Odds And Ends

Erik Boal Editor's note: Odds and ends from the past week in local boys' basketball. GLENDALE -- Freshman of influence: Garrett Ohara needed a change of pace, something to shake up, or wake up, his Flintridge Prep boys' basketball team, which was riding a five-game losing streak entering Saturday's pool-play game of the San Gabriel Matador Classic. So he had a conversation with freshman shooting guard Andrew Beck prior to the Rebels' contest against South Pasadena and the message was simple: shoot more.

Staff reports GLENDALE -- o7 Odds and ends from last week's local football action in the high school and college ranksf7 . Sometimes, the stats don't mean much: St. Francis High quarterback John Sciarra hasn't been putting up the numbers that gave him statewide and national recognition as a junior last year, but the UCLA-bound quarterback is getting the job done, and that's all St. Francis Coach Jim Bonds cares...

From Staff Reports Odds and ends from the local high school girls' tennis scene: MacDonald's land: Kelly MacDonald received plenty of reminders from her intense coach, enough to help her play through tingling shin splits the past five weeks. Coach Tom Gossard meant well. MacDonald, CV's No. 2 doubles athlete, became the first player in the program's history to be a part of four Pacific League titles after the Falcons netted a 13-5 win against Arcadia.

Erik Boal Editor's note: Odds and ends from the past week in local high school football. LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE -- Already looking ahead: Marty Konrad said prior to the season that if his Flintridge Prep football team was any good in 2002, that it would be a legitimate contender in CIF Southern Section Division XIII in 2003. So even though the Rebels (5-6) bowed out of the playoffs Friday night with a 28-7 quarterfinal loss to top-seeded Temecula Linfield Christian (11-1)

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan Odds and ends from the local high school boys' water polo scene: Building blocks of the future: La Canada High is known for having strong sports programs, which range from the varsity ranks to the lower levels. Add the Spartan boys' water polo program to the blend of well-rounded teams. As evidenced by the junior varsity team's performance in the 33rd Annual Henry Stuart Tournament during the weekend, La Canada promises to be strong for years to come.

Erik Boal GLENDALE -- o7 Odds and ends from the local high school soccer scene:f7 No postseason magic here: The Flintridge Prep, La Canada and St. Francis boys' soccer teams entered the CIF Southern Section playoffs with a total of 37 wins. They left with a combined two. Following St. Francis' 3-1 loss to Pomona Diamond Ranch in Tuesday's Division IV second-round contest, all three local teams had already been eliminated, marking the first time since 1998 that at least one of the three teams hadn't survived the first two rounds.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan and Hamlet Nalbandyan GLENDALE -- Odds and ends from the local boys' basketball scene: U-turn headed north: This is the way it was planned all along. Start very slow. As in a 1-10 humbling record to start the season. Gain experience with a youthful team that has just one senior on the 11-man roster. Turn it up several notches in Prep League play and put yourself in position to share the league championship. The Flintridge Prep boys' basketball team has done an about face since entering league play.

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan GLENDALE -- Odds and ends from the local high school baseball scene: Forward thinking: The expectations for the 2002 Crescenta Valley High baseball team were high and will probably mount next season. The Falcons (23-4) had the makings of a CIF Southern Section Division II championship-caliber team but were upset in the second round by host Villa Park, 6-0, on Tuesday. Despite the graduation of UC Irvine-bound ace pitcher Kris Krise, not all is lost for CV in the coming seasons.

Erik Boal Odds and ends from the local high school girls' volleyball scene: Getting their money's worth: Don't expect Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy or La Canada High to be intimidated when the two teams meet up the hill at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday in the annual clash of girls' volleyball rivals. Nothing the Spartans or Tologs do should catch their opponent off guard, especially considering the competition the teams faced at the recent 32-team Cerritos Gahr/Molten Invitational, at which Flintridge Sacred Heart took sixth and La Canada 15th.

Charles Rich GLENDALE -- o7 Odds and ends from the local high school boys' volleyball scene:f7 Search party: They've begun to play the role of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. The Crescenta Valley High boys' volleyball team opened its season, which began March 1, with nonleague match victories against San Gabriel and San Marino. Worrying can start at any time for CV Coach John Nelson, who saw his team proceed to drop consecutive nonleague matches to Mission Hills Alemany and Village Christian.