Glendale’s Kostelnik goes out on top at Nike Nationals
GLENDALE — The following are odds and ends from the local sports scene.
KOSTELNIK MAKES
LAST RUN WITH CUBS
Glendale resident Philip Kostelnik recently graduated from Loyola High, but was able to take to the track as a Cub once more for some significant races, June 18 at the New Balance Track Nationals in Greensboro, North Carolina and Saturday in the Nike Track Nationals in Eugene, Oregon.
Kostelnik captured a third-place medal in the 800 in 1 minute 53.89 seconds on Saturday at Hayward Field at the University of Oregon. In the process, he helped his seven-member Loyola contingent capture the national team championship with 8,173.24 points to beat out second-place Vista Murrieta (7,870.79).
The Cubs also finished the year as the No. 1 ranked boys’ track and field team in the country, according to niketracknationals.com.
The week prior at the New Balance Track Nationals, Kostelnik and his Loyola mates Andrew Bland, Jared Jones and Elias Gedyon captured first place in the 4x1 mile relay in 16:14.32. Kostelnik also teamed with Cubs Andrew Medina, Lee Hightower and Gedyon to place fourth in the Distance Medley Championship in 10:04.21.
GAMBURYAN LOSES
CLOSE DECISION
Making his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Sunday in Pittsburgh, Manny Gamburyan lost a close majority decision to Tyson Griffin.
The scores were announced as 29-28 twice for Griffin and 29-29. The News-Press scored the fight 29-28 for Griffin.
Gamburyan (13-7), who was fighting for the first time since losing a World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight title match to Jose Aldo on Sept. 30, 2010, won the first round after out grappling Griffin (15-5) and securing two takedowns. In the second round, Griffin used superior boxing and more leg kicks that bruised and battered Gamburyan’s lead left leg to win the round. Gamburyan was also forced to deal with two low blows in the second stanza. The third stanza was hotly contested with Gamburyan notching more takedowns, but Griffin using more good takedown defense, boxing and leg kicks to secure the win.
Gamburyan was cornered by Glendale’s Edmond Taverdyan and Roman Mitichyan, who he trains with at the Glendale Fighting Club.
Gamburyan began his days in the UFC after making it to the finals of the “Ultimate Fighter,” but after a handful of fights, dropped from 155 to 145 and to the WEC. After the UFC absorbed the WEC, Gamburyan made his return on Sunday, his first fight with the UFC since January of 2009.
KANDA MAKES
CUT IN CANADA
Flintridge Prep graduate Brett Kanda continues to move up the ladder on the 2011 Canadian Professional Golf Tour, as he tied for fourth at the Syncrude Boreal Open on Sunday at Fort McMurray Golf Club in Alberta.
The former UNLV Rebel fired a four-round, 10-under-par 258 (66-73-65-74) to share fourth with Canadian Roger Sloan and finish six strokes behind winner Danny Sahl of Canada. Kanda’s third-round score of 65 was a record for the 6,857-yard course.
Kanda claimed $6,600 in winnings at the Syncrude Boreal Open and currently sits at 28th on the tour’s 2011 money list with $7,487.51 after finishing tied for 58th at the Mexican PGA Championship May 5-8 at Estrella Del Mar in Mazatlan and tying for 45th at the Western Championship June 9-12 at Rivershore Golf Links in Kamloops, British Columbia.