From left: Kasey Johnson (La Salle), Marihelen Tomer (Diamond Ranch), Janessa Currier (Walnut), Coach Ali Khosroshahin (Edgewood), Lauren Brown (St. Lucy’s), Ashley Nick (Arcadia)

I can’t believe I just wrote that. Die-hard Bruins fans aren’t allowed to root for Trojans, but I’m feeling the USC women’s soccer team. First of all they’re coached by Ali Khosroshahin, and we go back a long way. We grew up in youth soccer and were teammates at Edgewood High School, where he was the young junior coming off the bench for yours truly, the starting senior. At least that’s how I still tell it, and like to remind Ali when I see him. But look at him now, I’m so proud. He’s taken the USC women’s soccer team to the Final Four and they’re playing UCLA on Friday. And he’s doing it with homegrown talent from the San Gabriel Valley. There are six players from the SGV on the Lady Trojans and most of them are making a huge impact. It was just last March I was covering La Salle’s Kasey Johnson and watching her lead the Lancers to a CIF title, and now she’s scoring game-winning playoff goals for the Trojans. All these names should be familiar, like St. Lucy’s Lauren Brown, Walnut’s Janessa Currier, Arcadia’s Ashley Nick, Diamond Ranch’s Marihelen Tomer, and Bonita goalkeeper Brittany Massro. Read Friday’s story by Scott French. Scott’s also a good friend and one of the best soccer writers in the country. I asked if he could do a story for us, and he delivered.
Read it, read it! This is how you represent the San Gabriel Valley.