Tologs rise to California’s top spot
GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
FSHA RANKED
NO. 1 IN ESPN RISE
Off to an undefeated start, the Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy soccer team has been bestowed the lofty status of being the No. 1-ranked team in the state, according to the latest ESPN Rise poll, which was released on Monday.
Sacred Heart, which will no doubt receive a rather high mark when today’s FAB 50 national rankings are released, improved to 4-0 on Monday with a 2-1 win over Bishop’s School, the only team that technically defeated the Tologs last season when they won a first-ever CIF Southern California Division III Regionals Championships title.
Bishop’s is ranked 16th in the state by ESPN Rise.
Sacred Heart led on Monday, 1-0, on a first-half goal from Katie Johnson off a Breeana Koemans assist. After Bishop’s tied it in the 58th minute, Koemans scored the game-winner off a Johnson assist in the 60th minute.
REID, EAGLES
WIN WILD ONE
For Philadelphia Eagles Coach Andy Reid, a former Glendale Community College football player, Sunday’s 38-31 victory against the host New York Giants might have been one of the wildest since he took over the job in 1999.
Things didn’t look good for Philadelphia, which was in danger of falling into second place in the National Football Conference’s East Division behind the Giants. In the fourth quarter, New York owned a 31-10 victory with less than eight minutes remaining in the contest.
Then, the Eagles turned things — and their season — around quickly.
Behind quarterback Michael Vick, the Eagles (10-4) completed an improbable comeback with four touchdowns. The Eagles knotted the game at 31 when Vick tossed a 13-yard touchdown pass to Jeremy Maclin with 1:16 left.
Then, with the Giants forced to punt, the Eagles completed their comeback in dramatic fashion. With 14 seconds left, a 36-yard punt by Matt Dodge was fielded and dropped by DeSean Jackson. Jackson scooped up the loose ball and ran it back 65 yards for a touchdown on the final play of the game.
“You know, I can’t name another one of these,” Reid told the Philadelphia Inquirer. “This is a special one. I mean this is exciting.”
Philadelphia can clinch the division championship Sunday with a victory against the visiting Minnesota Vikings or a loss by the Giants on the road against the Green Bay Packers.
KANDA HAS MORE
NEVADA SUCCESS
With his days as a standout at UNLV behind him, golfer Brett Kanda is still finding success in Nevada.
The Flintridge Prep graduate finished in a three-way tie for third at the 2010 Nevada Open, which concluded Friday.
Kanda shot a three-day 202, two strokes behind tourney winner Brady Schnell.
Kanda opened with a three-under 69 and end with one, as well, sandwiched around his best round, a second-day 64.
Kanda is likely to return to action and his quest to qualify for the PGA Tour in January.