Mater Dei’s Porter, Ocean View’s Beeler Sign

Mater Dei’s Ricky Porter and Ocean View’s Torin Beeler, both Times’ all-county second-team selections, signed Wednesday to play basketball at Division I colleges this fall.

Porter, a 6-foot-2 guard, has signed with UC Riverside, which makes its debut in the Big West Conference next season. Beeler, a 6-3 swingman, has signed with Liberty University, of Lynchburg, Va. The Flames compete in the Big South Conference.

Porter averaged 12.2 points and 3.2 rebounds in helping Mater Dei (33-2) to the Division I state championship. “Ricky is a tremendous addition to our program,” Riverside Coach John Masi said.

Beeler averaged 15.8 points and 11 rebounds. “We got a steal,” said Ty Nichols, a Liberty assistant coach.

SOCCER

Santa Margarita midfielder Luke Boughen has signed with Notre Dame, according to Eagle Coach Curt Bauer.

Boughen, a first-team Times all-county selection and Serra League MVP, also considered Stanford.

SOFTBALL

Cal State Fullerton catcher Jenny Topping and former Titan catcher Stephenie Little are among 51 players selected to compete for spots on the U.S. women’s national softball team.

They will participate in the national team’s camp May 30-June 3 at the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista. USA Softball will select two 16-player teams for international competition this year.

Fullerton Coach Michelle Gromacki is among 12 coaches selected to participate in the training camp.

BASEBALL

Toyo Tires has signed on as sponsor for the National Classic high school tournament for the 2002 season.

The 10-year tournament, which was known as the Upper Deck Classic for six years and the Dole National Classic for one, will be called the Toyo Tires National Classic next year.

This year’s tournament begins Monday and features 16 teams from across the country, including locals Esperanza, El Dorado and Cypress. The championship game will be played April 19 at Cal State Fullerton.

FOOTBALL

The South roster for the North-South all-star prep football game July 13 at Orange Coast College has been announced.

The 36 players, who will be coached by Edison’s Dave White:

Quarterbacks Billy Hart (Mission Viejo) and Richard Schwartz (Edison); running backs Chris Manderino (Newport Harbor), Darryl Poston (Edison), Frostee Rucker (Tustin) and Tyler Thompson (Santa Margarita); receivers Christian Prelle (Edison), Phillip Smith (Ocean View) and Erik Hallenbeck (St. Margaret’s); tight ends Brandon Alconcel (Aliso Niguel), Tim Burnette (San Clemente) and Chris Chester (Tustin); offensive linemen Scott Bennett (Mission Viejo), E.J. Chanda (Trabuco Hills), Tyler Crandall (Trabuco Hills), Ed Fane (Fountain Valley), Walter Frazee (Dana Hills), Ryan Lumm (Santa Margarita) and Mike McCloskey (Laguna Hills).

Linebackers Greg Lukina (Capistrano Valley), Matt McCoy (Tustin), Seth Prelesnik (Edison), Alan Saenz (Newport Harbor) and Inoke Tukia (Marina); defensive linemen Steve Armstrong (Mater Dei), Russ Chemberlen (Huntington Beach), Bernard Fano (Fountain Valley) and Alex Huston (Santa Margarita); defensive backs Charlie Alshuler (Corona del Mar), Larry Collins (Santa Margarita), Brown Faavae (Mater Dei), Robert Garey (Foothill), Randell Hill (El Toro), Ryan King (San Clemente) and Bernard Mitchell (Marina); and punter/kicker Zach Sherwood (University).