Wachtler Commits to Ohio State

Corona del Mar’s Megan Wachtler has orally committed to play tennis for Ohio State, her father, Bob Wachtler, said Wednesday.

Wachtler and her parents visited the campus in Columbus last weekend and watched the Notre Dame-Ohio State game from the 50-yard line.

Wachtler, 21-3 in singles play this season for the second-ranked Sea Kings, will sign a letter of intent Nov. 8, the first formal signing day.

Wachtler, a first-team Times Orange County selection in doubles in 1994, also visited Brown, Massachusetts, Nebraska and the Air Force Academy.

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Junior tennis player Jon Biorkman and his brother Greg, a freshman, have transferred from Woodbridge to University.

Jon Biorkman went 29-0 in the Sea View League and won the individual singles title last spring. Greg Biorkman was highly ranked in the boys’ 14 age group in Southern California.

“They’re good players and we’ll miss them,” Woodbridge Coach Joan Willett said. “Of course, I’m disappointed they left, but I wish them the best.”

Willett said she did not know why the Biorkmans decided to leave Woodbridge, last year’s Sea View League champion. “I was never contacted by the family, so I can’t answer why they left,” she said.

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Kellie Alva, a 6-foot senior middle blocker for the Katella girls’ volleyball team (4-1, 0-1 in the Empire League), sprained her ankle Tuesday near the beginning of the Knights’ 15-13, 15-9, 15-10 loss to Cypress (1-4, 1-0).

Alva was selected the league’s co-most valuable player last season along with Katella senior setter Silvia Panak. Alva hopes to return to the starting lineup next week.

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San Clemente football Coach Mark McElroy plans to keep opponents guessing as to the availability of wide receiver/defensive back Trevor Insley.

Insley underwent successful surgery on his broken left hand on Tuesday. But McElroy intends to make Insley’s recovery a well-guarded secret.

“I don’t know yet, except that he’ll miss one game for sure,” said McElroy, who added jokingly: “But I’ll tell you this, when I do find out, I’m not telling [the media].”

McElroy apparently didn’t inform Insley that his condition was a state secret. Insley said Tuesday he expects to miss only two games, and would at least play defense Oct. 20 against Capistrano Valley.

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Woodbridge senior Melanie Pearson, who committed to UCLA on Tuesday, will join another Warrior graduate, Bruin sophomore Jamie Oenning, on the team. But the fact that Oenning and Pearson are best friends had minimal impact on her decision.

“We didn’t really talk about it too much,” Pearson said. “It’s a great school, not just basketball-wise. They have excellent academic support, and the coaches really care for you off the court.”

She also said she was relieved to make a decision before Woodbridge begins defense of its State Division II title.

“The stress and the pressure is off,” Pearson said, “and I know I made the right decision.”

Staff writers Chris Foster, Martin Henderson and Wendy Witherspoon contributed to this story.