Sports in the community take center stage.

By Justin HAGER

The Rosemont Middle School Spartans have won yet another season of GUSD Middle School flag football after going undefeated in six games. This is the ninth consecutive season that Rosemont has had at least a share of the district title.

Led by Athletic Director Andre Andreas and Head Coach Nick Leon, the Spartan flag football squad received significant coaching assistance from former Crescenta Valley High School football players such as Josh Silverman, Carson Center, Jacob Aguilar and Armen Erdoglyan. Home games feature as many as 55 different players with road games traveling with a roster of 35 players. In an almost unfathomable feat of organization, two of the games this season saw all 55 middle-schoolers get playing time.

The after-school program, which is organized by GUSD, creates opportunities for athletic competition between the district’s four middle schools. Students play nine-on-nine flag football with numerous opportunities to change players and allow many students to participate. Other athletic opportunities available for middle-school students include boys’ basketball, girls’ soccer and cross-country, which compete from September to November; girls’ volleyball and track, which run from December to February; and girls’ basketball and boys’ soccer, which play between from March and May.

_________________________

At Crescenta Valley High School, the boys’ volleyball team is a bit bipolar in its play thus far. The Falcons have yet to play a match in which the losing team won even a single set. In every win it has shut out its opponent and in every loss it has been shut out. The team has a winning record of 6-3 but have yet to beat a team ranked in the MaxPreps top 150 in the state. And following a 3-0 loss to South Pasadena last week, they have fallen out of the top 100. Despite the data-roller coaster, the Falcon boys appear to be having fun and finding a rhythm that could make them the favorites in the Pacific League this year.

Last Thursday’s matchup was no exception as they demonstrated tremendous growth and greater control in a straight-sets win over the Claremont Wolfpack. Despite the Falcons’ dominance in the first two sets, winning 25-18 and 25-15, Claremont refused to go down quietly. After trading points through the first 16 (8-8), a five-point run with Logan Freemon at serve gave the Falcons a much-needed lead. Claremont continued to fight and traded points with CV once again and for the remainder of the match but the Falcons never surrendered those five points, leading them to a 25-20 victory in the final set.

After the match, Head Coach John Nelson said that it “felt good to come out much more controlled after struggling against South Pasadena on Tuesday.” He also encouraged fans to come out and cheer on the team.

“It’s a great group of guys who work hard,” he said adding that he’s “excited about pretty much everything this season.”

The Falcons opened up League play yesterday against Glendale but scores were not available at press time. Fans who want to cheer on the Falcons will have an opportunity tomorrow, Friday, March 11 at 3:30 p.m. when the boys travel to Burbank High School, 902 N. 3rd St., to take on the Bulldogs.