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FOOTBALL

PAUL ZUNIGA

Sr., San Gabriel Gabrielino

Then: Brought up to the varsity midway through his sophomore season, Zuniga showed immediate promise as a quarterback in a run-oriented offense, completing 52% of his 101 passes for 657 yards and six touchdowns with six interceptions. He was a bit better as a junior, completing 53% for 1,893 yards and 14 touchdowns with 12 interceptions, and the Eagles (7-5, 4-1) finished second to El Monte Arroyo in the Mission League.

Now: Hardly an intimidating presence at 5 feet 9 and 160 pounds, Zuniga has matured into a good high school quarterback. Last week, he completed 14 of 18 passes for 435 yards and seven touchdowns in a 56-20 victory over San Gabriel. He has completed 75% (65 of 87) for 1,181 yards and 13 touchdowns with only two interceptions as Gabrielino has improved to 4-0, one of four undefeated Mission Valley teams.

Quote: “The kids really believe in him,” Coach Vince Lopez said. “He doesn’t have a big football body where he’s going to step into a game and intimidate you, but he’s a gamer. He’s gritty and he gets after it. He’s not a yeller and screamer -- he’s a quiet guy -- but the team can see it in his eyes that we always have a chance when he’s in there.”

-- Martin Henderson

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GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

ROBYN GUGGIANA

Sr., Downey Warren

Then: The two-time defending San Gabriel Valley League champion finished eighth at the prestigious Mt. San Antonio College Invitational last year, setting a school record of 18 minutes 17 seconds. Guggiana won the “Sunset in the Park” 2.8-mile race at Huntington Beach’s Central Park in August.

Now: Last month, Guggiana finished third in the Division I race at the Stanford Invitational. Last week, she was first at the Warren Stauffer Invitational, covering the three-mile course at Hollydale Park in South Gate in 17:26. Guggiana broke her meet record by 11 seconds, despite taking a wrong turn in the final mile. She also holds the meet record for the sophomore and junior divisions and is the only female to run under 18 minutes in meet history. Guggiana has scheduled an official visit to New Mexico and also is interested in Michigan State, Utah and Colorado State.

Quote: “I’ve run in the 17s a couple times and the low 18s,” Guggiana said. “I feel like I’m doing a good job this season, but there’s always room for improvement.”

-- Dan Arritt

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GIRLS’ TENNIS

LOGAN HANSEN

Fr., Los Angeles Brentwood

Then: A highly ranked prodigy almost from the time she took up tennis at 4, Hansen, now 14, won the Teen Tennis International girls’ 14’s singles tournament in Britain and teamed with Alexa Glatch of Newport Beach to win the girls’ 14 doubles title of the Easter Bowl/USTA Super National Championships last year. She followed that by winning the 16’s singles title at the USTA Super National Winter Championships in December.

Now: Hansen, 5-8 and 146 pounds, is a powerful baseline player with a strong forehand and an effective serve. She is 10-2 in sets in four matches as the No. 1 player at Brentwood (6-3), where she is following in the footsteps of her sister, Austin, a junior. Though Logan has only recently returned to the court after sitting out for nearly five months because of a lower-back injury, she is rounding into form. She scored a 6-3 victory over North Hollywood Campbell Hall senior Ally Krasnopolsky in a 10-8 victory for the Eagles last week that ended Campbell Hall’s 27-match winning streak.

Quote: “Pretty much all tennis players think highly of themselves. You have to,” Hansen said. “You won’t find a tennis player who will say, ‘I lost to that player because she’s better than me.’ I don’t think they’d even think it.”

-- Lauren Peterson