Polo

GLENDALE — The Glendale High girls' water polo team is the last area team standing. And as upsets continue to pile up, the Nitros find themselves headed into unchartered waters. Glendale will look for its next upset when it meets Rio Mesa in a CIF Southern Section Division IV quarterfinal match at 5 p.m. today at Burbank High. The Nitros (15-13) are the lone team from the Pacific League left in the playoffs, something that didn't figure to be the case during the regular season.

The Falcons of Crescenta Valley High School traveled to Flintridge Prep for a Mid-Valley Summer League Division I water polo match-up on July 26, against their rival, Glendale High School Nitros. Glendale beat Crescenta Valley 9-7, a week after the two schools met in Burbank. In a game that saw limited offense from the get-go, Glendale scored the only two goals in the first quarter, and both teams scored seven goals apiece the rest of the way to round out the final score. During a lackluster first quarter, Crescenta Valley was unable to get any looks on goal due to ineffective passing.

A scheduled arraignment for a Hoover High standout and former UCLA water polo accused of rape ended anticlimactically Thursday with no charges being filed, though prosecutors said that may yet change. Hakop Jack Kaplanyan, a redshirt freshman, was suspended from UCLA after his arrest earlier this month.  "All we can say is the matter is under review for filing consideration," said Shiara Davila-Morales, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office. Kaplanyan, who is at home in Glendale and out on $200,000 bail, said the future of the case is uncertain.

The attorney for a  UCLA  water polo player arrested for allegedly raping a female student says his client wants to appeal a suspension that forbids him from going to the campus. Berc Agopogulu, lawyer for 18-year-old Hakop Jack Kaplanyan, said his client is "completely innocent. " "We believe this matter will be resolved once the investigation is completed," Agopogulu said in a statement. "Needless to say, Mr. K aplanyan and his family are devastated and shocked by the recent developments.

BURBANK — Following a one-year hiatus from the top of the Pacific League, the Crescenta Valley High boys’ water polo team found its way back to its accustomed spot. Little clicked for the Falcons last year, who took third in league following four first-place finishes in a row. With added depth, maturity and a reliable scoring attack, things changed in a hurry this season for the Falcons. Nelson White scored a match-high six goals and Alan Dearman added four on Thursday night to carry top-seeded Crescenta Valley to a 14-8 victory against second-seeded Glendale in the league’s championship match at Burbank.

Glendale-CV girls' water polo.Water polo: Falcon girls top Glendale, 11-4, to win third consecutive Pacific League championship.ARCADIA -- A check of the final statistics revealed that the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team recorded 31 steals. That didn't surprise senior driver Kristin McLaughlin, who had nine to carry the Falcons in an 11-4 victory against Glendale in the championship match of the Pacific League Tournament at Arcadia High on Thursday. "We are our own support system," said McLaughlin, who also finished with five goals to help Crescenta Valley win its third consecutive league crown and seventh since the program formed in 1997.

Jessica Trimis, a graduate of Crescenta Valley High, is one of 10 Bucknell College women water polo players to achieve academic recognition. The 10 players were named to the Collegiate Water Polo Association All-Academic Team for earning cumulative grade point averages of at least 3.20. In addition, Trimis was among six of the players who were named to the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-Academic Team. As a team, the Bison were honored by both organizations for its 3.18 GPA. Trimis, who is in her junior year, was among four players in the "Superior Achievement" category as she was recognized for the second straight year.

The Crescenta Valley boys' varsity water polo team, which trying to win its third consecutive Pacific League title, held off fourth-seeded Pasadena, 13-10, in the league preliminaries at Arcadia High on Tuesday. The first-seeded Falcons, who have a 6-0 mark in league and are 16-7 overall, played second-seeded Arcadia in the league finals on Wednesday at Arcadia High. Results were not available at press time. The Apaches beat third-seeded Hoover, 13-9, in the preliminaries on Tuesday.

Crescenta Valley boys? water polo rebounded from a frustrating second quarter, as they defeated Burbank in a varsity league match-up in La Crescenta on Tuesday. The Falcons scored 10 consecutive goals in the second half to finish off the Bulldogs, 15-6. After a quick 4-0 start, the Falcons hit icy waters as they failed to score a goal in the final eight minutes of the first half. The Falcons were timid and frustrated after Mason Takidin was ejected after scoring a goal in the first quarter.

The Crescenta Valley boys' varsity water polo team, which is ranked first in Division VI in the CIF Southern Section coaches' polls, defeated Anaheim Loara, 14-5, at Burbank High on Tuesday in the first round of the CIF playoffs. The Falcons, who improved to 19-9, will next play Anaheim Western, which won the Orange League, tomorrow (Saturday) in second round action. CV's Jin Kim led all scores with five goals. Teammate Mason Hawthorne was next with three goals. Andrew Martinez finished with two goals and adding one each were Joe Park and goalie Sam Blum who also had 15 saves.

Supporters of a UCLA water polo player arrested on suspicion of sexually assaulting another student have created a YouTube video proclaiming his innocence. The 76-second video - titled "Hakop Kaplanyan - Innocence 2013" - lauds Kaplanyan's athletic accomplishments, calling him "dedicated, intelligent, honest, optimistic and caring. "   The freshman "is facing a rough obstacle," people in the video say, "being accused of actions that he did not commit. " "Our friend Hakop is trying to prove his innocence," they said.

A scheduled arraignment for a Hoover High standout and former UCLA water polo accused of rape ended anticlimactically Thursday with no charges being filed, though prosecutors said that may yet change. Hakop Jack Kaplanyan, a redshirt freshman, was suspended from UCLA after his arrest earlier this month.  "All we can say is the matter is under review for filing consideration," said Shiara Davila-Morales, a spokeswoman for the Los Angeles District Attorney's office. Kaplanyan, who is at home in Glendale and out on $200,000 bail, said the future of the case is uncertain.

Biyouregh Boghozian, Senior, Glendale First-team All-Pacific League pick had team-high 64 goals for Nitros during third-place league campaign. Marisol Dakan, Junior, La Salle All-Prep League first-team goalie finished with more than 300 saves as Lancers' savior. Liza Echeverria, Junior, South Pasadena A Rio Hondo League first-teamer and All-CIF Division IV third-teamer, she scored 78 goals and had 69 steals. Breana Lawton, Senior, Crescenta Valley Second-team All-Pacific League and All-CIF pick was a splendid defender who also had 65 steals, 45 assists and 34 goals.

The attorney for a  UCLA  water polo player arrested for allegedly raping a female student says his client wants to appeal a suspension that forbids him from going to the campus. Berc Agopogulu, lawyer for 18-year-old Hakop Jack Kaplanyan, said his client is "completely innocent. " "We believe this matter will be resolved once the investigation is completed," Agopogulu said in a statement. "Needless to say, Mr. K aplanyan and his family are devastated and shocked by the recent developments.

Former All-Area Boys' Water Polo Player of the Year Hakop Kaplanyan was arrested on suspicion of rape, according to a statement released Monday by UCLA. Now a UCLA freshman water polo player, Kaplanyan, 18, was arrested after a female student reported the alleged assault to UCLA campus police, university officials stated. Kaplanyan, who was a redshirt freshman this season for the Bruins, is out on $200,000 bail after being taken to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Inmate Reception Center, according to a report by the Los Angeles Times.

All those mornings of getting up early for practice, followed by three additional hours of practice after school might have seemed overwhelming at first for Gabriel Isacson. If the goalkeeper for the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team wanted positive results and the challenge of vying for a CIF Southern Section Division V championship, the practice sessions would be paramount for her to succeed. "Our practices were a lot harder," said Isacson, a senior who was named All-CIF Southern Section Division V Player of the Year after helping lead the Falcons to the program's first CIF championship.

It didn't matter which one of his players Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo Coach Brent Danna was talking about, he couldn't help but feel there was an echo. “You can ask me about any one of the girls and I am going to have a bunch of things to say and a lot of it overlaps because they all just played so well and had such great tools,” said Danna, as he found himself repeating qualities about his six players that were voted onto the All-Pacific League girls' water polo team.

IRVINE - Amid tournament titles and Pacific League championships, there was one crown and one accolade that lacked for the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo program. Perhaps it was fitting that a brilliant year turned into a banner season for the Falcons, who captured their first-ever CIF Southern Section championship thanks to a stout defense, highlighted by senior goalie Gabriel Isacson, in a 10-5 victory versus Riverside Poly in Saturday's Division V championship at Irvine's William J. Woollett Aquatic Center on Saturday afternoon.