SCORECARD : FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM AREA EVENTS

PREPS

With the conclusion of football season and the influx of players it brings, Southern Section and City Section basketball teams are finally rounding into shape. It is still difficult to get an accurate assessment of each team’s strengths and weaknesses, but the following is a ranking of boys’ teams in the Glendale area as they enter the holiday tournament portion of their seasons:

1. Crescenta Valley, 2. Glendale, 3. La Canada, 4. Hoover, 5. Eagle Rock, 6. Marshall, 7. St. Francis, 8. Franklin, 9. Ribet Academy, 10. Flintridge Prep, 11. Verdugo Hills and 12. Glendale Academy.

The Glendale area continues to be a hotbed for soccer players.

That was demonstrated again last week when La Canada and St. Francis met in the championship game of the 16-team La Canada tournament.

Both teams entered the title game having not been scored upon, but La Canada prevailed over the Golden Knights, 2-1, on a goal by David Rivero in overtime.

Rivero led the tournament with eight goals.

The Crescenta Valley girls’ team continues to build on the success of last season, when the Falcons finished 18-1, losing to Louisville in the first round of the Division III playoffs.

Crescenta Valley is 4-0. The Falcons defeated Westlake and San Marcos in the first two rounds of the Simi Valley tournament.

Crescenta Valley plays La Canada in the quarterfinals Saturday.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The Glendale men’s basketball team will play host to its annual eight-team tournament Dec. 18-21.

L.A. Harbor, West Los Angeles, Valley, El Camino, Edwards Air Force Base, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base and College of the Canyons are scheduled to play.

Glendale, which plays host to Trade Tech Friday, entered this week’s games with a 1-6 record after losing twice in the Golden West tournament last weekend.

The Vaqueros lost to Cypress, 77-69, in the opener and Riverside, 84-78, in a consolation game.

Former Franklin High standouts Alphonso Puhle and Juwan Smith led the Vaqueros in scoring against Riverside with 21 and 14 points, respectively.

Despite the losses, Glendale Coach Brian Beauchemin was encouraged by his team’s play.

“I think we’re over the hump a little bit,” he said. “We played well defensively in the tournament.”

The Glendale women’s team took a 3-4 record into Wednesday’s game at Mira Costa. The Vaqueros play host to Citrus on Friday and Oxnard on Saturday.

COLLEGES

After a two-week layoff, the Occidental men’s basketball team resumes its schedule Monday at UC Santa Cruz.

The Tigers are 1-1 after a season-opening victory over Christ College Irvine and a loss to Division II Cal Poly Pomona.

Sandy Brown, a senior forward, is Occidental’s leading scorer, averaging 23 points a game.

The Occidental women’s team (0-4) will also play at UC Santa Cruz on Monday.

PREP ATHLETE OF WEEK

Margarito Casillas, Hoover--Casillas, a senior, finished first in the boys’ race at the Kinney Western Regional cross-country meet last weekend at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Casillas, who placed second at the state meet two weeks ago, held off Newbury Park’s Jeff Wilson to win the 5,000-meter regional with a time of 15 minutes 2 seconds.

The first nine runners finished within 10 seconds of each other, the closest finish in the 13-year history of the meet.

“I spoke to my former (Hoover) teammate Eliazar Herrera, and he told me to hang back and make my move the second half of the race,” Casillas said. “That’s what I did. It’s the biggest meet that I ever won.”

Casillas, along with the top eight girls and boys from each regional, will compete this weekend in the Kinney national championships at Balboa Park in San Diego.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF WEEK

Ed Bedford, Occidental--Bedford, a senior, became the first swimmer from the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference to qualify for the NCAA Division III nationals in March.

Bedford qualified by finishing second in the 100-yard butterfly last weekend at the U.S. National Grand Prix Invitational at Belmont Plaza in Long Beach.

Bedford’s time of 50.43 seconds was just off his school-record time of 50.01.

Bedford also competed in the 50-yard freestyle, finishing in 21.46 seconds, just .23 off his all-time best. He finished the 100-yard freestyle in 47.21 seconds, .03 off his all-time best.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW

Erin Weaver--Weaver, a former standout at La Canada High, was a starting middle hitter for the Iowa women’s volleyball team this season.

Weaver, a 5-10 sophomore, led the Hawkeyes with 262 kills. She had a season-high 19 kills and 13 digs in the Hawkeyes’ season finale against Michigan.

Iowa finished 7-27 overall and 2-18 in the Big Ten Conference.

MISCELLANY

The 14th annual Run for the Roses 5-K and 10-K runs will be held Sunday at the Rose Bowl. The event, which benefits the Boys and Girls Clubs of Pasadena, also includes a 5-K walk and begins at 8 a.m. . . . The Glendale Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department is offering tennis lessons for adults and youths beginning Jan. 6. Each class is limited to eight students. Information: (818) 548-3796.