Four Area Teams Win Soccer Titles in Regional Play

Kathleen Celio and Eryn Gerhard each scored for the Southern California Blues as they defeated the San Diego Surf, 2-0, Saturday to capture the championship in the girls’ under-19 division of the Snickers U.S. Youth Far West Regional Soccer Championships in West Jordan, Utah.

Other champions in the girls’ divisions were: the North Huntington Beach Black, which defeated Cisco Desert Magic from Phoenix, 2-1, behind goals from Cassie Daniels and Kristi Tanaka to capture the title in the under-14 division.

In the under-13 division: Laura Hilleary and Ina Kain each scored for the Irvine Strikers, which defeated the Shooting Stars of Everett, Wash., 2-0.

The Southern California Blues under-17 and under-15 girls’ teams did not fare as well. The under-17 team lost, 7-1, in the championship to the Central Valley Mercury from San Jose. The under-15 team lost to the Highline Eagles, 2-1 in a shootout.

On the boys’ side: Tsutomo Matsuda scored two goals and Brian Gaeta added one to lead the Irvine Strikers to a 3-1 championship victory over the Aurora (Colo.) Sting in the under-13 division. The North Huntington Beach Black team was defeated, 2-0, by the Columbine Rowdies of Denver Colorado in the under-13 division.

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Robyn Yorke of Huntington Beach, a four-time All-American softball player at Fresno State, has been given a $5,000 NCAA postgraduate scholarship.

Yorke, who received a bachelors degree in liberal studies with an emphasis on teacher education, will continue postgraduate work at Long Beach State.

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More than 250 of the top U.S. junior badminton players are expected to compete for $10,000 in scholarships in the Junior National Championships, beginning Monday at the Orange County Badminton Club.

Events, which continue through Wednesday, include boys’ and girls’ singles, boys’ and girls’ doubles and mixed doubles in five age divisions. Registration is $30 for one event and $15 for each additional event. Admission is free.