Spring Sports Notebook : Glendale Girls Find Tough Foes

After beating Westlake Village, 4-1, in the first round of last weekend’s Southern California Junior Tennis Championships at UCLA, the City of Glendale girls’ 18-and-under tennis team suffered a 5-0 loss to defending champion South Bay in the semifinals.

Coach Bob Mackay, who led his team to the L.A.-San Fernando Valley title, said the girls were overmatched but still turned in strong performances.

“They were sensational,” he said. “They would have fared better if they would see this caliber of player every day.”

Glendale’s Kieu Liem faced Lindsey Davenport, who is ranked No. 2 in the United States Tennis Assn. Southern California division, and took her to three sets before losing, 6-5, 4-6, 6-2.

Three in a row: Tom Kendall won his third consecutive Norelco Cup racing title this year after winning the International Motor Sports Assn. GTU-class race at the Mid-Ohio in Mansfield, Ohio, on Sunday.

Kendall earned the award, which is presented by the media for outstanding driving performances, after he won the Miami Grand Prix in March and the May 22 Mid-Atlantic Grand Prix at Summit Point, W. Va. Kendall is the first GTU driver to receive the award in a combined GTO-GTU race.

Kendall moved from fourth to second in IMSA rankings, passing his brother, Bart, who is ranked third. Bart finished fourth Sunday.

“If there are no car problems this year, I feel that I am capable of winning all of my races,” said Tom Kendall, who lapped the GTU field in his Chevy Beretta.

Tom, a two-time IMSA GTU champion, said that even though he has consistently won, he does not want to move up a class until he can be guaranteed a top-notch team. “I think it’s more important to be winning,” he said.

He will race in the NASCAR Winston Cup stock car race Sunday at Riverside.

Knocked out: Glendale’s Jose Salazar lost a unanimous decision to Eric Griffen on Saturday in a 106-pound bout in the Western Olympic Boxing Trials in Houston, Tex.

A win would have qualified Salazar, ranked fifth in the nation, for the U. S Olympic Boxing Trials.

Salazar fought his way to the quarterfinals of the U. S. Boxing Championships, in which he lost to Michael Carbajal.

Consolation: The Crescenta Valley High softball team was shocked by Buena Park in the first round of the Southern Section 3-A Division playoffs, 2-1, but 11 Falcons were named to the All-Pacific League team.

Pitcher Heather Lindstrom, league MVP for the second year in a row, was joined by catcher Susan Bonas, infielders Gena Moe and Christine Plasch, outfielders Leilani Artis and Heather McMullin, and designated-hitter Tina Baca.

The second team includes reserve pitcher Jennifer Berry, infielder Carrie Shirley and outfielder Jeanne Mixon. Outfielder Jamie White was honorable mention.

Add Crescenta Valley: Junior Morgan Bateman, the school record-holder in the 800 meters (1:52.66), finished a disappointing eighth in a field of nine at the state track championships Saturday at Cerritos College.

Domination: The girls’ gymnastics team at Eagle Rock High has not lost in four years and is working on the longest winning streak of any team in any sport in Los Angeles.

The Eagles won their fourth consecutive City championship by defeating Wilson and Cleveland in the final May 17.

Several girls had key wins, including Danette Inzalaco (class III uneven bars), Sue Jin Wong (class III floor, vault), Sam Persi (class II bars) and Lorna Soulier (class III all-around).