Sea View League

GLENDALE — Having entered the CIF Southern Section Division I boys’ soccer playoffs with a sub-.500 record as the fourth-place squad from the Mission League and with the tournament’s third seed opposing it, to some, perhaps many, St. Francis’ opening-round win on the road against West Torrance, which had just one prior loss, was an upset of large proportions. To longtime Golden Knights Coach Glen Appels, however, there was nothing magical about it. He contends his team has played an arduous schedule, both in nonleague and league play, and hung with the best all season long.

GLENDALE — Just as much as winning Pacific League titles, it has become tradition for the Crescenta Valley High baseball team to venture south to Orange County come playoff time. For the fourth straight season, the Falcons will do just that, as they travel to face Sea View League champion El Toro in the second round of the CIF Southern Section Division II playoffs today at 3:15 p.m. “It’s like second nature,” said Falcons senior shortstop Kris Kauppila of making the trip.

NORTHEAST GLENDALE ? Just when it looked as if nothing was going right for the Crescenta Valley High baseball team, everything seemed to fall right into place. Right fielder Nathan Honda, whose fielding miscue had just led to a Temescal Canyon two-run lead, beat out a double-play ball to keep the bottom of the sixth inning going. ?I just wanted to get on base,? Honda said. Then second baseman Zack Torres, who had already been pinch hit for earlier, drew a two-out walk.

When it comes to playing some of the best prep football programs in Orange County, the Marina High Vikings certainly are one team that doesn't shy away. That will be the case again in 2005, when Marina plays a killer nonleague schedule before heading into one of the premiere football leagues in the CIF Southern Section -- the Sunset League. "Again, we will be tested early with a very difficult preseason schedule," said Coach Mike Dodd, who begins his sixth year at the helm.

Having suffered its first loss in 18 preleague games last week against Dana Hills High, the Newport Harbor High football team was jostled from its familiar comfort zone. And when Mira Costa visits Friday at 7 p.m., the Sailors also figure to be drawn out of their traditional four-three defense. "We're going to have to make some adjustments," Sailors Coach Jeff Brinkley said. "[The Mustangs] spread you out and run a lot of empty sets [no one in the backfield, but the quarterback]

Edgar Melik-Stepanyan The following are previews of today's CIF Southern Section playoff matches featuring area teams: BOYS' BASKETBALL Yeshiva at Flintridge Prep, 8:30 p.m.: Playing in the cramped Flintridge Prep gymnasium has brought out the best in the Rebels, who advanced to the championship game of the Division IVA playoffs last year against Verbum Dei at Loyola Marymount University under Coach Garrett Ohara....

After defeating its crosstown rival last week, the Newport Harbor High football team reaches what some might consider a crossroads Friday night at 7:30 at Dana Hills. Sailors Coach Jeff Brinkley believes the Dolphins (2-1) are the most physically talented team his squad (3-0), ranked No. 2 in CIF Southern Section Division VI, will have faced this season. A Newport Harbor victory would mark the 13th time in Brinkley's 20 seasons at the helm that the Tars had gone four games into the season without a loss.

If you had a choice of how you'd like to start your season, defeating a perennial power wouldn't be a bad one. Chalk up a stellar start for the Newport Harbor boys water polo team. Clay Jorth netted four goals as the Sailors opened their season by defeating four-time defending CIF Southern Section Division I champion Long Beach Wilson, 9-5, on Tuesday afternoon at Newport Harbor High in a nonleague game. "I thought we played pretty well for the first game of the year," Newport Harbor Coach Jason Lynch said.

Good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue. Everything happens for a reason. Blah, blah, blah. Newport Harbor High senior Tom Jackson, however, is hardly one to doubt the validity of the aforementioned adages. His football career, in fact, has been a living testimonial to perseverance and a preponderance of fate. So it was that Sailors' quarterback who entered the huddle Friday night with 1:01 left and a 17-14 deficit against the winless Marina Vikings at Westminster High.