2016 Top 10 Sports Stories of the Year
1. Crescenta Valley girls’ basketball claims first title: For the last 30-plus seasons, the Crescenta Valley girls’ basketball team challenged for league championships and made several lengthy playoff runs. Unfortunately for the Falcons, their bid to win a CIF Southern Section Division championship was always denied.
That was until 2016.
With coach Jason Perez in charge, a mix of experience and youth and a standout forward in Alisa Shinn, Crescenta Valley kicked its playoff frustration to the curb.
It culminated March 5, with Crescenta Valley picking up a heart-pounding 37-36 win against top-seeded Mira Costa in the CIF Southern Section Division I-A title contest at Felix Events Center at Azusa Pacific University.
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Crescenta Valley rolled up playoff wins versus Knight (50-36 score), Camarillo (42-27), second-seeded Huntington Beach (51-50) and Chino Hills (42-38) before reaching the championship game for the first time since 1997.
Against Mira Costa, Crescenta Valley received an impressive performance from Shinn. Shinn, a senior, had 14 points and 18 rebounds. Josie Brock, a senior forward, finished with six points and eight rebounds and junior guard Polin Megerdichian added eight points.
It wasn’t easy for Crescenta Valley. Crescenta Valley fouled a Mira Costa player on a three-point shot with three-tenths of a second to go and the Falcons holding a 37-35 lead. Mira Costa made the first free throw before missing the next two. Shinn grabbed the final rebound and history had been recorded, complete with a huge celebration near mid-court.
“There were so many things that are still fresh from that game,” Perez said. “You never think it would come down to something like that, but it did.
“We had a team that got better down the stretch and we were able to put the pieces together to make history.”
Shinn averaged 18.3 points, 12.4 rebounds, 4.1 blocks, 3.8 assists and 3.7 steals per contest and was tabbed as the All-Area Girls’ Basketball Player of the Year, the division’s player of the year and the 2015-16 Glendale News-Press Girls’ Athlete of the Year. Perez was selected the division’s coach of the year.
After reaching the CIF summit, Crescenta Valley made it to the quarterfinals of the CIF State Division II Southern California Regionals.
2. Rousey gone for almost whole year, returns in title match: Perhaps 2016 proved to be the largest indicator of just how large a star Ronda Rousey has become.
Glendale Fighting Club’s Ronda Rousey, right, returned to the Octagon to face Amanda Nunes, left, of Brazil in their UFC women’s bantamweight championship bout during UFC 207. Rousey lost via a TKO.
Appearances and interviews were scant in the aftermath of her first mixed martial arts loss in November of 2015 to Holly Holm, yet stories of what was next, when or if she would return, what she was doing, her mental make-up, her physical well-being and on and on garnered headlines throughout the year.
But it was not until the final days of 2016 that Rousey made her long-awaited return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s octagon to challenge Amanda Nunes for the UFC women’s bantamweight title.
The architect of women’s MMA under the UFC banner, Rousey had held firm to the title for so long, dominating foes left and right before Holm. Then Holm lost to Miesha Tate. Then Tate lost to Nunes.
3. Glendale High’s Trenton Julian wins two CIF championships, before swimming at Olympic trials: It was another magical day at the CIF Southern Section Division II Championships at Riverside City College for Julian on May 18.
The junior captured two more individual championships, winning the 100-meter butterfly in 47.88 seconds and then 1:36.21 in the 200 freestyle, after winning one title the season prior.
Both marks earned Julian All-American status and qualified the youngster to the CIF State meet, which Julian declined because he had bigger plans in store.
Julian earned qualification to the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Trials in Omaha, Neb., which ran from June 26 to July 3.
Julian punched his ticket in the 100 and 200 butterfly and, in doing so, became the city of Glendale’s first Olympic Trials representative since Scott Greenwood in 2000.
The only bad news for the Glendale High swimmer was that he injured his shoulder during the summer and was only able to compete in one event – the 200 butterfly – and finished 71st in 2:04.16.
In November, Julian verbally committed to the University of California at Berkeley.
“It’s always cool being recognized for what I do,” Julian said. “It’s nice representing the school I’m going to. I want to represent Glendale and I’m proud to do it.”
4. Estrada has topsy-turvy season with first All-Star selection, trip to DL and outstanding playoff performances: Following a stellar 2015 campaign, another wonderful season came with a reward midway through the 2016 season for Glendale Community College product Marco Estrada.
Glendale Community College alumnus Marco Estrada turned in an all-star season for Toronto in 2016.
The 33-year-old veteran pitcher was named on July 5 to his first-ever Major League Baseball All-Star Game, which took place at Petco Park in San Diego on July 12.
Unfortunately for Estrada, the day after his selection came an announcement that he would miss the action as we was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to back problems.
Estrada’s back issues plagued him throughout the season.
Even so, the right-hander posted a 9-9 season with a 3.48 earned-run average compiled over 176 innings pitched with 165 strikeouts versus 66 walks.
For a second straight season, Estrada led the American League in opponent’s batting average (.203), while he was No. 6 in walks-and-hits-per-innings pitched (1.12)
Toronto advanced to the American League Championship series for a second straight postseason as Estrada put up stellar stats.
Though Estrada was only 1-2, he finished with a 2.01 ERA with 19 punchouts against only one walk in 22 1/3 innings pitched, pitching quality starts over and over, though the Blue Jays’ run support was lacking aside from a lopsided win over the Texas Rangers in the American League Division Series.
5. Flintridge Prep girls’ cross-country wins a triple crown: There was nothing the Flintridge Prep girls’ cross-country team could not accomplish in 2016.
For the second time in school history, Flintridge Prep captured a triple crown — winning the Prep League title, CIF Southern Section Division V crown and CIF State Division V championship.
Perhaps the most difficult leg of that journey was the first, as Flintridge Prep defeated archrival Mayfield Senior School, which competes in Division IV, by a 19-36 score as Rebel Sasha Codiga won the individual league title. Only a year earlier, the Cubs defeated the Rebels at the league finals.
After that victory, Flintridge Prep soared to a 31-127 triumph over Pacifica Christian at the Southern Section Division V finals at Riverside City Cross-Country Course on Nov. 19 thanks to a second-place effort from Natalie O’Brien. It was the Rebels’ third consecutive section championship.
Finally, the Rebels saved their most impressive effort for last, as they blasted Francis Parker, 51-170, at the state finals on Nov. 26 at Fresno’s Woodward Park for a third straight title. The score represented the largest margin of victory in girls’ state history, while the Rebels’ team time of 95 minutes, 16 seconds set a Division V record.
We wanted to run a time that would be hard for any team to beat for years to come,” junior Sophie Gitlin said. “Being part of this group and setting such amazing records means everything to me, because it shows we’re so close knit and we run well for each other and we stay balanced for one another.”
The big news for the squad continued into the offseason as 19-year veteran Mike Roffina stepped down as co-coach and left the duties to fellow co-coach Jill Riehl.
“What we accomplished this year was absolutely incredible,” Roffina said. “It’s something I’ll cherish and I think this program will have success for years to come.”
6. Flintridge Prep girls’ basketball wins first-ever CIF championship: After coming up short in recent seasons from reaching a CIF championship contest, Flintridge Prep finally broke through. The Rebels eliminated their recent heartbreak by recording a historic milestone to the tune of a CIF Southern Section Division V-AA championship under the direction of co-coaches Kevin Kiyomura and Jayme Kiyomura Chan.
Flintridge Prep went 21-5, 11-1 in league for first place.
The high level of play spilled over to the postseason, with Flintridge Prep posting a 39-34 overtime victory against Mission College Prep in the title contest for the program’s first championship. The Rebels then advanced to the CIF State Division V Southern California Regional quarterfinals.
The Rebels had an impressive cast that included senior forward Tala Ismail (10 points and 8.7 rebounds per game), junior guards Taylor Yoshida (13 points per game) and Renae Tamura (11.5 points per game).
Tamura was selected the division’s player of the year. For good measure, Kiyomura and Kiyomura Chan were named the division’s co-coaches of the year after guiding Flintridge Prep to its first championship game since 2007.
“This feels so good,” Kiyomura Chan said. “I’m so happy for the girls, but it also feels great to be a part of this. I’ve been involved in basketball for 20 years and this is my first trip to a CIF finals. It’s real precious.”
7. GCC women’s cross-country dominates en route to undefeated, triple crown season: There was no stopping the Glendale Community College women’s cross-country team in an utterly spectacular year.
The Vaqueros won all 10 meets in which they competed and were particularly dominant in the postseason.
Glendale showed why it was top-ranked in California since the beginning of the season when it won the Western State Conference crown, 30-87, over College of the Canyons at Oxnard College on Oct. 21.
The win clinched a 12th straight conference crown and was followed by advancement to the Southern California Championships, where the Vaqueros won their eighth title in 11 years with a 45-128 victory over Riverside in Irvine on Nov. 4.
Glendale capped the season with a flurry at the California Community College Athletic Assn. championship at Fresno’s Woodward Park on Nov. 19.
On that day, the Vaqueros romped to a 42-107 victory over Sequoias to capture the program’s eighth state title and complete a triple crown.
“This season has been absolutely amazing,” Glendale’s Leana Setian said. “I really want to thank [Glendale head coach Eddie] Lopez, along with the coaches and trainers for everything they’ve done for us.”
8. Flintridge Prep boys’ basketball enjoys riveting playoff run: Five seasons after winning its first-ever section crown, Flintridge Prep returned to a CIF championship game under coach Garrett Ohara.
Flintridge Prep went 22-6, 8-0 in league to win its 13th league championship in the last 15 seasons, all under Ohara. The Rebels advanced to the title game, falling to top-seeded Santa Maria St. Joseph, 62-45. Flintridge Prep then made it to the second round of the CIF State Division V playoffs.
Third-seeded Flintridge Prep’s most exciting postseason game came in the semifinals against second-seeded Saddleback Valley Christian, when it rallied from a double-digit deficit in the second half and went on to post a 70-67 overtime victory.
Backed by an experienced cast that included senior forwards Dante Fregoso and Andrew Tsangeos, Flintridge Prep proved it could dominate. Fregoso and Tsangeos earned All-CIF accolades and provided a lethal one-two punch.
Fregoso averaged 16.3 points, 10.5 rebounds and 1.2 steals per game. Tsangeos contributed 18.1 points, 9.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists and 1.2 steals per contest.
“This has been a fun ride and I’m proud to be a part of this,” Tsangeos said.
9. Former Tologs lead USC women’s soccer team to glory: Katie Johnson and Kayla Mills once played key roles in helping the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy soccer team win a CIF Southern Section Division I championship in 2011.
The dynamic talents proved they could excel at the collegiate level with the USC women’s soccer team. Johnson and Mills were vital contributors in helping the second-seeded Trojans beat top-seeded West Virginia to win the NCAA Division I championship on Dec. 4.
Johnson, a redshirt senior, tallied two goals, including the match-winner, to propel USC to a 3-1 win in the College Cup finale at Avaya Stadium in San Jose.
“I’m so excited. ... It was a really exciting moment,” said Johnson in an ESPNU post game interview. “I’m getting emotional, but I’m so proud of this team.”
Johnson was selected the 2016 College Cup Most Outstanding Player. Mills, a senior defender, had an impressive effort in the title match and secured a spot on the NCAA Women’s College Cup All-Tournament Team. Johnson and Mills graduated from Flintridge Sacred Heart in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Johnson broke a 1-1 deadlock in the 75th minute and closed out the scoring 12 minutes later. USC (19-4-2) won its second College Cup and first since 2007.
Mills, a second-team National Soccer Coaches Assn. of America All-American, helped steady USC’s defense.
10. Flintridge Prep’s Jack Van Scoter shines on track: Though he had put together a pair of fantastic cross-country seasons, a banner track and field campaign was all that was missing for Flintridge Prep senior Jack Van Scoter.
The 2015-16 Valley Sun Boys’ Athlete of the Year showed off a level of dominance unseen before at the famous Arcadia Invitational when he finished third in the invitational 3,200-meter run with a mark of 8 minutes, 51.32 seconds.
That time stood as the best 3,200 mark in the state of California for the 2016 high school season.
Van Scoter continued to show off his distance chops when he won the 1,600 (4:20.42) and 3,200 (9:18.06) titles at the Prep League finals at Claremont College.
He followed that up by claiming CIF Southern Section Division IV championships in the 1,600 (4:13.90) and 3,200 (9:01.81) at Cerritos College before ultimately finishing fifth in the 3,200 (8:55.60) at the CIF State Championships in Clovis.
“I don’t think there was ever a worry that Jack wouldn’t have a great senior year, but you also have to acknowledge that he had an already successful run in high school,” Flintridge Prep cross-country Coach Ingrid Herskind said. “I think we were all excited to see what he would do.”
Honorable mention: Hoover wrestling pins down greatest season yet; Flintridge Prep boys’ soccer begins playoffs with upset of No. 2 seed en route to semfinal run; Glendale college baseball repeats as conference champion, but in ridiculous turn of events faces high-ranked foe in first round and loses; St. Francis’ Jasher Foster hurdles to Mission League, Southern Section titles before advancing to state; CIF realignment pays dividends for Crescenta Valley, Flintridge Prep girls’ tennis, but is troublesome for St. Francis football, Hoover boys’ water polo and Crescenta Valley football and boys’ water polo; Crescenta Valley girls’ tennis advances to CIF quarterfinals; Flintridge Prep girls’ tennis turns in stunning playoff run to first-ever semifinal; Flintridge Prep football moves down to eight-man level, moves up to CIF semifinals; Crescenta Valley football run roughshod en route to Pacific League title.