SCOREBOARD: FACTS, FIGURES AND COMMENTS FROM AREA EVENTS : PREPS

Crescenta Valley water polo coach Pete Loporchio has the Falcons playing together, and the results have been impressive.

Loporchio, one of the most active coaches in the Southern California water polo community, is in his first season at Crescenta Valley after stints at Glendale High and Occidental College.

Crescenta Valley defeated Whittier, 9-5, last weekend to win the Bosco Tech tournament and improve their record to 7-0.

Jason Berry scored three goals in the final to lead Crescenta Valley.

Margarito Casillas of Hoover won the boys’ Division I cross-country event last weekend at the Woodbridge Invitational in Irvine.

Casillas, a senior, covered the course in 14 minutes 33 seconds.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

After a bye last week, the Glendale College football team resumes its schedule Saturday night when the Vaqueros travel to Los Angeles Valley.

Glendale opened its season with a 31-0 victory over Citrus, its first season-opening victory since 1988. The victory was all the more impressive because it was accomplished without freshman tailback Pathon Rucker, who sat out because of an injury.

Rucker, who was The Times’ 1991 Glendale Back of the Year, and 13 other players who missed the Citrus game are expected to play against Valley, which tied Antelope Valley, 14-14, in its opener.

Valley is led by quarterback Joe Mauldin, one of the best all-around athletes in the state, and tailback Howard Blackwell.

“We need to make sure our defense doesn’t get confused, because they use multiple formations that allow them to do all kinds of things,” Glendale Coach John Cicuto said. “Our success is going to depend on whether our defense can keep their offense off the field.”

Linebacker Scott Blade leads a Vaquero defense that intercepted four passes against Citrus.

COLLEGES

The Occidental football team plays host to Trinity College (Tex.) Saturday after suffering a 20-19 season-opening defeat against Menlo.

Occidental pulled to within 20-19 with less than three minutes left on a 38-yard touchdown pass play from Davin Lundquist to Mark Krock. Rather than play for a tie, Occidental Coach Dale Widolff elected to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt. Menlo, however, stopped Brian Madlangbayan on a running play to preserve the victory.

Trinity is 1-1 after blowing a 17-point lead during a 22-17 loss to Austin College last week.

Jose Garcia of Occidental began his cross-county season in impressive fashion last weekend at a meet at UC Irvine.

Garcia, a senior, finished sixth in the A Division, covering the 8-K course in 26 minutes 1 second.

Becky Kopchick, a junior who finished second at Division III nationals in 1991, placed 37th in the women’s A Division race at Irvine, covering the 5-K course in 19:26.1.

Bill Whiting, who helped turn the Eagle Rock High basketball and volleyball teams into consistent winners, has joined the Occidental staff as an assistant basketball coach.

Former Eagle Rock football Coach Dennis Arnett is in his first season as an assistant football coach at Occidental.

PREP ATHLETE OF WEEK

Jaiya Figueras, Glendale--Figueras intercepted three passes and returned two for touchdowns in the Dynamiters’ 35-21 victory over La Canada. One of Figueras’ touchdowns covered 53 yards. He also gained 15 yards in three carries as a tailback.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

Marcus Garrett, Occidental-- Garrett, a senior from La Habra, gained 86 yards in five carries and scored on a 67-yard touchdown for the Tigers during their 20-19 loss to Menlo.

Garrett played linebacker last season for the Tigers.

--GARY KLEIN