ATHLETES OF THE WEEK

BOYS

Lawrence Wallace

School: Taft

Sport: Football

Year: Senior

LAST SEASON: Wallace started the season as a reserve but quickly earned a starting position. He caught 23 passes for 297 passes and scored five touchdowns. One of the fastest players in the region, Wallace was part of the Taft 1,600-meter relay that finished second in the state championships and set a regional record.

WEEK AT A GLANCE: Wallace intercepted three passes and had seven receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns in the Toreadors’ 38-22 victory over Crenshaw, after a season-opening loss to Banning. One of his touchdowns came on a 60-yard pass from wide receiver K.C. Bounds on a trick play. After two games, Wallace leads Northwest Valley Conference receivers with 12 catches for 233 yards.

GIRLS

Lauren Fleshman

SCHOOL: Canyon

SPORT: Cross-country

YEAR: Senior

LAST SEASON: Fleshman, one of nation’s top returning runners, finished second in the West region and 14th in the national championships last year.

WEEK AT A GLANCE: Fleshman cruised to an easy victory in the Woodbridge Invitational on Saturday, running 16:35 over the three-mile course to win the Division II race by 13 seconds and slash 26 seconds from the course record of 17:01 set by Melissa Sutton of Newbury Park in 1986. Her performance was doubly satisfying because she dropped out of last year’s race with a severe side cramp. “This is what she can do when she feels good the whole way,” Canyon Coach Dave DeLong said.