Temple City

La Cañada?s baseball team had a chance to win its Rio Hondo league opener on the road last Friday, as they visited the Rams of Temple City. Despite an early lead, the Spartans could not hang on, losing 7-5. Temple City?s Brian Dearth was off to a solid start. Nine pitches, two strikeouts, two batters faced. Then came a hit, followed by another hit, followed by a third hit, and finally followed by a walk. Before it was said and done, Dearth faced seven batters, allowed two La Cañada runs to score and had a runner in scoring position.

BOYS' SWIMMING La Cañada 145, Temple City 45: The Spartans improved to 3-0 in their Rio Hondo League opener at Temple City Thursday. La Cañada dominated, winning every event on the day. GIRLS' SWIMMING Temple City 86, La Cañada 84: It all came down to the final race of Thursday's Rio Hondo League opener at Temple City. While the Spartans received standout, multi-win efforts from Sammy Campbell and Rachel Wong, they still fell at Temple City's pool. “It was a great effort today, losing by two,” said La Cañada assistant swim coach Meg Patrick, who helps head up the girls' team.

BASEBALL La Cañada 5, Temple City 1: Justin Lewis tossed a two-hitter and went one for three with a triple and two runs batted in to lead the Spartans to a bounce-back Rio Hondo League win at La Cañada High Tuesday. “Justin Lewis is pitching extremely well and seems to get better as the game goes on,” said La Cañada Coach Alex Valadez, whose team was coming off a 4-2 loss to South Pasadena on March 19. “Great performance and a vital win for us after losing to South Pasadena.” Jacob Yonan and Tommy Phillips also had hits and an RBI in the win for La Cañada, which improved to 4-2, 2-1 in league.

After losing the Rio Hondo league opener at Temple City and losing four of the last five, La Cañada High?s bats woke up in the rematch against the Rams at home for an 11-8 victory on Tuesday. Spartan starter Pete Williams pitched a shutout for the first three innings and the offense spotted him seven runs before the Rams scored two runs in the fourth inning. La Cañada (7-5, 2-4 in league) had 10 batters with at least one hit, as the Spartans offense connected for 13 hits, seven walks and four stolen bases.

TEMPLE CITY - Any time the La Cañada High softball team has Olivia Leyva on base, it's a good sign. That again proved to be the case Friday, when La Cañada met host Temple City in a Rio Hondo League contest. Leyva had two hits, stole three bases and scored two runs to help La Cañada pick up a 7-3 win. “Olivia brings everything to us, from being steady on offense and defense to providing leadership,” said La Cañada Coach KC Mathews, whose team improved to 14-7, 7-2 and is trailing Monrovia (8-1)

TEMPLE CITY - One of the main reasons the La Cañada High boys' basketball team rode into Friday night on a four-game winning streak in the Rio Hondo League was because of its ability to shoot the three-pointer. Well, the Spartans ran into the hotter hand at Temple City High Friday night. The Rams nailed 15 three-pointers en route to a commanding 73-47 victory, which locked them up at least a share of the league title. “They're the best team in the league this year,” La Cañada Coach Tom Hofman said of Temple City.

LA CAÑADA - Pretty or ugly, all that matters for the La Cañada High baseball team is winning, as it holds a narrow lead atop the rest of the Rio Hondo League with two games left in its regular season. The Spartans pulled out what was described by their coach Alex Valadez as a “sloppy, extremely sloppy” 9-7 league win over Temple City at home Friday. “It's kind of gone both ways a little bit right now, and all I can say is I'm happy we're on the good side of it,” chuckled Valadez, whose team improved to 12-6, 7-3 in league to maintain a slim lead over second-place Monrovia (15-4, 5-3)

The Spartan freshman baseball team prevailed 9-8 against Temple City on March 29 in a closely contested game. La Cañada was leading 8-6 heading into the seventh inning when Temple City scored two runs to tie the score. Josh Hanson walked to start the bottom of the seventh, and then stole second and third base. Troy Marderosian singled home Hanson to secure the victory. Cole Kendall pitched six strong innings for La Cañada, striking out four and allowing five hits. The La Cañada offense had three hits a piece from Michael Knopf and Marderosian, two hits from Ben Drake, a triple from Paul Lee, and singles from Adam Overgaard, Michael Lee, Kendall and Hanson.

TEMPLE CITY - Any time the La Cañada High softball team has Olivia Leyva on base, it's a good sign. That again proved to be the case Friday, when La Cañada met host Temple City in a Rio Hondo League contest. Leyva had two hits, stole three bases and scored two runs to help La Cañada pick up a 7-3 win. “Olivia brings everything to us, from being steady on offense and defense to providing leadership,” said La Cañada Coach KC Mathews, whose team improved to 14-7, 7-2 and is trailing Monrovia (8-1)

LA CAÑADA - With San Marino High pitching ace Jeff Bain not in the lineup, the prospects, if not odds, certainly seemed in favor of the La Cañada baseball team at the onset of its Rio Hondo League home game Friday afternoon. Yet, fortune was not on the side of the Spartans, who ran into a buzz saw in the form of San Marino No. 2 pitcher Miles Glazier. The junior left-hander was direct with his fastball and economical with his pitch count, which spelled doom for a La Cañada squad that didn't capitalize on its opportunities and fell, 6-0. “The difference was we just didn't get key hits,” Spartans Coach Alex Valadez said.

SOFTBALL La Cañada 4, Temple City 1: The visiting Spartans began Rio Hondo league play Friday with a win against the defending league champion. The Spartans (6-3) scored all four of their runs in the third inning. Rio Hondo Prep 20, Flintridge Prep 4 (five innings): The Rebels lost at home Friday, dropping their second Prep League game in as many days via mercy rule. Julie Yi had two hits for the Rebels, including a double, and drove in a run during the Rebels' four-run fourth inning that drew the score to 11-4.

LA CA¿ADA - The La Cañada High boys' basketball team left no doubt Tuesday as to which team is the best in the Rio Hondo League. With an outright claim to the league title at stake, the Spartans thrashed Temple City at home, 63-48. “It's good to win the league title,” said La Cañada sophomore Ko Ko Kurdoghlian, who finished with 18 points and 12 rebounds. “It shows that we're the best in the league and it's just a good accomplishment.” The win improved the Spartans to 19-6 overall and 9-0 in Rio Hondo play.

TEMPLE CITY - With an opportunity to clinch a share of a first league title in three years, the La Cañada High girls' soccer team certainly wasted little time Tuesday afternoon. The visiting Spartans scored two goals within the first six minutes of their Rio Hondo League match and had little difficulty in a 4-0 victory at Temple City High. With the triumph, the CIF Southern Section Division V second-ranked Spartans continued their unbeaten run as the squad improved to 17-0-1 overall and 8-0-1 in league, which secured La Cañada half of its first league championship since the 2010-11 season.

TEMPLE CITY - Recently, the Temple City High boys' basketball team has taken over the top spot in the Rio Hondo League and La Cañada wants it back. La Cañada has won at least a share of 10 of the last 12 Rio Hondo league titles as part of Spartans Coach Tom Hofman's 21 Rio Hondo League titles in his 28-year varsity career at the school. However, last season it was Temple City that took home the Rio Hondo League crown, going undefeated along the way. The two schools matched up Friday night for the first time this season in a key league contest with the Rams as host.

BOYS' BASKETBALL Flintridge Prep 61, Chadwick 60 (double overtime): Andrew Tsangeos hit a three-pointer as time expired to lift the host Rebels in a Prep League contest on Friday evening. Tsangeos finished with a game-high 30 points to help the Rebels improve to 7-11, 3-0 in league. Robert Cartwright contributed 15 points for Flintridge Prep. St. Francis 68, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 56: The host Golden Knights received 15 points apiece from Evan Crawford and Kyle Leufroy to earn a Mission League victory Friday.

LA CAÑADA - It had been so far, so good for the La Cañada High girls' soccer team this season. Even more, it had been so far, so perfect for the Spartans in the win column on the campaign, with the squad garnering 11 wins in 11 games going into their third Rio Hondo league contest. The Spartans put that unblemished record on the line when they welcomed Temple City to their home pitch in a Rio Hondo League matchup Friday afternoon. La Cañada had no problem handling the Rams and came away with a 6-0 victory.

As reported via the school's athletic Twitter account @lacanadasports , La Canada High football Coach James Sims will not return for a third season with the Spartans. The tweet, which was released at roughly 5:30 p.m. Friday evening, read: “LCHS has decided to not renew the contract of head football coach James Sims, whose record was 7-14 in two seasons.” Sims, who was hired in 2012, navigated a 2-8 season for the Spartans in his first year after an abbreviated offseason with the program.