Irvine’s Conway Shoots 68 but Finishes Sixth

Steve Conway of Irvine shot a final-round 68 for the second week in a row but finished tied for sixth, seven shots back of winner James Oh of Cerritos at the AJGA Tournament of Champions Friday in El Dorado Hills, Calif.

Oh finished at 11-under-par 277 for the 72-hole tournament.

Conway, a recent graduate of Santa Margarita High, finished second last week after shooting 68 in the final round of an AJGA tournament at Mission Hills Country Club in Rancho Mirage.

Irene Cho of La Habra shot her second consecutive 79 and finished 25th in the girls’ competition. Mallory Code of Tampa, Fla., won with a four-round total of par 288.

BADMINTON

Connie Hwang of Orange and partner Jessica Gasiorek won their semifinal match in the under-17 girls’ doubles at the U.S. Junior National Badminton Championships at the Orange County Badminton Club.

Hwang, who won the under-16 doubles title last year, will play a singles semifinal at 11:15 a.m. today.

Jamie Subandhi of Westminster and partner Lauren Todt advanced to Sunday’s final in under-13 girls’ doubles.

TRACK AND FIELD

Sprinter Curtis Lehmann, who recently graduated from Sonora High, has signed with UC Irvine, his father, David, said.

Curtis Lehmann holds the Sonora record in the 400 meters, 49.47 seconds. He was fourth at the Southern Section Division II finals and also ran on the Raiders’ league title-winning 400 relay team.

* Chris Butcher has been promoted to track and field coach for the boys’ and girls’ programs at Irvine High, Athletic Director Terry Henigan said.

Butcher, an assistant coach the past two years, replaces Fred Bosley, who will remain on staff as boys’ and girls’ distance coach and boys’ and girls’ cross-country coach.

BASEBALL

Ryan Dambach of Vanguard has signed to play for the Zion Pionerzz, a Class-A independent team in St. George, Utah.

Dambach, a 1995 graduate of El Toro High, hit .241 with 12 runs batted in last season.