Sports
Column: Harvard-Westlake goalkeeper Jackson Friedman is a standout for more reasons than his jersey
As part of soccer rules, goalkeepers are required to have a different jersey than their teammates. The color schemes have evolved into a fashion show, with brightness so loud (lime, purple, turquoise) that goalies look ready to be on an aircraft carrier directing fighter jets.
“They’re interesting people, so they deserve brightness,” Harvard-Westlake High coach Mike Erush said.
Perhaps the No. 1 goalie to watch this season is sophomore Jackson Friedman, who had seven shutouts as a freshman for the Mission League champion Wolverines.
During the offseason, he traveled to Holland to compete with a group of top California club players that made it to the championship match against European teams ages 15 to 16. Friedman was selected the MVP goalkeeper in the tournament, an award that would garner attention and respect for any player from the United States.
“We were underdogs coming from America playing against these top-tier European teams,” Friedman said. “We made it through our group and played in the semifinals against PSG [Paris Saint-Germain], one of the most famous clubs in France.”
Friedman had a save during a penalty shootout that helped his team win. It was the kind of experience that will stay with him for years to come as he climbs the soccer ladder. It was almost a culture shock seeing what the Americans are up against.
“They’re very dedicated to soccer, training four and five times a week. There’s a lot of passion for the game out there,” he said.
To learn what he’s up against and where he wants to go as a 15-year-old allows the 5-foot-11 Friedman to plan for the future. At one time, he had an invite to try out for the Real Salt Lake Academy in Utah, part of the MLS Next program that is designed to develop top youth players. Friedman decided his best path to success was embracing academics and athletics in the high school setting.
Erush, who also coaches Cal State Los Angeles, is like many coaches in Southern California having to engage in a balancing act as parents weigh playing high school soccer vs. promises and hype surrounding pay-for-play club programs and others promoted by USA Soccer and professional teams.
All Friedman can attest to is what he saw and heard when traveling to Europe.
“The playing style in Europe and other parts of the world is immensely different,” he said. “It’s a new sport in the United States. It’s tactics, it’s pure skill. It’s everything you can imagine. It’s more advanced. It’s more aggressive. It’s more a physical sport. In Europe, to play at a young age, it’s totally free in most cases.”
Those who run USA Soccer continue to look for ways to identify and develop American-born players. For Friedman, he became a goalie almost by accident. A friend invited him to a club practice when he was 8.
“The coach was missing a goalie,” Friedman said. “He told me, ‘Get into goal.’ With my school clothes on. I went in and surprisingly saved a lot of shots and had a lot of fun. I was told to come back and that’s how it started.”
Harvard-Westlake wants to be a factor in Southern Section Division 1 playoffs this season, The Wolverines also return standout scorer Theodore Ottosson. There’s top players at perennial powers Cathedral and Loyola. Cathedral has forward Angel Sandres and Loyola will rely on midfielder Will Hoshek.
Birmingham soccer players Adrian Diaz, left, and Steven Ramos in 2022.
(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)
Mater Dei, which won the Trinity League and the Southern Section Open Division titles last season, has several returnees, including the Trinity League defensive MVP in Avian Gonzalez-Flores and the offensive MVP, junior Ayden Romo, who had 23 goals, including the game winner in a 1-0 win over Arlington in the Division 1 final.
In the City Section, defending champion Birmingham returns four-year starters Steven Ramos and Adrian Diaz. Rival El Camino Real returns one of the City’s top scorers in Jonathan Rabinovitch.
In girls’ soccer, the talent level continues to rise. Etiwanda junior Scottlyn Antonucci has been captain of the USA U16 national team. Edison has Texas A&M commit Riley Crooks, also a star for the flag football team. Orange Lutheran has sophomore Makena Cook, the best flag football quarterback in the state. Other top players are graduating early to head off to college, like UCLA commit Siena Meyer of Newbury Park and Duke commit Avery Oder.
Corona Santiago and Santa Margarita are the teams to watch in the Southern Section. Defending champion Cleveland, Granada Hills, El Camino Real and Palisades will battle for the City title. The top returning City player is four-year starter Ana De Los Santos of Granada Hills.
LAS VEGAS — The door opened for Arthur Kaluma to show his worth for the Lakers in the NBA Summer League on Saturday night.
He did so in a big way.
Kaluma had 34 points and five rebounds during the Lakers’ 91-70 win over the Dallas Mavericks at the Thomas & Mack Center.
He was 11 for 16 from the field and six for 10 from three-point range.
With Lakers rookie guard Cameron Carr unable to play because of a right thumb contusion, Kaluma took over the scoring role. Carr, the 24th pick in the NBA draft, is averaging 17 points per game.
“Cam doesn’t play tonight, so he gets a little bit more minutes, gets a couple more touches,” said Lakers Summer League coach Ty Abbott about Kaluma. “But he’s done a really good job of making the most of it when he doesn’t have actions run for him. So the way that he’s been able to stay ready, find windows for himself has kept him in a rhythm. So, on a night like tonight, when we can run some actions for him, he knocks them down and just plays out of his mind. It was great.”
Kaluma said he was “a little nervous” but his three-point shooting said otherwise.
“When [teammate] Jon Elmore came down and he pitched it back to me for a three … I just knew when it came off my hand it was cash,” Kaluma said. “So I said, ‘Yeah, I’m hot.’ It went on from there.”
Late in the fourth quarter, Kaluma lined up a three-pointer, setting his feet and scoring from 29 feet out. He flashed three fingers and smiled. His teammates on the bench stood and cheered, as did the fans.
“We have such a great group of guys this year at Summer League and going through this it’s hard to get that camaraderie with a group,” Kaluma said. “But I feel like everybody wants to see everybody succeed and I felt that tonight. I’m not going to lie to you. They tell me to shoot the ball. I passed up a couple of shots and they were mad at me the other day.”
Kaluma played for the South Bay Lakers in the G League last season. He averaged 14.6 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and shot 55% from the field, 37% from three-point range.
“The G can get grimey, you know what I’m saying? It’s a time where everybody is trying to fight for a position and there is a certain hunger that you have to have in order to be successful in the G,” Kaluma said. “And I feel like that drive that I had my first year in it pushed me into this summer to really get better and work on my game and come here and have the opportunity to perform.”
Kaluma wasn’t alone in helping the Lakers improve to 2-0 in Summer League play.
Adou Thiero ran the court, took a lob pass from Chris Mañon and threw down a two-handed dunk. He had another solid outing with 15 points and four rebounds. He shot just four for 12 from the field, but was a plus-15.
But the night belonged to Kaluma.
“I pride myself on the defensive end,” he said. “I know I got hot offensively, but the shot was just falling today, you know what I’m saying? My game is three-and-D. I lock-up on defense and I know I can hit open shots. I just got hot today and I’m not going to try to let it get to my head.”
Sports
Golf star records lowest round in LPGA major history with astounding performance at Evian Championship
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
There are good days on the golf course, and then there is what Haeran Ryu just did on Saturday.
Ryu, 25, recorded the lowest round in LPGA major history on Saturday with an 11-under 60 at the Evian Championship. With the South Korean golfer’s historic round, she holds a three-stroke lead.
Ryu’s round comes just two weeks after winning her first major at the Women’s PGA Championship. On the 18th hole, Ryu left a 30-foot eagle putt a few inches short, and instead settled for a birdie.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Haeran Ryu of South Korea reacts on the 18th green after the third round of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, on July 11, 2026. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
She said after the round that she had no idea what she had done until she counted up her scorecard.
“But after the putt and I counted my score with my caddie,” she said. “Oh my God, it’s 11-under par today. It was so amazing. My caddie says, ‘Yep.’ I’m so happy right now.”
If Ryu had made the eagle putt on the 18th hole, she would have been just the second player to shoot a 59 in LPGA history.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON’T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
Haeran Ryu of South Korea celebrates a birdie on the 15th green during the third round of The Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club on July 11, 2026, in Evian-les-Bains, France. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Her 60 broke the record for the lowest round in an LPGA major by one shot. Leona Maguire and Jeungeun Lee6 in 2021, and Hyo Joo Kim in 2014, each shot 61 at the Evian Championship, which was designated as an LPGA major in 2013.
The lowest round in a men’s major is 62, which is shared by four players — Branden Grace at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 British Open, Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler in the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club, and Schauffele and Shane Lowry in the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP
Haeran Ryu of South Korea and Lottie Woad of England interact after their round on the 18th green during the third round of the Amundi Evian Championship at Evian Resort Golf Club in Evian-les-Bains, France, on July 11, 2026. (Stuart Franklin/Getty Images)
Ryu hopes her historic third round can help propel her to a second major win in three weeks.
“That is amazing, amazing dream,” Ryu said. “So I just want that one to come true, but we have one more day.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Taylor Crabb is no stranger to South California beaches. The Long Beach State alum returns home this weekend to compete in AVP League matches.
It marks the first time AVP will compete in Long Beach since 2020 and allows players to compete at the 2028 Olympics beach volleyball venue.
Crabb, 34, made his AVP debut in 2013 with his brother, Trevor, and advanced from the qualifier in Manhattan Beach before finishing 25th in his first tournament.
After years of competing with various different partners, Taylor Crabb and Andy Benesh have delivered the top performances this AVP season.
The following interview with Crabb has been edited for clarity and length.
Are you excited to compete in this weekend’s event at Long Beach?
Crabb: Very excited. A lot of my college teammates and part of the school have reached out, saying that they’re gonna come. So I’m excited to get a chance to play in front of them again.
When was the last time you were in Long Beach?
Crabb: I always try to go down there for alumni events or any big games they have. I went to UCLA against Long Beach last year, when it was No. 1 versus No. 2, so I always try to get down there and support them.
You missed out on the chance to compete in the 2020 Olympics because of COVID-19 restrictions and chose not to pursue a spot at the 2024 Olympics. Are you fired up to try to compete in the 2028 Olympics, knowing that Long Beach will host the competition?
Crabb: Yeah, it’s definitely an exciting time having the Olympics in Long Beach, and we kind of get to break it in this weekend. As you said, Tokyo didn’t go the way I wanted, but I’m going full force now. I have a great partner in Andy Benesh, who obviously went to the Paris Olympics, and if it weren’t for the Olympics being in Long Beach, and me getting a partner like Andy, I’m not even sure I’d be going for it, but because of those two things, I want to make the most of it.
You mentioned that if it wasn’t for a partner like Andy, you wouldn’t be going for it. What do you mean by that?
Crabb: I didn’t feel motivated by playing in all the international events, but now, I think, sitting out kind of lit the fire under me, and I’m really motivated now.
You’ve had different partners throughout your time. What other motivation does Andy give you?
Crabb: He’s been, in my mind, the top blocker for the U.S. the last four or five years. Seeing the professionalism he brings every day to practice, on and off the court, while traveling and when showing up to tournaments, it rubs off on you and that’s really motivating to see. And I just want to make him proud.
Why do you love volleyball?
Crabb: A lot of reasons, but it’s just a feeling I have when I’m out there on the court. It feels natural. It feels like home. I was born into a volleyball family. I had a volleyball in my hands my entire life, so I’ve always just enjoyed it.
-
Politics6 minutes agoTrump slashes wildlife protections, putting endangered California animals at risk
-
Sports14 minutes ago
Lakers’ Arthur Kaluma erupts for 34 points in breakout Summer League performance
-
World24 minutes agoSheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, architect of modern Qatar
-
News54 minutes agoMessi and Argentina survive another close call to reach the World Cup semifinals
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours ago19-year-old arrested, accused of distributing marijuana to minors across Riverside County
-
Detroit, MI3 hours agoPhillies end the Tigers’ winning streak at 6 with a 4-2 victory
-
San Francisco, CA3 hours agoGiants select Barry Bonds’ nephew Peyton in third round
-
Dallas, TX3 hours agoMark Cuban takes legal action against the Dallas Mavericks ownership over proposed arena deal
