beach Poly, Murrieta Valley and Rancho Buena Vista, three of the elite boys' cross-country programs in the state. But the seven members of Crescenta Valley High's squad needed a new challenge, so they figured why not take on the defending Division I state champion, Canyon Country Canyon, at Saturday's 35th annual Kenny Staub Invitational.