Wildcats

LOS ANGELES — With the crowd roaring inside what resembled an airport hangar, Anthony Cost went to the free-throw line in search of putting the finishing touches on a Harbor League championship for the Renaissance Academy basketball team. Blocking out all the distractions, Cost delivered by calmly making both free throws. He also made some crisp passes prior to that. Cost finished with 11 points, a game-high 10 assists and three steals Friday night to propel visiting Renaissance to a 56-53 victory against Ribet Academy and give the Wildcats their first Harbor League ¿¿¿crown.

BURBANK — The Burroughs High boys' basketball team was probably hoping to ease into its season opener Tuesday. But Renaissance Academy was not going to let that happen. In a pool-play game in the 42nd annual Bulldog Tip-Off Classic, the Wildcats welcomed the Indians to their new campaign with a swarming pressure defense that took Burroughs out of its game. The defensive onslaught helped cause 24 Indians turnovers, allowing the Wildcats to breeze to a 49-25 victory at Burbank High.

On paper, the Rio Hondo League championship was up for grabs in Friday night?s match-up between La Cañada and Monrovia. Yet, it was an entirely different story on field, as the only thing colder than the on-field temperature was the Spartan offense. Wildcat quarterback Nick Bueno almost single-handedly claimed the Rio Hondo title for Monrovia (9-0, 4-0), as the junior rushed for 208 yards and three touchdowns on 11 carries and completed 10 of 14 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns en route to a 43-7 victory over the Spartans in La Cañada?

The La Cañada boys' varsity baseball team edged host Monrovia, 2-1, in a light rain last Thursday afternoon to move into a two-way tie for first place with Temple City in the Rio Hondo League standings. The Spartans, who improved to 15-3 overall and to 10-3 in league, traveled to Temple City on Tuesday for a pivotal game that could decide the league championship. The Spartans scheduled their ace, Matt Sprowles, against the Rams' pitching whiz, Ryan Tucker. Results were not available at press time.

There?s still two weeks left in the regular season before the CIF Southern Section Division III-A playoffs begin for the Renaissance Academy boys? basketball team, which will attempt to claim the program?s first CIF crown after appearing in the title game the previous three seasons. For now, the Wildcats are ranked No. 1 in the latest CIF poll. Renaissance Academy showed why Monday afternoon during a 64-47 nonleague home victory against Brentwood. Four athletes scored 10-or-more points to help the Wildcats (21-2)

LA CAÑADA - In a first-place matchup between Rio Hondo League heavyweights, there was no shortage of power for either the La Cañada High softball team or visiting Monrovia. On Friday night, both teams belted two home runs each. But Monrovia added a pair of off-the-wall run-scoring doubles to get the better of the Spartans in a rainy 8-6 league victory. PHOTOS: Pair of doubles leads Monrovia to 8-6 victory over LCHS “There's some power in both lineups. That's a very good hitting team right there,” said La Cañada Coach KC Mathews, whose Spartans lost for the second time in league, the first coming against Temple City and both defeats coming against teams they had previously defeated.

The Renaissance Academy boys' varsity basketball team continues to have its way with teams in the latter part of the season. The Wildcats glided by Los Angeles Lycee International, 76-33, to improve to 14-4 overall and to 4-0 in American League. Earlier, Pacific Lutheran scored a respectable 63 points against Renaissance Academy in nonleague play on Jan. 17. However, the Wildcats finished with a remarkable 89 points against Pacific to capture the contest. The teams each scored 14 points in the first quarter and the Wildcats only led 37-33 at the break.

The Renaissance Academy boys' varsity basketball team won its third American League contest in a row last Saturday, easily defeating Los Angeles Natan Eli, 80-22. The Wildcats improved to 12-4 overall and to 3-0 in league. Over the last two seasons, Renaissance Academy has usually defeated its league opponents by big margins. The Wildcats received a surprise last Friday as they went up against a league opponent who made them work for their win. They had to put in more effort than usual in order to beat host Los Angeles Windward, 58-52.

A strong first quarter performance helped the Renaissance Academy boys' varsity basketball team hold off Reseda, 65-60, last Saturday for fifth place in the Reseda Winter Slam Tournament Championship. The Wildcats, who upped their record to 7-1, began play on Tuesday in the Cornerstone Christian Christmas Classic with a game against Temecula Linfield Christian. No results were available at press time. Renaissance went up 25-16 after one quarter, led only 33-31 at the half, but moved ahead 48-42 after three quarters.

LA CAÑADA - In a first-place matchup between Rio Hondo League heavyweights, there was no shortage of power for either the La Cañada High softball team or visiting Monrovia. On Friday night, both teams belted two home runs each. But Monrovia added a pair of off-the-wall run-scoring doubles to get the better of the Spartans in a rainy 8-6 league victory. PHOTOS: Pair of doubles leads Monrovia to 8-6 victory over LCHS “There's some power in both lineups. That's a very good hitting team right there,” said La Cañada Coach KC Mathews, whose Spartans lost for the second time in league, the first coming against Temple City and both defeats coming against teams they had previously defeated.

MONROVIA - Olivia Lam understands the pressure of handling two-out at-bats with runners in scoring position. It's something she's been successful at during her career. The La Cañada High softball player proved she could handle the situation during a crucial plate appearance Wednesday. Lam delivered a bases-loaded double with two outs in the fourth inning to help visiting La Cañada pick up an 8-3 victory against Monrovia in a key Rio Hondo League contest. La Cañada improved to 10-5, 3-0 in league.

LA CAÑADA - For the second consecutive week, the La Cañada High football team was bested by an evidently superior league opponent. One week after falling to San Marino, the Spartans did little to prevent a 77-0 loss to the visiting Monrovia Wildcats Thursday night, suffering their largest defeat of the season. La Cañada couldn't muster anything on offense, managing 105 yards while its defense was overwhelmed by Monrovia's running game that totaled 221 yards. Moreover, seven turnovers and multiple blunders on special teams didn't help a La Cañada squad that fell to 3-5 and 1-3 in the Rio Hondo League.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE - For the first time this season, the La Cañada High girls' volleyball team had both its standout outside hitters - Micaela Anderson and Kendall Walbrecht - in the lineup for a Rio Hondo League match with Monrovia at home Tuesday. Anderson returned to the lineup after she'd missed the previous four matches with an injury and helped La Cañada sweep the Wildcats, 25-19, 25-19, 25-10. The senior finished with eight kills, while Walbrecht added a team-high 14. “It feels really good [to be back]

On three occasions, the Renaissance Academy boys' basketball program has vied for a CIF Southern Section Division championship only to come up short. But many believe this season may very well be the best chance of them all. Renaissance, as expected, was bestowed the No. 1 seed in the Division 6 tournament on Sunday and will begin its championship quest on Wednesday when it hosts St. Monica Academy. “I think our schedule was tougher than a lot of teams in higher divisions,” said Wildcats Coach Sid Cooke.

It would have been easy to count out the La Cañada High boys' soccer team on two different occasions in its regular season finale at Monrovia Thursday. But Jeff Becker, a senior forward for the Spartans, wasn't going to accept a loss even after it looked like the Wildcats had sealed the Rio Hondo League crown when Monrovia's Arturo Ramirez scored off a corner kick five minutes into stoppage time to give his team a one-goal lead. Most of the Wildcats began celebrating like the game was over, but Becker took the ensuing kick, raced down the field and worked his way around multiple defenders down the right side of Monrovia's box in a matter of seconds.

PASADENA — The regular season mercifully ended with the Renaissance Academy boys' basketball team likely skidding sideways into the CIF Southern Section Division 6 playoffs. The Wildcats were held to just nine points in the fourth quarter of a 57-56 loss to Ribet Academy at the Pasadena Boys' and Girls' Club on Tuesday night to fall to 19-6 and finish 1-2 for third place in the Harbor League's gold division. As the third-place team in their league's division, the Wildcats, who are ranked atop Division 6, are still likely to get an at-large playoff berth, according to Coach Sid Cooke, but that was of little consolation to the coach, who has seen his team end the regular season on a three-game skid, while losing four of its last six overall.

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE — Clinging to a one-goal lead in a first-place Rio Hondo League showdown with Monrovia High, La Cañada High boys' soccer Coach Alex Harrison looked to kill some clock. The Spartans earned a goal kick in stoppage time Friday after a Monrovia corner kick went out of bounds untouched. Harrison asked the referee for a substitution, but was denied by the referee, who told Harrison it was at his digression to allow subs in stoppage time. "I've never had that happen before," Harrison said.

MONROVIA — The city of Monrovia celebrated the second straight CIF Southern Section Mid-Valley Division championship won by the Monrovia High football team with a parade Thursday night. Before all the pomp took place, the La Cañada High wrestling team showed it still holds the bragging rights over the Wildcats on the mat as it picked up a 59-19 Rio Hondo League win at Monrovia Thursday. It's the second year in a row the Spartans defeated Monrovia — albeit much differently — as La Cañada pulled out a dramatic 34-33 home victory in last year's dual.