SCORECARD / FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM AREA EVENTS : PREP FOOTBALL GAMES

Crescenta Valley (4-1) vs. Glendale (4-1), Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Glendale--The No. 1 ranking in the Glendale area will be on the line when Glendale opens defense of its Pacific League championship by playing host to the Falcons. Crescenta Valley is coming off a 26-12 victory over Burroughs. The Falcons’ only loss was to Burbank, a team that Glendale crushed, 47-7, last week. Crescenta Valley is averaging 257 yards a game on offense. The Falcons are giving up 247. Pathon Rucker has rushed for 585 yards in 82 carries and scored 10 touchdowns for Glendale, which averages 296.4 yards on offense. “They’re really on a roll right now,” Crescenta Valley Coach Jim Beckenhauer said of the Dynamiters. “They have a sound running game with Pathon, and Mike Wright really adds something to their passing game.” Wright, senior wide receiver playing his first season of football, has caught 19 passes for 432 yards and three touchdowns. The key for Glendale, however, is a defense that has allowed only 190.4 yards.

Marshall (4-0-1) vs. Eagle Rock (2-3), Friday at 3 p.m. at Marshall--If there was any doubt that Marshall was for real this season, the Barristers eliminated it with an impressive 49-26 victory at Wilson last week. The Barristers, led by running back Hector Ortega, have won four consecutive games since their season-opening tie against Garfield. Eagle Rock is on a minor roll of its own. After losing their first three games, the Eagles have won two in a row, including last week’s 33-7 victory over Belmont. Running backs Alex Ramirez and Gabriel Pulgarin lead a run-oriented offense. But it is on defense that the Eagles have been most impressive. Eagle Rock has not allowed more than 14 points in a game. “If we can stop their running game and force them to pass that will be the key,” Eagle Rock Coach Dennis Arnett said. “I think that’s probably their strategy, too.”

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

Glendale College (0-4) vs. Pierce (3-1), Saturday, 1 p.m. at Glendale High--Glendale appeared to be on the verge of getting its first win on Saturday at Valley, despite six turnovers. However, with the score 17-17, running back Bobby Webster lost a fumble with 2:31 left and Valley kicked a field goal with 26 seconds remaining for a 20-17 victory. “Last week was the first time we really took a step forward and started to feel like a team,” Glendale Coach John Cicuto said. “Now, you’re battling if that was a one-shot thing. . . . I think that the game Saturday will determine which way this team is going to go. If they take a step back, it’s going to be a real uphill struggle the rest of the season.” Webster, an All-Western State Conference selection last season who has been plagued by an ankle injury this season, gained 135 yards in 29 carries against Valley. He will have to be effective for Glendale to beat the Brahmas, who are led by running back LeShante Parker.

COLLEGES

Occidental (4-0) vs. Cal Lutheran (1-4), Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at Occidental--Occidental is the only unbeaten team in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, a league that Cal Lutheran will officially be joining next season. This nonconference game would appear to be a mismatch, but don’t be fooled by the records. Occidental, which beat Trinity University, 17-16, on Saturday at San Antonio, Tex., has won three games with last-minute rallies. That is a testament to the Tigers’ ability to win close games, but it doesn’t say much for their ability to put weaker teams away. “We’ve been more lucky than good sometimes,” Occidental Coach Dale Widolff said. “But I like the fact that we haven’t given up. “ Occidental isn’t giving up much yardage. The Tigers surrender a SCIAC-low 220 yards a game. Cal Lutheran’s only victory was over the University of San Diego. The Kingsmen lost to La Verne, 28-7, last week. Cassidy O’Sullivan gained 132 yards in 26 carries against La Verne.

PREP ATHLETE OF WEEK

Marvin Lo, La Canada--Lo, a 5-foot-7, 145-pound senior, rushed for 280 yards in 23 carries and scored three touchdowns on runs of one, 87 and 30 yards in the Spartans’ 28-13 victory over Hoover. “He’s extremely quick and has good vision,” La Canada Coach Nic Larez said. “He really reads blocks well.” Lo gained 184 yards in the second half against Hoover. He has rushed for 600 yards and has a chance to become the first Spartan to gain 1,000 yards since Rob Myers in 1985. “I think it’s kind of nice being small, it’s a lot easier running behind the big lineman,” Lo said. “The blocks were there in the second half. Everything started clicking.”

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF WEEK

Grace Padilla, Glendale--Padilla, a sophomore who transferred from East Los Angeles College, won the Mt. San Antonio College cross-country invitational on Saturday in Walnut. Padilla covered the hilly three-mile course in 18 minutes 1 second, although several coaches said a timing malfunction caused the official times to be slow by as many as 10 seconds. The victory was Padilla’s fourth in six races this season. She helped lead the Vaqueros to a sixth-place finish in the women’s competition at Mt. SAC with 125 points. Mt. SAC won the event with 51 points and defending state-champion El Camino and Pima (Ariz.) tied for second.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Chris Smith--The 1984 La Canada High graduate is among the initial players who have agreed to play with the Professional Spring Football League, a 10-team league which plans to begin play in February. Smith, a tight end who played collegiately at Brigham Young, was chosen by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 11th round of April’s NFL draft, the 295th overall selection, but was released during training camp.