Sonora’s Jones, an All-County Forward, Commits to the Anteaters

Ben Jones, a 6-7 forward from Sonora who was selected to The Times all-county first team, announced Tuesday that he will attend UC Irvine. Jones is one of several high school basketball players who can sign letters of intent today.

Jones averaged 15.9 points and seven rebounds, helping the Raiders (25-4) win the Freeway League and reach the section Division II-A semifinals. He was among the county’s top shooters, making 56.3% of his 309 field-goal attempts and 45 of 99 three-point attempts.

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The Garden Grove girls’ tennis team and the Orange Lutheran boys’ cross-country team finished atop their divisions in the annual Southern Section Academic Awards program.

Team awards are based on cumulative grade-point average, and for a team to be eligible it must have accomplished a minimum 3.0 GPA in college-prep courses in the first semester of the current school year. The highest GPA in each sport determines the champion.

The winning teams will be honored before the Angels-Baltimore game May 14 at Anaheim Stadium.

County teams that finished in the top five:

Enrollment 1,499 and below:

Badminton--4. Garden Grove (3.02 grade-point average); Baseball--4. Calvary Chapel (3.32); Boys’ basketball--2. Fullerton (3.66), 5. Calvary Chapel (3.53); Girls’ basketball--2. Brethren Christian (3.63), 5. Calvary Chapel (3.59); Boys’ cross-country--1. Orange Lutheran (3.72); Golf--2. St. Margaret’s (3.54); Girls’ soccer--2. Calvary Chapel (3.51); Softball--4. Calvary Chapel (3.52); Boys’ tennis--5. Brethren Christian (3.59); Girls’ tennis--1. Garden Grove (3.73); Girls’ volleyball--2. Calvary Chapel (3.64); Water polo--4. Garden Grove.

Enrollment 1,500 and above:

Badminton--5. Cypress (3.44); Girls’ cross-country--4. Esperanza (3.74); Boys’ swimming and diving--4. Foothill (3.15); Boys’ tennis--2. Tustin (3.69); Girls’ tennis--4. Tustin (3.74); Boys’ track and field--2. Foothill (3.01); Boys’ volleyball--3. University (3.38); Girls’ volleyball--3. Tustin (3.52), 5. Trabuco Hills (3.45); Water polo--3. Esperanza.

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Rosary’s Lesley Fulton, who injured the ulnar nerve in her arm in the third game of the season, will not be able to play softball for the remainder of the season.

Fulton, who will attend Miami of Ohio next year on a softball scholarship, was Rosary’s starting shortstop.

Junior Jaime Fruth, Rosary’s second baseman and an All-Golden West League player last year, will not return for the remainder of the season either. She tore the anterior cruciate ligament in her left leg.

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Kelly Kleinsmith, a setter from Brea Olinda, has committed to play volleyball at Southern California College, according to Brea girls’ Athletic Director Sharen Caperton.

Kleinsmith was a two-time first-team pick in the Orange League and holds the school record for assists in a career.

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Jenny Wilson, a 5-11 outside hitter from Dana Hills, has committed to play volleyball at Westmont College, Warrior Coach Nathan Barker announced.

Wilson was an All-South Coast League second-team selection last season. She joins her sister, Katy, a junior at Westmont, on the Warriors’ team.

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Joe Calavitta of Calvary Chapel defeated Jim Kessler of Maryland to win the 140-pound championship in the National High School Wrestling Championship in Pittsburgh.

Calavitta, a state champion, beat Kessler, 6-4, in the championship final Sunday. Kessler is four-time Maryland state champion who had a record of 150-0.

Eagle wrestlers Ty Wilcox (160 pounds) and Burt Pierson (135) were second in the tournament, which is limited to high school seniors.