Mighty Ducks Open Preseason at San Jose

The Mighty Ducks will open their exhibition schedule Sept. 16 at San Jose.

After playing the Kings Sept. 17 in the Staples Center, the Ducks return to the Arrowhead Pond for four consecutive exhibition games: Sept. 18 with Phoenix, Sept. 20 with Minnesota, Sept. 22 with the Kings and Sept. 24 with San Jose.

The Ducks play at Minnesota on Sept. 29 and at Phoenix on Sept. 30 before opening the regular season at home Oct. 6 against Minnesota.

EQUESTRIAN

Kathleen Raine of Laguna Hills, on her horse Fidelia, has qualified as an alternate on the U.S. dressage team for the Sydney Olympics, it was announced Monday.

Sue Blinks of Mount Kisco, N.Y., on Flim Flam, scored the highest on trials held in Florida in May and in competitions in Europe in June. She is joined on the Olympic team by Christine Traurig of Carlsbad, on Etienne; Guenter Seidel of Del Mar, on Foltaire; and Robert Dover of Flemington, N.J., on Ranier.

BASEBALL

Villa Park’s Brandon Averill has signed to play baseball at UCLA, Spartan Coach Tom Tereschuk said.

Averill, a pitcher and third baseman for the Division III-champion Spartans, was the Southern Section Division III co-player of the year and two-time Century League MVP. A first-team Times’ all-county selection, Averill posted a 9-2 record with a 1.81 earned-run average and 66 strikeouts in 62 innings. He batted .374 with 32 RBIs and 11 stolen bases.

* Orange Coast College’s Brian Wahlbrink and Nick Orlandos have earned baseball scholarships to four-year schools, Pirate Coach John Altobelli said.

Wahlbrink, a center fielder from Canyon High, will transfer to UC Riverside. He was OCC’s leadoff hitter last season but saw limited action after breaking his arm on Feb. 29 in a game against Santa Ana. He batted .280 with two home runs in seven games. As a freshman, he was one of only three Pirates to play in all 49 games, batting .305.

Orlandos, a shortstop from Aliso Niguel High, will play for College of Charleston in South Carolina. A starter for two seasons, he batted .263 as a freshman but improved to .302 last season.

BADMINTON

Mike Chansawangpuvana and Mai Mangkalakiri of Villa Park High, highlight a field of more than 200 athletes in this week’s U.S. Junior National Badminton Championships at the Orange County Badminton Club in Orange.

Mangkalakiri won three titles last year in the under-16 division in girls’ singles, doubles and mixed doubles. Chansawangpuvana, her partner in mixed doubles, also won the under-16 boys’ doubles title.

The tournament runs Wednesday through Sunday, beginning at 10 a.m. The finals start at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Admission is free.