Each week, publications from the Southern California News Group’s 11 properties (Orange County Register, L.A. Daily News, Press-Enterprise, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, Long Beach Press-Telegram, The Daily Breeze, San Bernardino Sun, Daily Bulletin, Redlands Daily Facts, Whittier Daily News and Pasadena-Star News) select the Athletes of the Week for their respective region.
Each athlete is then entered into the overall Southern California Athlete of the Week vote.
Click on the newspaper links below the athlete’s name to read about their performance from last week, and then vote for who you think deserves the top honor.
Readers are allowed to vote multiple times. Voting ends at midnight, but final totals aren’t always immediately reflected due to processing.
GIRLS ATHLETE OF THE WEEK VOTING
The overall winner will be announced on Friday, May 13.
Voting poll at bottom of the page.
Kasin Khansarinia, San Dimas: Khansarinia, who is already committed to UCLA, made a huge impact in San Dimas’ 3-2 victory over Arcadia in the first round of the CIF-SS Division 1 playoffs. Khansarinia went 3 for 4 and belted a home run in the fifth inning to tie the score 2-2. In the 11th inning, Khansarinia’s single drove in tiebreaking run. San Dimas will be home Tuesday in the second round against Villa Park.
Lucas Goeller, Peninsula: Goeller had six goals and six assists in three games for the Panthers, who advanced to Wednesday’s CIF-Southern Section Division 2 semifinals. Goeller had two goals and two assists in a 17-4 win over Woodbridge, and three goals and three assists in a 13-7 win over San Juan Hills. He added a goal and an assist in Monday’s 6-5 quarterfinal win over St. John Bosco. Peninsula will face Beckman in the semifinals Wednesday.
Aaron Mingo, Wilson: Mingo’s two-RBI double was the catalyst for Wilson’s six-run rally in the sixth inning of an 8-3 win against St. Anthony in the first round of the CIF Southern Section Division 4 playoffs. The sophomore third baseman went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and one run scored in his first playoff game for Wilson. Mingo began this week batting a team-high .365 this season with 27 hits, five doubles and three triples. The sophomore also has 16 RBIs in 29 games.
Kevin Ren, Claremont: Ren defended his title in the 100-yard boys breaststroke at the CIF Southern Section’s Division 3 championship meet. He held off a strong challenge from Luke Bezanilla of Saugus and touched the wall first with a winning time of 55.84 seconds. Ren’s time was the fifth fastest across all divisions in the breaststroke and earned him All-American status. He also finished fourth in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:55.00. Ren will compete in both events at this week’s CIF State championship meet in Clovis.
Matthew Chai, Sonora: He broke the oldest CIF Southern Section Division 2 swimming record with a time of 4 minutes, 15.91 seconds in the 500-yard freestyle at the CIF-SS Division 2 Swimming Finals. The previous record was set in 1983. His time is the second-fastest in Orange County history. The Cal-bound Chai also won the 200 free in 1:37.42 to help the Raiders finish second in the team competition.
