PREPS

Quang Leba, a Hoover High senior who played water polo and participates in track and field for the Dynamiters, was named male athlete of the year by the San Fernando Valley Kiwanis clubs.

Leba, who has a 4.13 grade-point average, was chosen over 26 other finalists for his achievement in academics, athletics and community service. He won a $1,000 scholarship.

David Sofro of Glendale, Brian Heller of La Canada, Troy Nickell of Crescenta Valley and Armando Gonzalez of Verdugo Hills were among the finalists.

Cathleen Jones of Canyon was the female athlete of the year. Nancy Evans of Hoover, Catherine Choi of La Canada, Eun-Sil Lee of Verdugo Hills, Nada Kawar of Crescenta Valley and Johanna Walters of Glendale were among the girls finalists.

Several Glendale-area track and field athletes had outstanding performances last weekend during the Pasadena Games and the Long Beach Invitational.

Charley Welde of Crescenta Valley won one of the boys’ 400-meter events at the Pasadena Games in a personal-best 50.36 seconds. Martin Hilke of Crescenta Valley finished second in the high jump at 6-feet-6.

Hoover’s Margarito Casillas finished second in the 1,600 meters in 4 minutes 19.42 seconds, and second in the 3,200 meters in 9:14.14. Paul de la Serda of Hart won both events.

Cha Mosley of Marshall finished second in the girls’ 100-meter hurdles invitational in 15.70 seconds.

Sarah Dien of La Canada won the 1,600-meter event in the Small Schools division at the Long Beach Invitational in 5:26.80. La Canada also won the distance medley in 13:02.01.

The Crescenta Valley boys’ swimming team entered the week unbeaten after defeating Glendale, 112-54, in a Pacific League meet.

The Falcons, who are coached by former Glendale coach Pete Loporchio, won all but three events in the meet.

Kacie Motley of Muir High scored 29 points to lead the West team to a 128-113 victory over the East in the West San Gabriel Valley boys’ all-star basketball game Saturday.

Chad Reese of Hoover added 15 points for the West, and Hai Tran of Glendale had 15 points and nine assists. Brandon Crane of La Canada scored 14 points; Joe Khouzam of Hoover, 10; Eric Danneker of La Canada, eight; Jason Pruett of St. Francis, six, and Chrag Desai of Glendale Academy, five.

Blair High’s Taya Woods led the East to a 62-56 victory over the West in the girls’ game.

Nancy Evans of Hoover scored 15 points for the West. Keri Peterson of Crescenta Valley scored 12 points; Melissa Lord of La Canada, seven; Denise Gutierrez of Flintridge Sacred Heart, six, and Erin McGoldrick of Sacred Heart, three. Nada Kawar of Crescenta Valley, Gloria Nunez of La Canada and Melanie Slocum of Flintridge Prep each scored two points.

COMMUNITY COLLEGES

The Glendale College baseball team entered the week 12-10 and 8-8 in the Western State Conference after a tumultuous week that included two losses and the one-game suspension of two players and Coach Steve Coots.

Glendale second baseman Mark Vail and outfielder Joby Lewis were suspended for their parts in a brawl that erupted after Santa Monica defeated Glendale, 11-10, in a Western State Conference game March 23 at Santa Monica. Santa Monica police were called to break up the fight but no arrests were made.

Glendale Athletic Director Jim Sartoris said Coots was suspended because a Glendale player had been ejected from a game for arguing with an umpire earlier this season. Sartoris said conference rules call for the suspension of a coach after the second ejection of a player.

With Coots, Vail and Lewis sitting in the stands, Glendale lost to Oxnard, 11-7, on Saturday.

The Vaqueros play host to Santa Barbara today and travel to Bakersfield on Saturday.

The Glendale men’s and women’s track teams will participate in the Fresno Relays this weekend.

The Vaquero men’s tennis team meets Claremont in a nonconference match today. The women’s tennis team plays at Moorpark on Friday.

COLLEGES

The Occidental baseball team entered the week 9-7-1 and 5-4 in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference.

Senior catcher Bob Kennedy is batting .413 with 10 runs batted in for the Tigers. Junior outfielder Stuart Kramer is batting .408 with a conference-leading five home runs and 20 RBIs.

PREP ATHLETE OF WEEK

Matt Taras, Crescenta Valley--Taras, a middle blocker, had seven kills and eight solo blocks for the Falcons during a nonleague sweep of La Canada.

Taras helped lead the Falcons to a 6-1 record entering this week.

COLLEGE ATHLETE OF WEEK

Bryan Kochner, Azusa Pacific--Kochner, a junior at Azusa Pacific University, was the winning pitcher for the Cougars in their 12-6 victory Monday over The Master’s College. The victory was the Cougars’ 16th in a row, which broke the school record set in 1991.

Kochner graduated from Eagle Rock High in 1989. He attended Valley College, Glendale College and San Diego State before transferring to Azusa Pacific, which is ranked No. 4 in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics.

MISCELLANY

A golf tournament sponsored by the chambers of commerce in La Canada-Flintridge, Montrose-Verdugo City and Crescenta Valley will be played May 24 at the La Canada-Flintridge Country Club. Entry is $150. Information: (818) 790-4289. . . . The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks is seeking adults to register for baseball, basketball and soccer leagues that will begin play this summer. Information: (818) 246-5613.

AREA PREP BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL POLLS

Rank, Team, Record Entering Week and Synopsis BASEBALL

1 Hoover: 6-1; Gerald De La Pena pitched a complete game as the Tornadoes beat Glendale, 5-1, on Monday to improve to 3-0 in the Pacific League. 2 Crescenta Valley: 4-3; The Falcons, who entered the week 1-1 in the Pacific League, played Pasadena on Tuesday and Arcadia on Wednesday. They are scheduled to play Hoover on Friday. 3 Glendale: 5-2; The Dynamiters managed only three hits against Hoover on Monday. Glendale plays Muir on Friday. 4 Franklin: 5-2; The Panthers, under Coach Rick Campbell, entered the week 1-1 in the City Section 3-A Division Northern Conference. 5 Eagle Rock: 3-3; The Eagles, under Coach Gary Kuniyuki, make their first appearance in the pollwith a 2-1 record in the Northern Conference. SOFTBALL

1 Hoover: 8-0-1; The Tornadoes remain atop the poll after rain washed out several games last week. 2 Crescenta Valley: 5-0; The Falcons also were victimized by rainouts and will play four games this week. 3 Glendale: 5-2; The Dynamiters defeated Duarte, 6-0, on Monday and will play three games this week against Flintridge Sacred Heart, Saugus and Canyon. 4 La Canada: 6-3; The Spartans continue to ride the pitching of Lindsay Parker as they prepare for Rio Hondo League play. 5 Flintridge Sacred Heart: 7-3; The Tologs defeated Marlborough, 22-0, in their Sunshine League opener on Monday. Rankings according to Times Glendale sportswriters’ poll.