January

The Crescenta Valley boys’ varsity soccer team clinched at least a share of the Pacific League championship after it defeated the Muir Mustangs 4-1. The Falcons were 15-4-2 overall, 10-0-1 in league at the time, and finished a great year with a 12-0-2 record (17-4-3 overall).

The CV girls’ soccer team was third in league at 8-2-2 (10-7-5 overall). They lost to champion Arcadia in the season finale. A win would have tied them for second place with Burbank.

Despite Crescenta Valley High’s best efforts, the Falcons’ varsity basketball team could not thwart a home loss to Burbank High School 88-78.

February

Gym renovations at Rosemont Middle School, including the entire gym floor being resurfaced, meant club basketball teams that played there couldn’t compete for a week. It didn’t affect the boys’ and girls’ school basketball teams; they were able to play on the floor starting in the fall when the work was done. Volleyball, of course, was able to play with the new nets. “I think they have more pride in the program,” Anderle said of the students. “Our court looks so good.”

Glendale High School hired Cary Grant Harris to be its new varsity head football coach. Harris was a three-year starting cornerback for USC between 2006 and 2008 under Coach Pete Carroll.

The Rosemont Middle School Spartan football team finished the last game of the season on a high note ending the season 5-0. The team was scheduled to play six games but due to the school bus strike missed one that could not be made up. The touch football team consists of one of four participating schools within the Glendale Unified School District. The Spartan coaches are from Crescenta Valley High School: Paul Schilling and Derrel Gossard.

Led by shooting guard Arman Pezeshkian, the Falcons were competitive all season despite some tough losses such as a loss to Muir when they let a 14-point lead get away. CV was also swept by Burbank. The Falcons did manage to squeak out a 60-57 win at Arcadia in the season finale.

The CV girls’ basketball team had to settle for a share of the Pacific League crown after it lost in the finale against Arcadia, which meant Glendale and Burroughs tied with them with records of 11-3. CV was 20-7 in the regular season.

March

Senior Arman Pezeshkian of the Crescenta Valley High boys’ basketball team was named to the All-CIF first team for the 2018 season. Playing in Division 2A, Pezeshkian led the Falcons to the second round of the playoffs this season, averaging 25.3 points per game this season. He scored 39 in a 65-60 upset win over Pasadena in the first game of the league season. In the first round of the playoffs, against Santa Ana, he scored 28 points, including the go-ahead basket in a 60-58 win.

The Crescenta Valley High School Athletic Hall of Fame announced it would be inducting the Class of 2018 on May 19 at Oakmont Country Club. Inductees included Stacy Atwood (softball, class of 1992), Janelle (Del Soldato) Evans (track/cross country, class of 2000), Michael Goetsch (water polo, class of 1978), Dennis Gossard, Erik La Com (football, class of 1994), Bill Penfold (basketball, class of 1980), Steve Rousey (baseball, class of 1981), Gail (Wolze) Malone (volleyball, class of 1975), and Nick Yerton (football, class of 1997).

Both Rosemont Spartan soccer teams started the season strong against Toll Middle School on Rosemont’s field. The girls won, 6-0, and the boys also posted a shutout, 2-0, with a great defensive effort, something Coach Henrick Thamasian was proud of. Thamasian, who was in his second year as Rosemont’s boys’ coach, high-fived players and shook hands as they left with their parents.

Crescenta Valley High School water polo players Alex Garas, Kaitlyn Moguel and Lexie Kawachi were named to the ALL-CIF Southern Section Division teams in girls’ water polo. Garas, a junior, was named to the first team for the second straight year. She scored 58 goals this season in helping the Falcons win a ninth straight Pacific League championship. Moguel, a senior who scored 83 goals, was named to the second team, and Kawachi, a sophomore, had 44 goals.

St. Monica Academy’s historic boys’ basketball season ended in the CIF SS Division 5A semifinals against No. 1 seeded Duarte High School.The Crusaders, 14-0 in league, garnered its second league title and entered the playoffs as the fourth seed overall in Div. 5A. After defeating Westmark of Encino (71-50) in the first round of CIF, SMA played Tarbut V’Torah (73-65) in the quarterfinals and came away with the program’s first quarterfinal victory. SMA faced Duarte High School in the CIF Southern Section Division 5A semifinals where the team lost 87-47. In nine short years in CIF, SMA’s boys’ and girls’ basketball teams have garnered many league championships and playoff appearances. This was the first time a basketball team advanced to the semifinals.

April

Vahan and Anoush Chamlian Armenian School in in which surrounding local Armenian schools compete in athletic scholar sports games in various sports. These include basketball, chess, soccer, table tennis, tennis and volleyball. A total of 27 basketball teams, six soccer teams, six volleyball teams and 375 student athletes participated in this year’s Homenetmen KAHAM games at Glendale Community College.

The NCAA Oversight Panel approved changing football’s kickoff rules to allow the receiving team to fair catch the kick inside the 25-yard line and have it result in a touchback. According to the NCAA, “The Football Rules Committee made the proposal to continue efforts to increase the number of touchbacks during kickoffs since fewer injuries occur during kickoffs that result in touchbacks than on kickoffs that are returned.”This change is one in a series the committee has made as a way of keeping players safer.”

The CVHS softball team was cruising, jumping out to a 7-0 mark in the Pacific League. The Falcons beat one of their toughest competitors, Arcadia, 2-0, and easily defeated Hoover to stay in first place in the Pacific League. The Falcons beat rival Burroughs in a 9-0 shutout game at home. The team allowed no runs to score against them despite some close calls. Shortstop Alyssa Hernandez secured the shutout when she made a diving catch, with bases loaded, tagging out the base runner allowing the Falcons to escape the inning with zero runs scored against.

May

Crescenta Valley High School Falcon volleyball held its alumni match on May 25. Each year the alumni play against the current year’s varsity team. Returning alumni stretched back to graduates from 1990 (Ryan Harvey), who was a member of the school’s first team and now coaches for San Gabriel Elite Volleyball Club, to 2017 when three graduates – Jonathan Lee, Brett Dunkin and Eugene Shin – returned to take on the current season’s varsity players. Coach John Nelson, who coached Harvey when he attended CV High School, now coaches Harvey’s son Brendan, a Falcon sophomore who plays on the varsity team. This year it was a father-son showdown with Ryan vs. Brendan playing against each other.

The CIF Masters Meet was held at El Camino College on a superb all-weather track. The athletes arrived hoping to secure their place at the CIF State Track & Field Championships Two of Crescenta Valley High School’s finest, seniors Artin Allahverdian and Colin FitzGerald, made the necessary qualifying marks at El Camino. “I was pretty confident that I would make it to CIF, but I never thought I would get this far,” said Allahverdian.

Both the Crescenta Valley baseball and softball teams had spectacular regular seasons, but lost in the first rounds of the CIF playoffs The baseball team (23-4 overall) clinched its third straight Pacific League championship when it defeated Arcadia in the season finale. The Falcons finished undefeated at 14-0.

In Division III softball, the Falcons capped off a great season with a Pacific League title. They went 24-2 overall, and 13-1 in league, beating out Burroughs by a game (Burroughs was the only team to beat CV in League).

June

The  Crescenta Sports Association’s Crescenta Valley 11U Pony All-Stars captured the Bronco-11 championship at the league’s Battle of the Foothills tournament, held June 22-24 at Montrose Park and Paradise Canyon Elementary in La Cañada. The squad went 4-0, allowing just four runs all weekend. The team pulled off a triple play during its Saturday pool-play game versus San Marino – a feat that was highlighted on ESPN’s “SportsCenter.”

In Tibetan lore, it is believed that if you take prayer flags up a mountain, the prayers and mantras will be carried by the wind and spread good will and compassion into all available space. Mike Leum, he of good will and humble nature within the Crescenta Valley, knows this and he, his son Hunter, and hundreds of others carried out the duty of flying flags of cancer survivors, fulfilling an annual goal and raising money, awareness and prayers. The team participated in The Climb to Fight, which raises money for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. Even with a will to swim and climb, the conditions in northern California and Oregon made it so that Leum and his people had to make some compromises. While swimming from the mainland to Alcatraz, gale force winds proved too much, putting kayaks and support boats in danger, and the swim was relegated to a one-mile race in the San Francisco Bay. After the swim, Leum and Hunter flew to Oregon to climb Mt. Hood to plant flags of cancer fighters and survivors on the summit.

Celebrating its 100th anniversary, the CIF State Track and Field Championship, held at the Buchanan High School Veterans Memorial Stadium, produced some exceptional marks by athletes from across the state. Competition was tough with even the most elite athletes being eliminated during the trials. Unfortunately, CVHS senior Colin FitzGerald, who has had many distinguishing marks this year, came up short to place 13th in the 1600m running 4:15.77. Only the top 12 competitors moved forward.

The Crescenta Valley Little League ended the year’s season with its annual closing ceremony when players across all divisions were recognized for their hard work and talent. Outgoing League president Shawn Howard, who led the ceremony, reported that 425 kids had been involved with Little League this year.

July

The Lakers made the biggest splash of the NBA offseason when they signed Lebron James to a  four-year deal for around $150 million. James, a four-time MVP and three-time NBA champion, left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in his career.

For the first time in its history, Crescenta Valley United Softball Association (CV United) was invited to the USA Softball Regional Championship, part of the California State Games held in San Diego. During the weekend, the 10 and under All-Star team advanced undefeated through pool and bracket play, going six and zero while defeating teams from NorCal, SoCal and Nevada to ultimately win the championship against Fountain Valley 3 to 2.

Crescenta Sports Association’s Crescenta Valley 11U Pony All-Stars captured the Pony West Zone’s Bronco-11 East Region championship in West Covina. The team advanced to the super-region round, and played in Whittier. At the region tournament, they battled out in triple-digit heat and went 4-0 overall. The team clinched the championship with a 13-4 win over West Covina Pony. The team’s championship banner was on display at CSA’s home field at Montrose Park.

August

The Falcons won comfortably 28-7 against Redondo Union at Glendale High’s Moyse Field. It was different this time last year when CV opened its season in Orlando, Florida, edging Barron Collier High 34-31. This time around, the game wasn’t that tight as senior quarterback Cole Doyle started his final year off right, completing 13-of-25 passes for 137 yards. He also rushed for 142 yards on 19 carries.

Village Christian baseball was honored by the America Baseball Coaches Association with the 2018 ABCA Team Academic Excellence Award. VCS was one of only 97 high school programs to receive the recognition. “I’m honored to coach student athletes who are dedicated to athletics and academics,” said VCS head coach Chris Casey.

New coaches Matt Simons and Marissa Rossi began their seasons as leaders for the CVHS girls’ volleyball program. They joined JV coach Kurt Mulder, who played for CV and served as a coach since 2015. Simons and Rossi, who from out of the area, took over for a program searching for an identity. They did well, as the varsity, led by Teny Noordemeer and Lizzy Kerman, made the CIF playoffs after not qualifying last year.

September

After a year of waiting, football returned to Village Christian School and things were looking up. After a lack of participation resulted in the program’s cancellation, head coach Richard Broussard made sure that football is on the radar of Village Christian. “I told them that we are going to shock the world and that’s what we’ve been doing,” said Broussard.

Celebrating its 49th year, runners in the Kenny Staub/John Barnes Cross-Country Invitational took to the three-mile course at CV Park. Volunteer parents are the secret to the success of this invitational who each year come to honor not only the men for which the invitational is named but also to support the community running program.

The YMCA Quarterback Club was ready to start the 76th year of creating football bonds across the San Fernando Valley. The Quarterback Club met at the Glendale Elks Lodge and featured weekly overviews from coaches in the area on the state of football for each school. Spirited competition, like debates over jerseys, and community is what most of the members looked forward to each week. “We go up against these guys every week, so there is a competition,” said Crescenta Valley High School coach Paul Schilling. “Coming here really helps to makes all of us a community.”

October

Osborne Field at Crescenta Valley High School hosted the first ever homecoming celebration in lieu of the traditional homecoming football game. “Even when we were disappointed, we weren’t deterred,” said Principal Dr. Linda Junge. The ASB cabinet came together and, in less than three days, organized a lively night of school spirit.

The Falcon boys celebrated a significant team win scoring a low of 36 at the second Pacific League conference cross-country meet held at Arcadia Park. With one win already under their belts, the CV team members set their sights on another victory and the hope of becoming conference champions at a competition held on CV’s home course.

The Dodgers once again made it the World Series, only to once again lose, this time to the Boston Red Sox in five games. The memorable game came in the lone Dodgers victory, an 18-inning affair that saw Max Muncy hit a home run to left field to finally win it, over six hours since the game began at Dodger Stadium. Despite the euphoria, LA could not hold a late lead in game four, and lost the series the next night.

Despite inclement weather, Joe’s Minibike Reunion trudged on, hosting quite a show for its seventh year at Crescenta Valley Park. According to Joe Sebergandio, founder and coordinator of the event, only a third of the expected total visitors were in attendance for the nationally known minibike show. “After years of being here, and seeing people still coming out despite the weather, I think we have a home here,” said Sebergandio.

November

The Pacific League cross-country championships finals were held on the Falcons’ home course at Crescenta Park. As a senior, Manan Vats was well aware that this was his last time running on this course as a Falcon. He took the lead on the last upper loop, and ended up taking the win with a time of 15:27.8.

The Falcon football team lost a high-scoring playoff game to Warren High School, 52-47, ending the team’s hopes of winning a playoff game since 2014. The game would be the last for senior quarterback Cole Doyle, who finished his career going 16 of 27 for 240 yards passing, with one touchdown and one interception. CV led at halftime, 35-31, but let it get away in the second half. It’s been a trend for the Falcons in recent years; last year they lost a low-scoring game after letting a late lead slip away. CV’s offense was on point all game against Warren and, defensively, the team was ready for Bears’ quarterback Chris Vanegas and his offense. Venegas passed for 268 yards and four touchdowns. The Bears also amassed 226 yards rushing, with two scores.

In a surprise, the CV varsity boys’ basketball team defeated the alumni team in its annual battle, 72-71. The alumni usually outlast the youngsters, but this time it was the varsity that (barely) got the upper hand. The alumni were without regular starter Jimmy Goffredo, and Greg Goorjian, a 1970s alum who has been playing in the game since 2015. Instead, the team looked to younger graduates like Cole Currie and Dylan Kilgore. It wasn’t enough, as Coach Shawn Zargarian’s team earned the victory over alumni coaches John Goffredo and Jim Smiley.

The Rosemont Middle School boys’ basketball team, coached by Brent Ballard and John Peterson, celebrated another undefeated league season with a staff versus players scrimmage and team party in the Rosemont Middle School gym. The boys beat the staff, 69-67, on a winning basket by Evan Mulcahey. For the last eight years, Ballard has been the head coach of the Spartans and, in that time, has established an envied tradition: winning the GUSD Middle School title each year. “Brent is one of our best [coaches], not just because of the success of his teams, but because of how he invests in our boys. He is a true model of integrity and character to these players,” said Mark Gang, Rosemont athletic director.

Pursuing their dreams set early in the season, seven Falcon cross-country competitors lined up for the Division 1 race at the 32nd annual CIF state championships at Woodward Park. The start of the race was very congested, with 22 teams of 185 runners vying to get out strong. CV’s dual starters, Manan Vats and Dylan Wilbur, led their team by getting off to a powerful start. They sprinted out quickly, pushing through the crowd of runners securing a place with the leaders. The Falcon team concluded the season placing eighth at the meet.

December

The Pacific League season began for local high school sports teams, including the CVHS basketball and soccer programs, and the girls’ water polo teams. This contrasts with prior seasons, when league play began in January after winter break. Teams will also play in non-league tournaments during December and January, as well as taking their league rivals. It also means the season will end a couple weeks sooner than usual – late January instead of mid-February.

It was announced that Paul Schilling will step down as head coach of the CVHS varsity football team, and assistant Hudson Gossard will take over the program at the beginning of the second semester. Schilling will stay in the program and serve as a lower level coach. His tenure began in 2010, and he led the Falcons to a CIF championship in 2014. Gossard, a former quarterback when he was a CV player, has been an assistant for the past 11 seasons. “Coach Gossard is well prepared for this role, understanding the game, knowing the culture of the program, and having established relationships with current athletes, coaching staff, and boosters. He will unquestionably add to our Pride, Tradition and Honor,” said Principal Linda Junge.