Brooke Elby, Heels coming on strong
The following are updates on local athletes at the collegiate level.
Brooke Elby (Flintridge Prep, 2011) sophomore midfielder, North Carolina women’s soccer: Riding a wave of momentum, the former Rebels standout and the Tarheels have won five matches in a row, tallied six straight shutouts and have outscored the opposition, 13-0, during the five-match winning streak.
In the latest win, North Carolina, ranked No. 6 in the country by Soccer America, throttled the University of San Diego, 5-0, on Sunday with Elby garnering two assists.
The win improved North Carolina, which opens up Atlantic Coast Conference play Thursday against Maryland, to 4-1-1. Elby has three assists and a goal for five points. She’s played in five games, including three starts, with her goal coming on Aug. 31 against Connecticut.
Katie Johnson (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2012) freshman forward, USC women’s soccer: After missing all of last season with a knee injury — aside from taking a penalty kick — the former perennial All-Area and All-Mission League honoree has been a quick study for the Trojans.
Johnson scored her first collegiate goal on Aug. 26, though it came in a 4-1 loss to Minnesota, which scored four straight after Johnson’s tally.
Johnson, who’s taken eight shots, has played and started all six of the Trojans’ games.
USC, which has struggled to a 2-3-1 record after going 0-3-1 over its last four contests, returns to action on Friday at San Diego.
Natalie Zeenni (Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, 2011) sophomore defender, Long Beach State women’s soccer: Zeenni, a transfer from New Mexico, and 20th-ranked Long Beach are rolling along.
The 49ers have gotten off to a 5-2 start as they prepare to face Texas Tech on Friday and Army on Sunday in Fullerton.
Zeenni has played in six matches and started one, with her first goal coming on Aug. 24 against St. Francis.
Nina Moore (Glendale Community College, 2010) senior, Long Beach State women’s cross-country: The former Glendale Community College state titlist’s latest accolade came Tuesday when she was named the Big West Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the Week.
Moore was the front runner for Long Beach State as it took sixth Saturday at the Adidas/UC Irvine Invitational. Moore was seventh overall in the race and the first runner who wasn’t a part of champion Arkansas’ squad.
Her time of 17 minutes 43.7 seconds was a season best and the second-best 49er time ever on the ARC Sports Fields course.
In Moore and Long Beach’s first race of the season on Sept. 1 at the Mark Covert Classic, the 49ers took second, with Moore taking fourth overall in 18:17.4. Teammate Alisia Barajas was second overall and finished just in front of Rosa Del Toro, a former 49er and Glendale college product, who ran unattached and finished third overall in 17:59.9.
Long Beach returns to action Sept. 29 at the Stanford Invitational.
Rian Younker (St. Francis High, 2009) senior defensive end, California Lutheran football: The four-year starter and multiple-time All-Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honoree began his last season with the Swordsmen in fine fashion.
Cal Lutheran opened up with a 37-23 victory over Pacific Lutheran on the road Saturday. Younker tallied five tackles, including one for a loss and half a sack.
Cal Lutheran linebacker Chris Cabrera, also a former St. Francis standout, had one tackle against Pacific Lutheran.
The Swordsmen host Linfield of Oregon on Saturday.