CLOSE-UPS

GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL

ALLIE KINCHELOE

Sr., Santa Ana Mater Dei

Then: Performed in the shadows of setter Amanda Mais, a first-team All-Southern Section selection in Division II last season. Kincheloe played a vital role off the bench for the Monarchs, who reached a section final for the fifth consecutive season and won for the third year in a row, defeating Redondo for the Division II-AA title in four games. Mallorie Croal, the division’s player of the year, is the only returning starter.

Now: Guided the Monarchs to the semifinals of the Torrey Pines tournament last weekend, when they lost in five games to San Jose Mitty, ranked second in the nation by prepvolleyball.com, in a rematch of last season’s Division II state finalists. Kincheloe had 42 assists against Mitty and 51 in a four-game victory over host Torrey Pines in a quarterfinal.

Quote: “When she gets like that, they have to make sure they get fired up for her,” Mater Dei Coach Karin Thomsen said of Kincheloe’s enthusiasm.

-- Dan Arritt

FOOTBALL

TRAVON TITUS

Jr., Harbor City Narbonne

Then: Started seven games at running back last season for the Gauchos, who finished 6-6. Titus rushed for more than 1,000 yards but was unavailable to the team in its City Section Championship Division playoff games against Lake Balboa Birmingham and Sylmar because of academic ineligibility.

Now: In Narbonne’s multifaceted offense, he shares ball-carrying duties with quarterback Lamont Long and running backs Major Culbert and Marquis Delgado. Titus has rushed for 580 yards and 12 touchdowns and had a breakout performance against San Pedro last week, when he rushed for a career-high 227 yards and five touchdowns.

Quote: “Travon made the most of it as the opportunities came for him,” Narbonne Coach Manuel Douglas said. “He’s always been a tough runner and he’s extremely fast. He’s a guy that makes you miss and even though he’s 5 foot 6, he will drag some tacklers before going down.”

-- Eric Stephens

GIRLS’ GOLF

GRACE WOO

Sr., Burbank

Then: Won the Foothill League individual title as a freshman in 2001. Won an American Junior Golf Assn. event in 2002 in only her second AJGA tournament. Was named honorable mention All-American in 2002. Woo missed much of the 2002 high school season because of an injury, but last year shared league MVP with Melanie De Leon of Saugus and finished among the top 20 in the Southern Section. In July, she reached the round of 16 in the U.S. Girls Junior Championship and repeated the feat at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship in August. Ranked No. 19 in the nation by the Junior Golf Scoreboard, Woo has committed to Nevada Las Vegas.

Now: Woo’s success over the summer has spilled into the high school season. She has played her last five rounds in a total of even par and has been medalist in three consecutive matches. In the DeBell tournament on Oct. 7, she shot two-over 35 and was runner-up to defending Southern Section champion Angela Park of Torrance. Woo has been medalist in two of three Foothill League tournaments for Burbank, which has never finished higher than fifth in the six-team league but currently is in third.

Quote: “She’s the difference between being a third-place team and a last-place team,” Burbank Coach Jacqueline Friedman said.

-- Peter Yoon