SPORTS NOTEBOOK:
GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
ST. FRANCIS FOOTBALL STILL BEST IN WEST
In what likely comes as little surprise, the St. Francis High football team maintained its No. 1 ranking atop the CIF Southern Section Western Division on Monday when the weekly CIF polls were released.
The Golden Knights improved to 5-0 with a 42-7 throttling of El Rancho, which was ranked No. 5 in the Southeast, but fell to No. 10 following the loss. St. Francis is likely to encounter a far stronger test on Friday when it hosts Sherman Oaks Notre Dame (4-1), ranked fourth in the latest Pac-5 poll.
Crescenta Valley’s football team, despite its lopsided win against Glendale, stayed at No. 8 in the Southeast rankings.
In girls’ volleyball, Flintridge Prep debuted at No. 7 in the lastest Division 3-A rankings.
Crescenta Valley’s boys’ water polo squad remained at No. 2 as it enters what is likely its most arduous Pacific League stretch of the season, as it will face Hoover today and Glendale, which remained ranked No. 7, on Thursday.
Flintridge Prep’s cross-country programs stayed put with the boys at No. 3 in Division V and the girls at No. 5 in the same division. Crescenta Valley’s girls’ team debuted in the Division I rankings at No. 13.
THE GHOST SET FOR RING RETURN
Up-and-coming Glendale boxer Gapo “The Ghost” Tolmajyan is tenatively set to return to competition on Oct. 30 at a card in Las Vegas, according to hyefighters.com.
Tolmajyan’s camp at Glendale Fighting Club said it will be an event under the banner of Golden Boy Promotions, but no other details are currently known.
The 23-year-old super featherweight is currently 6-1 with one win via knockout. His last fight was a majority decision win against Hugo Ramos on June 12 at “Glendale Glory” at the Glendale Civic Auditorium. Tolmajyan, who has four straight victories, soon traveled back to his native Armenia where he was married.
In related news, Glendale mixed martial arts fighter Karen Darabedyan was named the HyeFighter of the Month for the website for September. Darabedyan defeated Estevan Payan via first-round technical knockout on Sept. 12 in Texas at Shark Fights 6. He improved to 8-1 with the win.
PUTTING A NAME TO THE GAME
After a season’s hiatus from a regular nonleague encounter, the Crescenta Valley High and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy girls’ soccer teams are ready to make an annual meeting a tradition.
Thus they’ve even given it a name.
Thus the Dec. 12 clash between the squads at Glendale Community College, where Sacred Heart will now play home matches, will be the first annual Davitt Cup, named in recognition of Glendale Community College President Dr. John Davitt.
“We are honored that Dr. Davitt has allowed his name to be put on our trophy,” Sacred Heart co-Coach Frank Pace stated in a press release. “He has been such a good friend to both the public high schools and private high schools in the area.”
The Saturday night affair will kick off at 6 p.m. at Sartoris Field, with a junior varsity game preceeding it.
“We hope to make this game an annual event for the second Saturday night of each December,” Crescenta Valley Coach Reggie Rivas stated in the release. “FSHA and CV have two of Southern California’s powerhouse soccer programs and this game will provide a great showcase for our two teams.”
QUARTERBACK CLUB TO HOLD SIXTH MEETING
The Glendale YMCA Quarterback Club will hold its sixth meeting at 11:30 a.m. today at The Elk’s Lodge, 120 E. Colorado St., Glendale. The club, which is in its 67th year, is geared to support the Crescenta Valley, Hoover, Glendale and St. Francis high football teams and the Glendale Community College football program.
Mark Jackson, a senior associate athletic director at USC, will be the guest speaker.