Faces in the Crowd

Lauren Gregory | Fort Collins, Colo. | Cross-country

Lauren, a sophomore at Fort Collins High, won the 5K Liberty Bell Invitational by 35 seconds in a personal-record 17:15. The defending 5A state champion, she was seventh at the Nike Cross Nationals in Portland last December, the only freshman to finish in the top 40. Lauren also won a state title in the 3,200 meters (10:39.58) in May.

Anthony Griffith | Moose Creek, Alaska | Football

Anthony, a senior running back at Ben Eielson High, ran for 516 yards and eight touchdowns on 42 carries to set the state single-game rushing record in a 52--34 win over Nikiski High. In May, Anthony won the Class 1-2-3A state titles in the 100- (11.24) and 200-meter (22.62) dashes and was second in the long jump (20'11½").

Mika Liu | Beverly Hills, Calif. | Golf

Mika, a sophomore at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., shot a nine-under 279 to win the world junior girls' championship at Angus Glen Golf Club in Markham, Ont. She also led the three-member U.S. team to a title, defeating runner-up Sweden by 18 strokes with a 17-under 559. Mika is ranked 48th in the world among amateur women.

Erik Henrikson | Laguna Beach, Calif. | Water Polo

Henrikson, a junior goalkeeper at Johns Hopkins, made a career-best 18 saves in a 10--9 win over Princeton, helping the Blue Jays become the first Division III team to upset a Collegiate Water Polo Association squad ranked in the top 10. Last season Henrikson was named MVP of the D-III tournament for leading Hopkins to a record 15th title.

Charlotte Craddock | Wolverhampton, England | Field Hockey

Craddock, a senior forward at North Carolina, scored the decisive goal in the fourth minute of overtime for a 3--2 victory over Boston College. Two days later she broke another tie with 10 minutes left to defeat Connecticut 2--1. Through Sunday, Craddock led the top-ranked Tar Heels with nine goals, five of them game-winners.

Ben Rogers | San Jose | Archery

Rogers, 67, a general contractor who competes with a recurve barebow, was one third of the gold-medal-winning U.S. team at the world field championships in Zagreb, Croatia, beating France 62--55 in the final. (He was joined by Jesse Broadwater, 30, and Brady Ellison, 25.) Rogers also placed fourth in the individual barebow competition.

Sports Illustrated HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE MONTH

Presented by THE U.S. MARINE CORPS

Malik McMorris, a 6-foot, 290-pound senior defensive end and fullback at Mater Dei High in Santa Ana, Calif., captains the Monarchs' top 10 nationally ranked football team, threw a personal-best 60'9½" in shot put to clinch a state team track title in June and has played three years of JV basketball.

As the oldest of five he has also been a pillar for his family since his mother, Lucy, died of breast cancer last January. She had shared Malik's dream of competing in Division I football and track, and he's continued to excel both on the field (since being selected for SI's Athlete of the Month honor, he's been chosen to play in the Semper Fidelis All-American Bowl game in January) and in the classroom (he has a 3.7 GPA). "If something's hard, my mom went through worse, so why should I give up when she couldn't?" Malik asks.

For more on his story—including an extended video—and to nominate your own candidate, visit SI.com/HSathlete

Nominate Now

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.

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LEONARD ORTIZ/ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER (MCMORRIS)

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COURTESY OF JOE GREGORY (GREGORY)

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COURTESY OF DAVID DEVAUGHN (GRIFFITH)

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JENNA MORR/IMG ACADEMY (LIU)

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JOHNS HOPKINS ATHLETICS (HENRIKSON)

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UNC ATHLETIC COMMUNICATIONS (CRADDOCK)

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COURTESY OF BEN ROGERS (ROGERS)