Reding Signs Minor League Deal With Expos

Rancho Santiago shortstop Josh Reding, a third-round pick of the Montreal Expos in baseball’s amateur draft last week, has signed a minor league contract, Reding said Tuesday.

Reding gave up a scholarship to play for Augie Garrido at Texas to sign for a $242,000 bonus. He will report this week to the Expos’ short-season Class A team in Burlington, Vt.

Reding, who played at Magnolia High, hit .423 with 52 runs batted in for Rancho Santiago last season. He was a first-team All-Orange Empire Conference and All-Southern California selection.

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Dave Wolter, who led the Concordia women’s basketball team to its third Golden State Athletic Conference title last season, has resigned, Athletic Director Curt Cattau announced.

Wolter is taking a teaching position at Christ School in Asheville, N.C. He was GSAC coach of the year for the second year in a row and compiled a 70-26 record in three seasons.

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The North-South All-Star Softball Game, sponsored by the Soroptomist Club of Brea/La Habra, which features some of the county’s best seniors, will be played Wednesday at Brea Olinda High.

Among the players scheduled to compete are Pacifica’s Toni Mascarenas, Foothill’s Lauren Bauer and Woodbridge’s Lizzy Lemire. The first pitch is at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $5.

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Former major league manager Sparky Anderson will be one of the speakers at the monthly sports newsmakers luncheon next Tuesday at the Pond.

Anderson, who managed the Cincinnati Reds and Detroit Tigers, is a commentator on Angel telecasts. Also speaking will be Bob Fontaine Jr., Angel director of scouting and player personnel.

The lunch starts at 11:30 a.m. Cost is $20 and reservations are needed. For information, call (714) 758-0222.

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Servite quarterback Greg Cicero, Los Alamitos defensive back Ife Ohalate and Mater Dei defensive back Rod Perry Jr. are the county’s representatives to the California-Texas Shrine All-Star Football Classic, June 19 at Cal State Fullerton.

Cicero, who will attend Texas in the fall, and Ohalate and Perry, who will play for USC, were Times Orange County first-team selections last fall.

The Shrine game began in 1952 in a Northern California vs. Southern California format. It was changed to the California vs. Texas format in 1995, with the California team winning the first two games.

Tickets for the game, which begins at 7 p.m., are $15 and $12 for reserved seating, $8 for general admission. Tickets may be ordered by calling the Shrine Football Office at (213) 749-0166. The game will be televised live on Fox Sports West 2.

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The Orange County Badminton Club will host the 1997 Junior National Championships, June 30-July 3, and the Orange County Club Open and Senior International Championships, July 10-13.

More than 250 of the top U.S. junior players are expected to compete for $10,000 in badminton scholarships at the junior nationals. Events will include boys’ and girls’ singles, boys’ and girls’ doubles and mixed doubles in five age divisions. Registration is $30 for one event; $15 for each additional event.

The international championships will feature five events as well as senior matches for ages 40 and up. The entry fee is $25.

Admission and parking are free for both events. The Orange County Badminton Club is located at 1432 N. Main St., in Orange. For more information, call (714) 639-6222.

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Five members of Division I champion Esperanza and Division II champion Canyon are among the 10 Orange County seniors chosen for the South team that will play in the 23rd California Baseball Coaches Assn. all-star series this weekend in San Bernardino.

Tom Nicholson, Brandon Pack and David Parrish were chosen from Esperanza; Jeff Leuenberger and Mike Tomarelli are from Canyon. The other five players are Mike Kolbach and Rod Perry Jr. from Mater Dei, Phil Seibel from Cypress, Garrett Atkins from University, and Rik Currier from Capistrano Valley.

In all, 20 players make up the South squad, which will play a team made up from northern and central California schools.

The North-South series begins Friday at 3 p.m. at the Ranch, home of the Stampede, the Dodgers’ Class A team. Games Saturday and Sunday will be played at Cal State San Bernardino.