San Luis Obispo

GLENDALE ? The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level . ? Ramses Barden (Flintridge Prep, 2004) senior wide receiver, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo football: Barden was one of four athletes named to The Sports Network?s FCS National Players of the Week. The 6-6 Barden helped the Mustangs pick up a 69-41 Great West Conference victory at home against Southern Utah on Saturday. He caught a career-high 12 catches for 217 yards and two touchdowns, breaking Darrell Jones?

GLENDALE — Having already made names for themselves in their respective leagues this season, a trio of area high school boys’ tennis players set forth to do the same thing in the CIF Southern Section Individual Tournament. St. Francis High singles player Vinni Lodolo and the Glendale doubles team of Nick Daka and Mike Astorian were the only area players to advance to the formidable tournament, which featured top talent from across parts of Southern California. While the local group enjoyed splendid regular seasons, they each saw those seasons conclude Friday afternoon.

GLENDALE ? Tuesday?s afternoon and overnight showers promised to bring 0.75 inches of rainfall, a high total for a dry year in Southern California, meteorologists said. Though the measurements are hardly significant historically, the lack of rainfall in the past two years makes them relatively high, said Stuart Seto, a weather specialist for the National Weather Service?s Climate Prediction Center. ?For a normal year, it wouldn?t be substantial,? he said. ?But last time we had rainfall over an inch was April of 2006.

The inside of the Glendale High School gymnasium recently received some new amenities in the way of league championship banners. Red pennants hang above the court, representing all of the school’s sports programs that have achieved league and CIF excellence through the years. On the south white wall, there’s a banner recognizing the 2007 girls’ water polo team. Casey Sripramong saw the banner, which included the names of each player from the historic team, a short time ago when she walked into the gym. Memories from the march through the CIF Southern Section Division IV playoff run last February flowed — and still continue to — through her mind.

GLENDALE — With the ultimate goal of state glory still a week away, Southern California’s best junior college cross-country runners will gather with the hope of extending their seasons. That entails today’s agenda for the Glendale Community College men’s and women’s cross-country teams, which are set to compete in the Southern California Championships at Mount San Antonio College in Walnut. The Vaqueros and other elite programs were originally scheduled to compete in the races at Irvine Regional Park, but the recent wildfires and poor air quality resulting from them forced tournament officials to move the meet to Mt. SAC. How the Vaqueros handle the three-mile course in Walnut will determine their fate in advancing to the State Meet, which will take place Nov. 17 at Fresno’s Woodward Park.

When in doubt, knock and then speak. Sonia Rodriguez did that on a whim last fall when she tapped on the office door of Glendale Community College women's tennis Coach Terry Coblentz about exploring the possibility of joining the program. Rodriguez gained experience from competing on the Los Feliz-based Marshall High girls' tennis team, but wasn't sure about competing at the college level. Coblentz, who has guided the program since 1982, persuaded Rodriguez to join the team.

When Kurt Kreugermann escaped communist-controlled East Germany and relocated to Glendale with his wife, Helga, in 1961, he brought with him three generations of experience in the pickle and sauerkraut business. "My husband, Kurt, he knows about pickles," Helga Kruegermann said. Kurt Kruegermann's grandparents founded Kruegermann's Pickles & Sauerkraut in 1896. His parents took over from there and by the time Kurt Kruegermann and his brother were offered the operation, they had little choice but to accept.

When Kurt Kreugermann escaped communist-controlled East Germany and relocated to Glendale with his wife, Helga, in 1961, he brought with him three generations of experience in the pickle and sauerkraut business. “My husband, Kurt, he knows about pickles,” Helga Kruegermann said. Kurt Kruegermann’s grandparents founded Kruegermann’s Pickles & Sauerkraut in 1896. His parents took over from there and by the time Kurt Kruegermann and his brother were offered the operation, they had little choice but to accept.

SAN LUIS OBISPO — They traveled more than 200 miles to make history. Unfortunately for the members of the Glendale High girls' water polo squad, their season fell two steps short of winning a championship. Glendale saw its incredible postseason journey end Friday night with a 12-6 loss to second-seeded Arroyo Grande in a CIF Southern Section Division IV semifinal match at Cuesta College. The Nitros (16-14) made plenty of headlines throughout the past 10 days en route to becoming the school's first girls' program to advance to the CIF semifinals.