Dukes Beat Phoenix, Could Finish Unbeaten

The Dukes defeated the Phoenix Smash, 26-19, Friday at Phoenix’s America West Arena to remain undefeated in World TeamTennis.

Newport Beach (13-0) will attempt to become the first team in TeamTennis history to finish the regular season undefeated at 7:30 tonight at John Wayne Tennis Club when it again plays the Smash.

Kelly Jones defeated Jimmy Connors, 6-1, in a men’s singles match between the top two-ranked players in the league. Jones joined Trevor Kronemann to beat Connors and Danie Visser, 6-4, in men’s doubles. Kronemann and Larisa Neiland beat Leila Meskhi and Visser, 6-5, in mixed doubles to close out the match.

The Smash got its only victory when Meskhi beat Zina Garrison Jackson, 6-2, in women’s singles. Garrison Jackson and Neiland beat Meskhi and Mary Lou Daniels, 6-3, in women’s doubles.

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The Fountain Valley Spirit advanced to the title game of the girls’ under-18 division of the U.S. Youth Soccer Championships, defeating the Naperville (Ill.) Soccer Assn. Spurs, 1-0, in overtime in Blaine, Minn.

Villa Park’s Meghan Reppe scored on a header after a crossing pass by Huntington Beach’s Erin Bailey in the 18th minute of overtime. The Spirit, which lost in the under-16 semifinals in 1992, outshot the Spurs, 19-12.

Spirit goalkeeper Amy Moreno of Orange had eight saves.

The Spirit will play Connecticut Omni of Hartford, which beat Team Boca, 5-1, in the other semifinal, in the title game Sunday.

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Mater Dei’s Miles Simon and Edison’s Micah Kroeger will be featured in the Southern California High School Showcase basketball game at 5:15 p.m. today at the Bren Events Center.

Some of the top high school seniors in California will be featured, including Toby Bailey (UCLA), Tremaine Fowlkes (California), J.R. Henderson (UCLA), Kristaan Johnson (UCLA), Leif Nelson (Nebraska) and Ricky Price (Duke).

Simon, who will play at Arizona next season, led the Monarchs to the Southern Section I-A championship.

The Summer Pro League’s rookies championship game will be played at 2:45 p.m. and the veteran’s final will be at 7:30 p.m.

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Saddleback College baseball players Craig Ainsworth and Rich Kleckner have committed to play at four-year universities.

Ainsworth, a pitcher, will play at Alabama and Kleckner, a catcher, at UC Riverside.

Ainsworth tied a school record with seven saves last season. He was 7-2 with a 1.84 earned-run average.

Kleckner hit .331 with one home run and 16 runs batted in last season.

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Casey Wilson of Canyon High will sign a letter of intent to play football for Miami of Ohio, said his father, Bill.

Wilson was a punter and kicker for the Comanches. He will also play baseball for Miami.