FACES IN THE CROWD

Ella Eastin | Irvine, Calif. | Swimming

Ella, a senior at Crean Lutheran High, came within a half second of the national high school record to win the 200-yard individual medley at the first statewide swim meet in California history, in 1:54.31, despite having stitches in her right hand. She set the U.S. independent school mark with a 1:53.90 at the Southern Section D-II meet. Ella will swim at Stanford.

Chase Smith | Helena, Mont. | Track and Field

Chase, a senior at Helena High, won the state 2A pole vault title, smashing the 27-year-old Montana record (15'9") with a vault of 16'4". Chase, who cleared 16'5" at the Russ Pilcher Top 10 invitational in April (which did not count toward the state mark), is the first pole vaulter in state history to clear 16 feet. He will compete at Washington.

Kasey Parker | Columbia, S.C. | Soccer

Kasey, a junior forward at Dreher High, scored five goals to help the Blue Devils win the 3A state title 7--3 over defending champion Hilton Head High. She scored 59 goals this season, including 12 through five playoff games. A three-time all-state selection and this year's South Carolina Gatorade player of the year, Kasey has committed to South Carolina.

Mukwelle Akale | Minneapolis | Soccer

Mukwelle, a recent DeLaSalle High grad and a forward for Villarreal's Juvenil A (U-19) squad in Spain, scored the lone goal on a penalty kick for the U.S. U-18 team to beat Bosnia's U-19 side in a friendly in Citluk, Bosnia. Last year he was MVP of the Canary Islands' Copa del Atlantico tournament and of the Czech Republic's International Tournament of Vàclav Je‚Äö√¢√†‚àö¬∂ek.

Gabby Thomas | Northampton, Mass. | Track and Field

Gabby, a recent Williston Northampton School grad, won four events at the Division II New England prep school championships, held in Easthampton, Mass. She set all-division meet records in her fifth straight 100-meters win (11.71) and in the triple jump (39'11"), and also won the 200 (24.77) and anchored the winning 4 √ó 100. Gabby will attend Harvard.

Wesley Berg | Coquitlam, B.C. | Lacrosse

Berg, a senior attacker at Denver, scored five goals in a 10--5 win over Maryland, earning MVP honors as the Pioneers became the first team outside the Eastern time zone to win an NCAA lacrosse title. He had eight goals in the Final Four, including an OT game-winner to beat Notre Dame 11--10 in the semis. He will play professionally for the Denver Outlaws.

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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MELISSA LUNDIE (EASTIN)

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MICHELLE LASHWAY/DEWALT STUDIO (SMITH)

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COURTESY OF MIKE DUBARD (PARKER)

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COURTESY ISIPHOTOS.COM (AKALE)

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DENNIS CROMMETT (THOMAS)

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DU ATHLETICS (BERG)