FACES IN THE CROWD
GEHRIG DIETER SOUTH BEND > FOOTBALL
Gehrig, a senior wide receiver and safety at Washington High, caught 12 passes for 447 yards and three touchdowns to break the national single-game receiving-yardage record (421) in a 63--10 win over Elkhart Central. He also returned an interception 46 yards for a score. In the season opener, a 46--23 victory over Bloomington North, he had 373 yards to break the Indiana state receiving-yardage record. Last year Gehrig led the team in receptions (48), receiving yards (988) and TDs (11).
MONICA GONYO NEW BERLIN, WIS. > SOCCER
Gonyo, a freshman at Loyola University of Chicago, had five total saves in 1--0 victories over Bowling Green and Gonzaga to give the Ramblers season-opening back-to-back shutouts for the first time in school history. In July she won the Golden Glove award at the U.S. Youth Soccer tournament after leading the FC Milwaukee under-18 club to the national title. In her junior year at Catholic Memorial High, she had a school-record 20 shutouts and helped carry the team to the Division II state title.
JESSICA RADMILOVIC PINE GROVE, CALIF. > SEATED WATERSKIING
Radmilovic, a 25-year-old graduate student studying recreation therapy at Sacramento State, won five medals in the women's MP2 category at the Disabled Water Ski World Championships to help the U.S. to its second straight team gold. Radmilovic, who was paralyzed from the waist down in a snowboarding accident at age 16, won gold in the women's seated slalom—setting an MP2 world record—and silver in seated tricks, jumping and overall, as well as in the tournament overall.
MIA CROONQUIST VASHON, WASH. > ROWING
Mia, a 15-year-old sophomore at Vashon Island High who is attending Hawaii Preparatory Academy, became the youngest U.S. girl ever to compete at the world championships, winning gold with the national junior women's team in Eton, England, last month. With Mia in the number 2 seat, her four-woman boat finished in 6:48.77 to edge the host country by 1.76 seconds. In June her high school team finished second in the quadruple sculls at youth nationals.
STEELE JOHNSON CARMEL, IND. > DIVING
Steele, a sophomore at Laurel Springs, won gold medals in four of five events at junior nationals in Knoxville, Tenn., to become a 10-time national champion and earn a spot on the U.S. team at this week's Junior Pan-Americans. He won individual gold in the three-meter and platform events and paired with Dashiell Enos to win the synchronized three-meter and platform. A week later he was the youngest diver at nationals to advance to the men's individual platform finals, finishing sixth.
COURTNEY BERGER STRATFORD, N.J. > ROWING
LOUIS DAY HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. > TRACK AND FIELD
Berger, a sophomore coxswain at Nova Southeastern, and Day, a junior weight thrower at South Carolina, won the NCAA's sportsmanship awards. Berger climbed into a boat to assist a competitor having trouble breathing at the SIRA regatta. Day spoke up after officials awarded him two extra meters on a throw at the SEC indoor championships.
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DRIVE TIME
Dale Earnhardt Jr. joined Hendrick Motorsports in 2008, taking over the seat held by Kyle Busch. Clearly, team owner Rick Hendrick has no regrets about the move—last week he signed Earnhardt (right) to a five-year extension—but a glance at the two drivers' Sprint Cup results in the years since suggest it wasn't exactly an upgrade.
Earnhardt | Busch | |
132 | RACES | 132 |
1 | WINS | 19 |
18 | TOP 5s | 49 |
38 | TOP 10s | 67 |
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JOSE CARLOS FAJARDO/CONTRA COSTA TIMES/MCT/LANDOV (EARNHARDT JR.)
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MCDONALD STUDIO (DIETER)
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STEVE WOLTMANN (GONYO)
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CHUCK NADEAU (RADMILOVIC)
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SAGE MORGAN (CROONQUIST)
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JILL JOHNSON (JOHNSON)
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J.C. RIDLEY (BERGER)
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA MEDIA RELATIONS (DAY)