Faces In The Crowd

Joona Puhakka, HELSINKI, FINLAND
Diving
Puhakka, a freshman at Arizona State, became the first Sun Devil to win two individual conference tides in the same year by winning the one-and three-meter springboard events at the Pac-10 championships. He was named Pac-10 Diver and Newcomer of the Year.

Elizabeth Beisel, NORTH KINGSTOWN, R.I.
Swimming
Elizabeth, a 10-year-old fifth-grader at Hamilton Elementary, set a national age-group (10 and under) record in the 200-yard IM (2:16.74) at the Eastern Zone All-Star championships. She also won the 100-yard IM and backstroke, and the 200- and 500-yard freestyle.

Leonel Manzano, MARBLE FALLS, TEXAS
Track and Field
Leonel, a junior at Marble Falls High, successfully defended his 1,600-meter title at the Texas Relay Championships, in Austin. He broke his own meet record in the event (set last year) by five seconds, with a time of 4:06.29.

Rachael Bermudez, RIALTO, CALIF.
Softball
Bermudez, a junior righthander at California Baptist, had a streak of 35 innings without allowing a run, part of a 42-inning stretch during which she did not allow an earned run. She was named NAIA National Softball Pitcher of the Week.

Theresa Wimberley, ROSELLE, ILL.
Bowling
Theresa, a senior at Lake Park High, broke the state record for a 12-game series by 175 pins on her way to winning the girls' state championship, in Rockford, Ill. Theresa's 12-game total was 2,804 pins, an average of 234 per game.

Sara Wells, SALINA, KANS.
Marathon
Wells, 24, a med school student running in her first marathon, won the U.S. Women's National Marathon Championships in St. Louis in 2:35:37. Because of that win she was named to the U.S. national team and has qualified to compete in the 2004 Olympic trials.

Elizabeth Lovell, NORTH HAVEN, MAINE
Basketball
Elizabeth, a senior guard at North Haven Community High, became the first girl to score 1,000 career points in the school's 80-year history; she finished with 1,094. She averaged 17 points, eight rebounds and five assists in 2003, and was a Mid-Coast All-Star for the fourth time.