Original Issue

Faces in the Crowd

Author:
Alexandra Fenwick

Lauren Burress

STANLEY, N.D. > Freestyle Kayaking

Lauren, a sophomore at Stanley High, landed a Space Godzilla trick, an aerial cartwheel with a 90-degree rotation, to win gold at the junior women's worlds in Plattling, Germany, with a total of 196 points. In June she finished fourth in the women's division of the Teva Mountain Games in Vail, Colo. Last year she won the junior national and the Junior Olympic titles.

Cam Richards

GARDEN CITY, S.C. > Surfing

Cam, a sophomore at St. James High, scored 12.20 points in the finals at the National Scholastic Surfing Association nationals in Huntington Beach, Calif., to become just the second East Coaster to win the open men's title. Last month he won Quiksilver's King of the Groms title for surfers ages eight to 16 and earned a trip to the world championships in France in October.

Leila Hurst

KILAUEA, HAWAII > Surfing

Leila, a recent graduate of Kapaa High, scored 12.40 points to win the open women's division at the NSSA nationals, her fifth national title. Last month she won silver at the Quiksilver USA Championships and in May she won the Volcom VQS event, both held in Southern California. Next month she will compete in the pro junior division at the U.S. Open.

Willie Mack III

FLINT, MICH. > Golf

Mack, a senior at Bethune-Cookman, defeated defending champion Joey Garber 4 and 3 in match play to win the 100th Michigan Amateur Championship on the Heather course at Boyne Highlands, becoming the first African-American to take the title. Mack won 11 college championships in his four-year career and is a three-time Flint City Amateur champion.

Rachel Young

BLUE BELL, PA. > Rowing

Young, a recent graduate and the number 4 seat for Purdue's varsity eight, was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army between helping the Boilermakers to wins in the Aberdeen Dad Vail Regatta semis and finals in Philadelphia. Purdue beat Old Dominion to earn a berth at the Henley Women's Regatta on England's Thames River, where the team placed second.

Chris and Nick Downer

STAMFORD, CONN. > Rugby

The Downer twins, recent graduates and wings at Dartmouth, combined on a crucial second-half score and were named co-MVPs in leading the Big Green to the Sevens Collegiate Rugby Championship over Army, 32--10. Chris also tied for the tournament lead in tries, with eight.

Nominate Now on SI.com

To submit a candidate for Faces in the Crowd, go to SI.com/faces

For more on outstanding amateur athletes, follow @SI_Faces on Twitter.

PHOTO

KATHLEEN BURRESS/IN MOTION PHOTOS (BURRESS)

PHOTO

TIM MCCAIG (RICHARDS)

PHOTO

KRISTINE ICHIKAWA (HURST)

PHOTO

COURTESY OF THE MACK FAMILY (MACK)

PHOTO