SPORTS
By Gabriel Rizk, gabriel.rizk@latimes.com | March 17, 2012
When it came to the Pacific League, the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team was peerless to the point of perfection. While they were tested, the Falcons were never toppled, en route to finishing 8-0 in league and capturing their third straight outright title. The Falcons' overwhelming success in league led to a slew of all-league awards, as voted on by the league's coaches, including Pacific League Player of the Year honors for senior driver Sabrina Hatzer and a coach of the year nod for Pete Loporchio.
SPORTS
By Charles Rich, charles.rich@latimes.com | March 12, 2012
Whether in the cage or in the field, the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team found strength at just about every position, with its balanced talent delivering the Falcons plenty of victories and a trip to the CIF Southern Section Division V semifinals for the second season in a row. With senior attacker Sabrina Hatzer scoring goals and junior goalkeeper Gabriel Isacson blocking shots, the Falcons went 31-1. Their work didn't go undetected throughout the season and playoffs, as Hatzer and Isacson were bestowed with All-CIF Division V first-team honors Monday after the CIF Southern Section office unveiled the first teams for all seven divisions.
SPORTS
By Gabriel Rizk, gabriel.rizk@latimes.com | February 21, 2012
With four All-CIF honorees at the core of a large group of players returning this season, the defending champion Temescal Canyon High girls' water polo team likely didn't shock anyone by once again making it to the final four of the CIF Southern Section Division V finals. What may be slightly more surprising is that for the second year in a row, the second-seeded Titans will be matched up against Crescenta Valley in the semifinals at 6 p.m. tonight at Mount San Antonio College. The Falcons lost their CIF first-team tandem of Kim Fraisse and Adrienne Ingalla, as well as second-teamer Christine Cho, to graduation and yet have arrived at tonight's rematch as the No. 3 seed sporting a perfect 31-0 record.
SPORTS
By Gabriel Rizk, gabriel.rizk@latimes.com | February 15, 2012
SOUTH PASADENA - All the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team did during the regular season was win. It seemed to come second nature to the Falcons on Wednesday in the first game of their second season - the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs. An unstoppable array of scorers and an unrelenting defense carried third-seeded Crescenta Valley to a 19-6 win over Fontana in the first round at South Pasadena High, where the Falcons (30-0) got all they needed to hear from Coach Pete Loporchio in an early first-quarter timeout.
SPORTS
By Grant Gordon, grant.gordon@latimes.com | February 15, 2012
Playing under an unrelenting rain and against a physically dominant opponent, the Glendale High's girls' water polo team saw an already arduous task grow even tougher. Facing the No. 2 seed in the CIF Southern Section Division V first round, the Nitros fell behind quickly and never recovered against host and favorite Temescal Canyon, 17-3, on Wednesday evening. "They just got a really quick lead," said Glendale Coach Forest Holbrook, "and made it tough on us by playing a really strong and physical game.
SPORTS
By Charles Rich, charles.rich@latimes.com | February 14, 2012
The following are previews of today's playoff contests featuring local teams. GIRLS' WATER POLO Fontana vs. Crescenta Valley, 3 p.m. at South Pasadena High: After winning the Pacific League championship for the third straight season, the unbeaten and third-seeded Falcons (29-0) will begin the CIF Southern Section Division V playoffs with a first-round match against Fontana. Fontana is 15-11 and placed third in the Citrus Valley League. The Falcons, who reached the semifinals last season, are coming off an 8-6 win against Burroughs in the league's tournament championship on Thursday.
SPORTS
By Gabriel Rizk, gabriel.rizk@latimes.com | February 9, 2012
BURBANK - If the members of the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team expected the Pacific League tournament championship game on Thursday to be another easy win over Burroughs, they were dead wrong. That much was evident by the end of the first quarter, which Burroughs dominated, and by the time the fourth quarter rolled around with Crescenta Valley still trailing by a goal, the Falcons were very much in a fight to keep the Indians' hands off of their league title. "Certainly, being in that position, they came out very inspired to play," Falcons Coach Pete Loporchio said.
SPORTS
By Gabriel Rizk, gabriel.rizk@latimes.com | February 9, 2012
BURBANK - The battle for third place in the Pacific League tightened up in the third quarter, when the Glendale High girls' water polo team's offense finally showed up. The Nitros made a game of it with a second-half resurgence, but Pasadena made a fourth-quarter stand to claim a 6-5 win Thursday in the league championship tournament at Burbank High. “We just really emphasized the defense that we still had to run and take our time and use the clock on offense,” said Pasadena Coach Jennie Jacobsen-Huse, whose defense held the Nitros without a goal and to just one shot over the final 2:16 of the game to preserve a one-goal lead.
SPORTS
By Gabriel Rizk, gabriel.rizk@latimes.com | February 9, 2012
BURBANK - The battle for third place in the Pacific League tightened up in the third quarter, when the Glendale High girls' water polo team's offense finally showed up. The Nitros made a game of it with a second-half resurgence, but Pasadena made a fourth-quarter stand to claim a 6-5 win Thursday in the league championship tournament at Burbank High. "We just really emphasized the defense that we still had to run and take our time and use the clock on offense," said Pasadena Coach Jennie Jacobsen-Huse, whose defense held the Nitros without a goal and to just one shot over the final 2:16 of the game to preserve a one-goal lead.
SPORTS
By Charles Rich, charles.rich@latimes.com | February 7, 2012
BURBANK - Even though the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo team had beaten Glendale the first time the teams met, Shannon Hovanesian believed the Falcons could improve in a specific facet of their game - passing. Throughout Tuesday night's semifinal match against rival Glendale in the Pacific League Tournament at Burbank High, Hovanesian and the Falcons made plenty of crisp passes that played a role in keeping the team undefeated and clinching them a share of their third league championship in a row. "Our passing was a lot better today then from the first time we played them," said Hovanesian, who scored a match-high four goals to power Crescenta Valley to a 15-2 victory.