Los Angeles Galaxy

Karen S. Kim NORTHWEST GLENDALE -- For Glendale's Hispanic Broadcasting Corp., it's time to play o7 futbolf7 . The Spanish-language radio corporation has agreed to broadcast the Los Angeles Galaxy's home and away games for the next two years on KTNQ-AM (1020). The radio station's "Galaxy Hour," a talk show broadcast on Thursday nights for the last four years during the team's regular season, will continue, station officials said. "It's L.A.'s soccer team, and soccer is very hot among Hispanics," said Santiago Nieto, program director for the company.

Jim Riggio GLENDALE -- The 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, are still six months away, but Pete Vagenas has come one step closer to making his Olympic dream come true. Vagenas, who graduated from St. Francis High in 1996, has been selected to the final 25-player pool for the U.S. men's Under-23 National soccer team. The player pool will be narrowed to 18 players and three alternates April 7, just three days before the U.S. will take part in a week-long training camp in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. The U.S. will have to finish among the top-two teams out of the CONCACAF region's 2000 Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Grant Gordon On Friday, via conference call, the Los Angeles Galaxy selected five players in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft. Among them was former St. Francis High standout Ryan Shaw. Shaw, a forward who is UC Davis' all-time leading scorer, was taken with the 34th overall pick in a draft that is meant, "to enable each of Major League Soccer's 12 teams to build their reserve teams, which will begin play this spring," as stated in the Major League Soccer press release.

After years of playing professionally, Glendale soccer player Harut Karapetyan is bankrolling his own club. Karapetyan, who played for the Armenian national soccer team and spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy, opened his own soccer academy March 2 at the Glendale Sports Complex, handing out jerseys and helping parents fill out last-minute paperwork. At the time, 19 players were enrolled in the two age groups, one for those age 5 to 10, the other for 12- to 16-year-olds.

Hamlet Nalbandyan The Los Angeles Galaxy nearly won the Major League Soccer Cup last year before stumbling against the San Jose Quakes, 2-1, in sudden-death overtime, and Pete Vagenas had a lot to do with the team's success. The St. Francis High graduate -- who led Glen Appels' squad to the 1996 CIF title -- played in all 26 matches in 2001, starting 25 of them. He had three goals and three assists for nine points, improving on a seven-point total from his rookie season in 2000.

GLENDALE — If it’s the path that will lead him to Major League Soccer, then Vardan Adzemian will make sure that nothing will get in his way. Adzemian made a name for himself locally after he competed last summer on the Homenetmen Glendale Ararat chapter’s men’s soccer team in the Pan Armenian Games. While he considers playing in his native Armenia a cherished memory, Adzemian would like to someday make a name for himself playing professionally in the United States.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan Just before Joseph Ngwenya left the Glendale Sports Complex on Monday, the rookie midfielder for the Los Angeles Galaxy had a moment to take one last photo with his fans. Standing behind Liam Graham, sister Aline Graham and Carlos Suarez, Ngwenya provided a final keepsake for a few of the 130 people who each paid $32 to attend a local soccer clinic hosted by the Galaxy and the Crescenta Valley Soccer Club. Add in a pair of tickets to a Galaxy match, an autographed soccer ball by six of L.A.'s players and a scratch on his left elbow caused by a fall, and 5-year-old Liam Graham had a blast.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Name: Pete Vagenas. Team: Los Angeles Galaxy. Local Ties: St. Francis, 1996. This Season: The 27-year old has started all 10 matches for the Galaxy, scoring nine points, which ties his career best set in 26 appearances in 2001. The midfielder is tied for second on the team with goals scored (four) -- also a career best -- and has added an assist. He has two game-winning goals and six shots on goal. Landon Donovan leads the Galaxy with five goals and Jovan Kirovski has four.

PHILIPPINE BASKETBALL ASSN. Name: Mark Caguioa Team: Ginebra Kings Local Ties: Glendale Community College, 2000 This Season: Caguioa, who averaged 12.1 points in 2000 at GCC, is seventh in the PBA in scoring with a 17.1 points-per-game average through 21 games. He is also 20th in the league in rebounds (7.2 per game), 22nd in assists (2.8) and 17th in steals (0.9). Latest News: Although Caguioa and teammates Eric Menk (20.8 points per game)

After years of playing professionally, Glendale soccer player Harut Karapetyan is bankrolling his own club. Karapetyan, who played for the Armenian national soccer team and spent four seasons with the Los Angeles Galaxy, opened his own soccer academy March 2 at the Glendale Sports Complex, handing out jerseys and helping parents fill out last-minute paperwork. At the time, 19 players were enrolled in the two age groups, one for those age 5 to 10, the other for 12- to 16-year-olds.

GLENDALE — If it’s the path that will lead him to Major League Soccer, then Vardan Adzemian will make sure that nothing will get in his way. Adzemian made a name for himself locally after he competed last summer on the Homenetmen Glendale Ararat chapter’s men’s soccer team in the Pan Armenian Games. While he considers playing in his native Armenia a cherished memory, Adzemian would like to someday make a name for himself playing professionally in the United States.

In reflection of the glut of marquee talent that currently populates the locker room of the Los Angeles Galaxy, “The Stars Align” is an official slogan of the team’s 2007 campaign. While the recent addition of international crossover icon David Beckham to the squad’s already gifted ranks perhaps makes the catch phrase more apropos than ever, the Galaxy’s roster has been a frequently changing constellation of superstar personalities since the club’s inception, which coincided with the birth of Major League Soccer 11 years ago. Through lineup and coaching changes alike, Pete Vagenas has remained an important component of the team’s success over the last seven seasons, a run which has included two MLS titles.

Chuck Schilken Pete Vagenas knows the numbers. He's the one who's scored the four goals and added the two assists that are prompting people to call 2005 a "career year" for the center midfielder in his sixth season with the Los Angeles Galaxy. Less than halfway into the season, Vagenas' 10-point total has already exceeded his output for any other regular season with the Galaxy, improving on the nine he notched in 2001. -- YEAR TEAM GP GS MINS GLS ASSTS POINTS SHOTS SOG 2000 Los Angeles 16 12 1,044 3 1 7 13 7 Galaxy 2001 Los Angeles 26 25 2,197 3 3 9 22 7 Galaxy 2002 Los Angeles 17 16 1,390 0 3 3 4 1 Galaxy 2003 Los Angeles 20 18 1,724 0 0 0 7 3 Galaxy 2004 Los Angeles 12 10 913 0 1 1 2 0 Galaxy 2005 Los Angeles 14 14 1,239 4 2 10 14 7 Galaxy Total Los Angeles 105 95 8,507 10 10 30 62 25 Galaxy -- He has also surpassed his personal standard for goals during the regular season, having scored three in both 2000 and 2001.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER Name: Pete Vagenas. Team: Los Angeles Galaxy. Local Ties: St. Francis, 1996. This Season: The 27-year old has started all 10 matches for the Galaxy, scoring nine points, which ties his career best set in 26 appearances in 2001. The midfielder is tied for second on the team with goals scored (four) -- also a career best -- and has added an assist. He has two game-winning goals and six shots on goal. Landon Donovan leads the Galaxy with five goals and Jovan Kirovski has four.

Grant Gordon On Friday, via conference call, the Los Angeles Galaxy selected five players in the 2005 MLS Supplemental Draft. Among them was former St. Francis High standout Ryan Shaw. Shaw, a forward who is UC Davis' all-time leading scorer, was taken with the 34th overall pick in a draft that is meant, "to enable each of Major League Soccer's 12 teams to build their reserve teams, which will begin play this spring," as stated in the Major League Soccer press release.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan Just before Joseph Ngwenya left the Glendale Sports Complex on Monday, the rookie midfielder for the Los Angeles Galaxy had a moment to take one last photo with his fans. Standing behind Liam Graham, sister Aline Graham and Carlos Suarez, Ngwenya provided a final keepsake for a few of the 130 people who each paid $32 to attend a local soccer clinic hosted by the Galaxy and the Crescenta Valley Soccer Club. Add in a pair of tickets to a Galaxy match, an autographed soccer ball by six of L.A.'s players and a scratch on his left elbow caused by a fall, and 5-year-old Liam Graham had a blast.

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL Name: Mark Loretta Team: San Diego Padres Local Ties: St. Francis, 1989 This Season: Entering Tuesday's game against the visiting St. Louis Cardinals, Loretta, who played with the Houston Astros, was batting .314 with six home runs and 38 runs batted in. Loretta has scored 45 runs and recorded 111 hits. He also has 18 doubles and four triples. Latest News: After hitting .356 in June, Loretta, 31, continues to sizzle in July.