Signing day brings little action to area

Newport Harbor soccer standout, along with a former Newport Harbor gridiron standout and an OCC football player, commit on the first day of signing period.Newport Harbor High soccer star Amy Klippert signed a national letter of intent to play for the University of Michigan on Wednesday morning -- the first day of the signing period for athletes in the sports of football, soccer, field hockey and boys’ water polo.

Klippert is a four-year varsity starter at Newport Harbor and a member of the Slammers Futbol Club girls-under-19 Premier team. In club soccer, Klippert has won a national championship, three U.S. Youth Soccer Assn. Far West Regional Championships and three National State Cup Championships.

Klippert, who orally committed to Michigan last April, was pumped up to finally sign on the dotted line.

“It’s a relief,” she said. “I’m so excited that it’s finally official.”

Klippert helped Newport Harbor upset Aliso Niguel, the No. 1-ranked team in CIF Southern Section Division I, on Tuesday. She has also earned letters in cross-country and track and field, where she was a member of the school-record setting relay team.

Klippert, who was recruited from her club team as a forward, will join a Michigan squad that went 8-9-4 overall and 3-6-1 in the Big Ten last season. She’ll play for Coach Debbie Rademacher.

“I love the coach, the girls and the environment,” Klippert said. “The campus is huge and beautiful.”

In other signing day news, former Newport Harbor High football star A.J. Slater signed with the University of Nevada, and Orange Coast College defensive tackle Paul Bartsch signed with Montana State.

Slater, a 6-foot-5, 304-pound offensive lineman, played at Santa Ana College the last two years, where he was named the Offensive Player of the Year this fall in the Mission Conference and earned second-team All-America honors.

Nevada was WAC co-champions last season. The team is currently preparing for Saturday’s Sheraton Hawaii Bowl. Slater will play for Coach Chris Ault, who will be starting his 21st year at Nevada.

Bartsch (6-foot-1, 255-pounds) was a two-year starter for the Pirates after starring at Edison High.

Matt Loyd, who starred at tailback and cornerback for the Corona del Mar High football team, signed his national letter of intent with Georgetown University on Wednesday after orally committing last weekto the NCAA Division I-AA program.

Loyd rushed for 1,336 yards and 13 touchdowns and was a Newport-Mesa Dream Team selection this season. Loyd is expected to move to wide receiver and return kicks and punts for the Hoyas.

Corona del Mar High football coach Dick Freeman said there were no other signings on Wednesday, but said Avery Fenton has been granted early admission to Cornell University and plans to play football for the Big Red, while John Fairbanks has been offered preferred walk-on status at both UCLA and Florida.

Fairbanks, an All-Pacific Coast League first-team pick, split time at end and nose guard for the Sea Kings and finished with 79 tackles, including five sacks.

Fenton, a tight end, was a second-team all-league pick for the Sea Kings.

Newport Harbor High football coach Jeff Brinkley said there were no signings from the CIF Southern Section Division VI champion Sailors.

Brinkley said several players, including running back Ryan Rippon and offensive tackle Charles Schultz, will most likely go the junior college route. Rippon, who rushed for 1,681 yards and 13 touchdowns in 10 games for the Sailors, was named the All-CIF Division VI Offensive Player of the Year. Schultz was an All-CIF second-team pick on offense for Newport Harbor.