Pasadena Poly

PASADENA - The Pasadena Polytechnic and Westridge School softball teams learned a couple of things on Wednesday. Poly realized its still in the hunt for a Prep League title. Westridge learned it will have some work to do heading into the homestretch of the season, as the Panthers defeated the host Tigers, 6-1, in a league tilt. With the win, Poly improved to 11-5 overall and 7-2 in Prep League play with three games remaining, while Westridge fell to 7-6, 5-4. Rio Hondo Prep sits in first in league at 8-1. “It showed we can still compete,” said Poly's Alex Clark, citing that the team lost to Rio Hondo two weeks ago and needed a pick me up. Clark and pitcher DeeDee Logan did their parts in the victory.

PASADENA - On an afternoon in which low scores were at a premium and the vast majority of golfers struggled, both the Pasadena Poly and Flintridge Prep boys' golf teams advanced seven of the Prep League's 12 individual entries out of Tuesday afternoon's preliminaries at par-72 Brookside Golf Course No. 2 into Thursday's league finals. “There were a few golfers that expected to shoot in the high 60s and more in the low 70s,” Rebels Coach Bob Loughrie said. “I think the majority expected to shoot better than they did today.” The goals were twofold for Tuesday's participants - to shoot well enough to not only advance to Thursday's league finals, but also to be in contention since the scores from Tuesday's affair carried over to the finals.

PASADENA - Going into the stretch run of the Prep League baseball season, Pasadena Poly, which has won 17 straight league titles, finds itself sitting in third looking up in the standings and the CIF Southern Section Division VI rankings to second-place Flintridge Prep and league leader Webb. “The league has come a long way,” Poly Coach Wayne Ellis said. “There are nice teams, but we're still a nice team. Anyone who underestimates us is making a big mistake. Not to say we can't be had, but we are still a nice ball club.” PHOTOS: Pasadena Poly vs. Flintridge Prep baseball Facing rival Flintridge Prep, ranked sixth in the division, the Panthers fell behind early, but on the strength of two home runs by Poly's Zach Bern, the Panthers pulled out a hard-fought 7-5 victory Tuesday afternoon at Ochari D'aiell Field to keep the continuation of their Prep league dynasty in the realm of possibility.

Only a few days removed from triumphing at the Rio Hondo League Individual Tournament, San Marino High tennis players Danny Gealer, Robert Carter and James Wade looked for more glory at the 113th Ojai Valley Junior Tournament. Carter and Gealer, like Wade, fresh off winning Rio Hondo League individual titles, advanced all the way to the Ojai CIF boys doubles finals, falling in a three-set battle to University's Drew Dawson and Tyler Lu, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3 on Saturday afternoon. It was Gealer and Carter's third consecutive three-set match.

BASEBALL Pasadena Poly 15, La Verne Lutheran 1 (five innings): Senior Luke Asperger had a memorable day, connecting on two solo homers, while scoring four total runs in a nonleague blowout victory Thursday afternoon at home. Senior catcher Caleb Lee joined the hit parade for Poly (11-6), as Lee was four for four with two doubles, three runs and one RBI. Griffin Carter scored two runs for Poly, while Michael Bowman drove in two runs. San Marino 4, Hacienda Heights Wilson 0: Senior Jay Davis made his surprise start on the mound matter when the hurler tossed a three-hit shutout in a nonleague home victory Thursday afternoon.

ARCADIA - Co-champions in Prep league softball last season, Pasadena Poly and Rio Hondo Prep were tied once again atop the league standings as they squared off Friday afternoon on the Kares' home turf, with the winner taking over sole possession of the top spot with five games to go. The Panthers jumped out early only to see the Kares turn their four-run deficit into a four-run advantage late before nipping Poly at the line for a 10-7 victory....

PASADENA - Over the last two seasons, Pasadena Poly striker Noel Askins has earned her share of acclaim. The 5-foot-2 junior was the 2011-12 Prep League Offensive Most Valuable Player and an All-Area first-teamer. This past season, Askins was chosen as both a Prep League and CIF Southern Section Division III first-team selection after leading the area with 28 goals and 23 assists. Overall, Askins finished with nine multi-goal matches (including three hat tricks), while contributing at least one point in 23 of Poly's 26 matches.

PASADENA - An already amazing start to the season for the Pasadena Poly boys' tennis team turned unbelievable Wednesday afternoon. Down in points and games with only two sets remaining, the Panthers rallied for consecutive victories and came ahead by the narrowest of margins, topping visiting defending Prep League champion Chadwick School, 9-9 (75-74), in the league opener for the Panthers at Pasadena City College. With the victory, Poly (8-0) continued its undefeated run. “I hadn't seen Chadwick before this match, but my expectation was to win,” Panthers first-year Coach Sheryl Bakalov said.

BOYS' TENNIS Pasadena Poly 11, Mark Keppel 7: Behind the strength of their singles play, the Panthers remained undefeated this season with a nonleague road victory Wednesday afternoon versus then-beaten Mark Keppel. Singles No. 1 and 2 players Henry La Soya and Matthew Johnson led the way for Poly (6-0) as the duo each finished 3-0 in picking up six valuable points. No. 3 player Andrew Ruys de Perez added another singles' win as Poly finished 7-2 in singles. On the doubles side, the pairs of Sachin Puri/Andrew Trojan and Austin Gee/Ryan Kidman both finished 2-1 in picking up the Panthers' four other points.