Young to Play Much Older in Area Code

How good is 13-year-old outfielder Delmon Young of Camarillo High? So good he has become the first freshman to be selected to play in the Area Code tournament Aug. 8-13 at Blair Field in Long Beach.

Young was chosen after trying out with more than 100 players at College of the Canyons earlier this week. He hasn’t even attended his first high school class.

“He absolutely looked awesome,” said team coordinator Craig Wallenbrock of the 6-foot-1, 150-pounder who’s the younger brother of outfielder Dmitri Young of the Cincinnati Reds.

Westlake led all schools by placing four players on the 805/818/661/662 team. They are catcher Michael Nickeas, outfielder Ryan McCarthy, pitcher Tyler Adamczyk and shortstop Jeff Dragicevich. Notre Dame had three players chosen--second baseman Brendan Ryan, shortstop Jonathon Brewster and catcher Matt Cunningham.

The team was selected by area professional scouts. The Area Code tournament matches top players from around the state and players from the region may be chosen on other teams.

Also on the 805/818/661/662 team are Conor Jackson of El Camino Real, Joey Hamer of Newbury Park, Jonathan Higashi of Chaminade, Brian Horwitz of Crespi, Matt Thayer of Harvard-Westlake, Jason Kubel and Matt Parris of Highland, Chris Cordeiro of Thousand Oaks, Matt Harrington of Palmdale, Jamie Shields of Hart, Greg Russell of Hoover, Matt Merricks of Oxnard and Jose Montes of San Fernando.

Scott Drootin of Chaminade will coach the team.

FENCING

Derek Snyder, a junior at Chaminade High, won his second national championship earlier this week, taking the gold medal in the under-16 men’s foil at the U.S. Fencing Assn. summer national championships in Charlotte, N.C.

Snyder was undefeated in the double-elimination event featuring 92 of the nation’s top junior fencers.

Last year, Snyder won the under-14 national championship. He is a member of the U.S. World team that fenced in the Cadet World Championships in Hungary last March and was on the U.S. epee team that earned a silver medal last summer at the World Youth Games in Moscow.

Five other Chaminade fencers competed in the summer national--Vinnie Carbone, Matt McConnaughy, Nick Andryc, Megan Wortham and Matthew Weiner.

Weiner, who attends Chaminade Middle School, finished fifth in the under-12 youth epee.

BOXING

Gwen Adair of Encino, the only woman to referee a world-title bout, will be among six women honored at the Golden State Boxer’s Assn. “Women in Boxing” luncheon July 30 at the Old Spaghetti Factory in Hollywood.

Also being honored are former fighter Lilly Rodriguez of Sylmar, timekeeper Debbie Garcia of Lancaster, gym owner Carol Steindler of Northridge and promoter Ruth Fraser of Toluca Lake.

Luncheon tickets are $15. Information: (818) 761-4887.

SOFTBALL

De Dow, a former All-City pitcher at Canoga Park High, is returning to her alma mater as coach. Dow was coach at Moorpark College for five years.

WATER POLO

The Harvard-Westlake foundation girls’ club team will play a top 17-and-under club team from Calgary, Canada, in an exhibition Sunday at 10 a.m. at Harvard-Westlake.

SUMMER CAMPS

The Jaeger Sports Academy will conduct its seventh annual baseball arm strength and conditioning program during two sessions July 19-Aug. 13. One session will be held three days a week from 8:30-11:30 a.m. at Canyon High and the other three days a week from 4:30-7:30 p.m. at Pierce College.

The program consists of long toss, throwing mechanics, flexibility training and mental training.

Past participants include major leaguers Mike Lieberthal and Ken Caminiti, and recent high draft picks Barry Zito and Sean Douglass.

Information: (818) 598-8095.