Coaches Named for All-Star Football Game

Loara’s John deFries and Jim Hartigan of Santa Margarita have been selected as coaches for the Orange County all-star football game July 11 at Orange Coast College.

Last season, deFries led Loara to an 8-4 record. He has been Loara’s coach since 1990 and was also a longtime assistant at the school. Hartigan led Santa Margarita to the Southern Section Division V title last season. The Eagles, who also won the Sea View League championship, finished 13-1.

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Shawn Patchell has been hired as Laguna Beach boys’ volleyball coach, replacing James Felton. Felton left to pursue other interests after leading Laguna Beach to the Pacific Coast League title last season.

Patchell led the Irvine girls’ basketball team to a 10-14 record this season.

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Julie Leach, who headed the women’s cross-country program at Irvine Valley College since its beginning in 1991, has resigned to pursue a full-time teaching career, Athletic Director Aracely Mora said Wednesday.

Leach, whose teams won state titles in 1991 and ‘93, will be replaced by her husband, Bill, who also coaches the Irvine Valley men’s cross-country team.

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Corona del Mar quarterback Mike McClellan has been accepted at Yale. McClellan set single-game school records for completions (19) and passing yardage (367) in 1996.

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Kenny Simons, a midfielder from El Dorado High, has signed to play soccer at UC Irvine, El Dorado Coach Marc Smith said. Simons had 10 goals and 21 assists this past season.

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Orangewood Academy’s first-round boys’ basketball game against visiting Los Angeles Baptist in the Southern Section Division V-A playoffs has been moved to 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

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Among changes in the girls’ basketball playoff schedule, Los Alamitos will meet Diamond Bar at Walnut High on Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a Division I-AA game.

In Division V-AA, Connelly’s game at Palos Verdes Chadwick Saturday has been moved to a 6 p.m. start, and Capistrano Valley Christian will host South Bay Lutheran on Friday at 5:30 p.m. as part of a doubleheader. The Capistrano Valley boys’ meet South Bay Lutheran at 7:30 p.m.

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Linsey Buendia, a softball pitcher at Saddleback High, has made an oral commitment to attend Chapman.

Buendia was 6-7 with a 0.98 earned-run average for the Roadrunners, but had 125 strikeouts for the Roadrunners in 93 innings.