Water Polo

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.

BOYS' WATER POLO Hoover 12, Whittier 9 : Hakop Baghumian scored six goals and recorded two steals to lead the Tornadoes to a nonleague road win on Wednesday. Alek Keshishyan and Ryan Moguel each added two goals for Hoover (5-2). GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL Glendale Adventist Academy 3, Pilibos 1 : Andrea Blake notched 22 kills and Erin Blake served up 12 aces to pace the Cougars (3-4) in a 25-20, 21-25, 25-6, 25-16, nonleague home win on Wednesday. Westridge 3, Flintridge Prep 1 : The host Rebels saw Westridge rally for a 12-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-16 Prep league win Wednesday.

BURBANK - In the span of a minute and 46 seconds, Glendale High's Arman Momdzhyan showcased just why he's likely the most dangerous offensive weapon in the Pacific League. And along with that, the Nitros emphatically stated why they're the top seed in the Pacific League Tournament and the top-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division V. In 1:46, Momdzhyan scored four consecutive goals, swelling an early two-goal Glendale lead to six over Burroughs and igniting a dominant Nitros performance, as they throttled the Indians, 19-9, on Tuesday evening at Burbank High in the semifinals of the league tournament.

GIRLS' WATER POLO Crescenta Valley 21, Burbank 3 : Lynley Fernandez and Elissa Arnold scored five goals apiece Thursday to lead the visiting Falcons, ranked No. 1 in CIF Southern Section Division V, in a Pacific League match. Caitlin Connell added four goals for Crescenta Valley (21-2, 5-0 in league).

The following are playoff previews for Wednesday's events involving local teams. GIRLS' WATER POLO Crescenta Valley vs. Redlands East Valley at Whittier College, 5:30 p.m. : The Falcons (31-2) will face a familiar opponent in Redlands East Valley (23-8) in a CIF Southern Section Division V semifinal match. The teams met Feb. 2 at Pasadena City College with Crescenta Valley recording a 7-4 nonleague win. “I'm glad we played them [earlier in the season],” said Crescenta Valley first-year Coach Brent Danna, who will look to lead the Falcons to their first finals appearance.

Throughout the season, Arman Momdzhyan saw plenty of double- and triple-team coverage. It led to the towering Momdzhyan being more creative. The Glendale High boys' water polo player adapted to the various defensive schemes and didn't let it affect him from doing what he does best - score goals. “That's what it's all about, being able to adjust and finding ways to make your team better,” said the 6-foot-3 Momdzhyan, a junior driver who scored 136 goals and was named the Pacific League's Most Valuable Player.

GLENDALE — Trying to repeat as CIF Southern Section Division VI champion will be a later priority. For the Crescenta Valley High boys’ water polo squad to have any shot at winning a second CIF crown in a row, the Falcons must first navigate their way through the Pacific League. The Falcons have won more than 25 league championships in their history, their latest coming last season. To possibly add to that total, Crescenta Valley will be up against league teams looking to dethrone it while playing at their best.

BOYS' WATER POLO Glendale 13, Arcadia 4: Defense led the Nitros to a Pacific League-opening victory on the road Thursday with Arman Momdzhyan and Martin Chatalyn providing Glendale with more than enough offense with five and three goals, respectively. “We came out and our focus was on defense,” said Glendale Coach Forest Holbrook, whose team is 11-5 overall this year, “and our main scorers were able to put the ball away today.” Offensively, Glendale came out slow and managed just one goal in the first quarter.

GIRLS' WATER POLO Crescenta Valley 24, Hoover 0: The Falcons got a complete team effort in a shutout victory over the Tornadoes in a Pacific League game Tuesday. Crescenta Valley improved to 14-1, 2-0 in league, while Hoover fell to 0-9, 0-3. Louisville 14, Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy 8: Hannah Walleck and Anna Porter attempted to rally the Tologs back from a 6-1 deficit in Mission League action Tuesday. Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy managed to pull within four, 12-8, late before falling at L.A. Pierce College.

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.

Elissa Arnold, Junior, Crescenta Valley Scored 80 goals, while adding 72 steals and 38 assists during Falcons' title run en route to earning first-team All-Pacific League and All-CIF honors. Katie Benson, Senior, Crescenta Valley Phenomenal defender grabbed 93 steals and was a first-teamer on All-Pacific and All-CIF squads. Also had 55 goals and 42 assists. Ahsha Earwood, Senior, Burroughs First-team All-Pacific League pick kept Indians in every match and led them to second-place league finish and first-round playoff appearance in which she had 21 saves.

Roughly five years ago, Gabriel Isacson decided she would give water polo a shot. Five years later, on a team rife with talent, the unassuming Isacson, perhaps overlooked throughout much of this past season, stepped up and shined on the biggest stage that the Crescenta Valley High girls' water polo program has ever been upon. For a program that began under the guise of Peter Kim and Pete Loporchio in the 1996-97 season, Falcons girls' water polo built a tradition of Pacific League titles and lengthy CIF Southern Section postseason runs.

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.

A  UCLA  freshman water polo player who hails from Hoover High School in Glendale was arrested on suspicion of rape after a female student reported the alleged assault to campus police, university officials said Monday. Hakop Jack Kaplanyan, a red shirt freshman who plays the attacker position on the team, is out on $200,000 bail after being taken to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Inmate Reception Center downtown. Kaplanyan was arrested Wednesday in connection with the alleged attack.

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.

The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene. HONS QUALIFIES FOR TOURNAMENT Kris Hons, a Glendale resident who finished runner-up in the inaugural Glendale City Golf Championship last year, carded a three-under-par 69 on Monday at Tijeras Creek Golf Club in Rancho Santa Margarita to place first in a qualifying round for the Southern California Golf Assn. Mid-Amateur Tournament. Hons finished with five birdies, 11 pars and two bogeys on the 6,826-yard course.