Western State Conference

GLENDALE — The Western State Conference will likely once again be expected to be among the elite this season. Glendale Community College men’s and women’s track and field Coach Eddie Lopez won’t argue with that assessment. To be pointed in the right direction of challenging for potential conference titles, Lopez believes his Vaqueros will need to have plenty of depth from the running lanes to the jump pits. Lopez just might have that depth and talent available at his disposal for both programs, which will take part in the first of four conference meets at 2 p.m. today at College of the Canyons.

The following are updates on area athletes at the collegiate level. Coltrane Powdrill (Crescenta Valley High, 2010) sophomore guard, Moorpark College men's basketball: The former two-time All-Area Player of the Year scored 23 points on Wednesday to lead the Raiders to a 75-66 Western State Conference win over Cuesta at home. Heading into that contest, Powdrill was third in the conference in scoring with 18.5 points per game, according to the conference's website.

TODAY COLLEGE BASEBALL ?Glendale Community College at Citrus College, 2:30 p.m. ? BASEBALL ?Rio Hondo Prep vs. Flintridge Prep at Glendale Sports Complex, 3:15 p.m. ? BOYS? VOLLEYBALL ?Pasadena Poly at Flintridge Prep, 4:30 p.m. ? SOFTBALL ?Holy Family at Immaculate Heart, 10 a.m. ?Glendale vs. Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy at Glendale Sports Complex, 11 a.m. ? FRIDAY MEN?S TENNIS ?

WOMEN?S GOLF Vaqueros take fourth in conference match : Glendale Community College took fourth with a 448 on Monday in a Western State Conference match at Robinson Ranch Golf Club. Hayoun Seo shot a 32-over-par 104 for the Nitros. WOMEN?S VOLLEYBALL College of the Canyons 3, Glendale Community College 0: The Vaqueros suffered a 25-14, 25-12, 26-24 Western State Conference loss Friday. The Vaqueros (7-7, 3-1 in conference) began the week with a 25-22, 27-25, 25-15 conference victory against L.A. Pierce College on Oct. 13. Glendale college got 10 kills and three aces from Ashleigh Diller, 25 assists from Alyssa Rosca and five digs from Hershey Canta.

Glendale Community College plays three nonconference matches: The Vaqueros (6-5) dropped three nonconference contests last week. They began the week with a five-game loss to Pasadena City College on Sept. 25. Aya Nakano led the Vaqueros with 29 kills, along with four blocks and 15 digs. Nicole Diller contributed five aces for the Vaqueros, who received 50 assists from Autumn Gomez. Glendale college dropped a four-game decision to Santa Ana College on Sept. 26 and a five-game loss to Moorpark College on Sept.

Looking to jump start his career, Angel Rodriguez left Cal State Northridge for an opportunity to join the Glendale Community College baseball team. Rodriguez, who spent last season as a redshirt at CSUN, sought the chance to receive more individual attention while looking to improve his overall pitching skills. Turns out things worked fine for Rodriguez, who helped the Vaqueros win their third Western State Conference South Division championship in a row and was tabbed the division's pitcher of the year.

WOMEN'S TRACK AND FIELD Vaqueros in Western State Conference prelims: Grace Zamudio captured a conference championship in the 10,000-meter race on Friday, clocking 39 minutes 32.04 seconds. A handful of Glendale athletes advanced to the conference finals, which will be held Friday at Moorpark College. Elizabeth Nelson, Zamudio and Zulma Herrera in the 1,500, Nafasi Mataei in the 100, Lilia Asserian in the 800, Jasmine Sales in the 400 hurdles and Ana Tonga in the shot put moved on. MEN'S TRACK AND FIELD Vaqueros in Western State Conference prelims: Issac Diosdado and Nick La Croix each won conference championships in their respective events Friday.

GLENDALE - After recording a third-place finish Monday in a Western State Conference home match, the members of the Glendale Community College men's golf team immediately began to look ahead to the conference final. Glendale college had four players crack the 70s to finish with a 385 on Monday at fabled Oakmont Country Club. PHOTOS: Glendale Community College men's golf in Western State Conference match While Glendale Coach Greg Osbourne would have liked to have seen the Vaqueros win on their home course for the third season in a row, Monday's placement left the Vaqueros knowing what they will need to accomplish at the 36-hole conference tournament on Monday at Soule Park Golf Course in Ojai.

After advancing five singles players and a pair of doubles teams into the Western State Conference Tournament, the Glendale Community College men's tennis team saw first hand just how tough the event gets in the second day of competition Saturday. When all was said and done, Gaspar Macalutas was the only Vaqueros singles player to definitively push on toward the Southern California Regional Tournament, which is set for April 25-28 as part of the Ojai Invitational, at Ventura College.

For a pair of singles players and a doubles tandem on the Glendale Community College women's team, it was about survival during the first day of the Western State Conference Tournament. That's precisely what singles athletes Sofia Tavitian and Alexandra Amor and the tandem of Sydney Farzadkish and Ashley Sumudio managed to do Friday during the early rounds of the event Friday at El Camino Real Park in Ventura. “They were all tested pretty much,” Glendale assistant Coach Deo Sy said.

GLENDALE - On the verge of handing College of the Canyons softball team its first division defeat, things suddenly got out of hand for Glendale Community College. For six innings in the second game of a Western State Conference Blue Division doubleheader Thursday, the Vaqueros limited the powerful Cougars to one run. The seventh inning wouldn't prove to be kind to the Vaqueros, who surrendered eight runs en route to a 9-4 defeat. Glendale suffered a 12-3 loss in the first game, which was called after six innings because of the nine-run mercy rule.

With consecutive Western State Conference South championships and unprecedented postseason success in its back pocket, Glendale Community College's baseball team finds itself in the hopeful position of success breeding more success. “We're excited. We think we've got a talented group of baseball players,” said GCC Coach Chris Cicuto, whose team leads off its season Friday against Rio Hondo. “The success of the program has helped with recruiting. “The reputation of the program has definitely grown.” Cicuto's Vaqueros have combined to go 53-25 over the last two seasons, winning the aforementioned back-to-back WSC crowns and advancing to the postseason in the process, going all the way to state in 2011.

It's no secret the Western State Conference has enjoyed paramount success lately, as two women's tennis teams have won state championships each of the last two seasons. It's something that Glendale Community College women's tennis Coach Bob Donaghy is mindful off since he's seen plenty of Santa Monica City College and Ventura first-hand. Ventura won the state title last season after Santa Monica accomplished the feat in 2011. While Donaghy expects those programs to be at or near the top of conference again this season, he's eager to find out if the Vaqueros have the right mix to record a second straight top-three finish in conference.

It's gotten to the point where it's become practically routine for the Glendale Community College women's golf team to regularly win Western State Conference matches. The team is also getting accustomed to capturing conference championships. Glendale College won its second conference crown in a row Monday afternoon, as it received a four-over-par 76 from Pattraporn Silawanna and shoot a 323 in a conference neutral-site match at Tierra Rejada Golf Club in Moorpark. Glendale won for the seventh time in eight conference matches and edged College of the Canyons by three strokes Monday.