Close-ups

GIRLS’ CROSS-COUNTRY

KEVYN MURPHY

Fr., Manhattan Beach Mira Costa

* Then: Growing up on Marine Street in Manhattan Beach, just a few steps from the sand, Murphy began competing in junior lifeguard competitions when she was 9. Last month in Virginia Beach, Va., she made her third appearance at the national championships, where she won four of five events. Outside of lifeguard competitions, her competitive running experience was limited to the annual 5K at her elementary school and the Manhattan Beach 10K.

* Now: In her second high school cross-country race, Murphy finished second Saturday at the Irvine Woodbridge Invitational. Her time of 16 minutes 39 seconds on the three-mile course was two seconds behind Phelan Serrano’s Kauren Tarver, the defending Division II state champion, and nine seconds better than third-place finisher Lauren Saylor of Clovis Buchanan, who finished fifth in the Division I state finals last year.

* Quote: “I was just trying to stay with Kauren,” Murphy said about her race Saturday. “I’d never done a big race like that before. I was tired and she was running so fast, but at the least I wanted to get second.”

Dan Arritt

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GIRLS’ TENNIS

TANIA MAHTANI

Sr., Rolling Hills Estate Peninsula

* Then: Mahtani came into her own last season, posting a 63-5 record in sets and advancing to the quarterfinals of the Southern Section individual tournament. She was an integral part of a 45-match winning streak by the Panthers that lasted nearly two full seasons. Mahtani beat Calabasas standout Kristen McVitty in the fourth round of the individual tournament but fell to former North Hollywood Campbell Hall star Ally Krasnopolsky in the quarterfinals.

* Now: Mahtani’s success last season carried over to this year. She was a semifinalist in tournaments in Long Beach and Fullerton during the first two months of 2005. In April, she was a semifinalist in another event in Fresno, and she advanced to the quarterfinals of the Quiksilver/Roxy tournament in May and the National Open in Lakewood in July. She has helped Peninsula (3-0) score victories over defending Division II champion Fullerton Troy, 2004 Division III runner-up Los Angeles Brentwood and defending Division IV champion Beverly Hills. She has committed to Michigan.

* Quote: “I try not to let pressure get to me,” Mahtani said. “I just try my best in every match and hope that it turns out well.”

Lauren Peterson

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FOOTBALL

JAMAL SUTHERLAND

Sr., L.A. Fremont

* Then: Sutherland played at Westchester last season but didn’t get much playing time as the No. 3 option behind running backs Gregory Ray and Brian Jackson. He rushed for 207 yards in 47 carries, with a single-game best of 91 yards in 20 carries, coincidentally against Fremont.

* Now: His family moved to the Fremont attendance area just in time for spring practice, and coaches saw something special right away. He was a tireless worker and put on 15 pounds of muscle during the off-season to reach his current size of 5-10, 195 pounds. His 4.4-second 40-yard dash gives Fremont a breakaway running back behind offensive lineman Sean Middleton, one of the best in the City Section. Sutherland had a breakthrough game last week with 246 yards and three touchdowns in a 44-13 victory over North Hollywood. That performance included a 72-yard scoring run and a 58-yard run. He has 418 yards and five touchdowns in 47 carries this season -- an average of 8.9 yards per carry that should put him on college recruiters’ radar.

* Quote: “We had a really good idea that he would be a good football player,” Fremont Coach John Washington said. “We didn’t want to put huge expectations on him, but he does a lot of things well.”

-- Peter Yoon