Top Pro Prospects Flock to Blair Field

Approximately 220 of the top high school baseball players from the United States as well as from Australia and Japan will participate in the 17th Area Code Games Monday through Saturday at Long Beach Blair Field.

The eight Area Code teams are selected at a series of invitation-only nationwide tryouts based upon the evaluation and recommendations from Major League professional scouts.

The California teams will play an exhibition game at 11 a.m. today at Loyola Marymount. An all-star game will conclude the tournament at noon Saturday.

Four games are played each of the first five days (except Thursday), between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Third baseman Ian Stewart of Westminster La Quinta High and outfielder Delmon Young of Camarillo were named first-team All-Americans by the National High School Baseball Coaches Assn.

Stewart was also named the association’s player of the year in District 8, which includes Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington.

Named to the second team were senior catcher Daric Barton from Huntington Beach Marina, senior pitcher Justin Cassel from Chatsworth and junior utility man Trevor Plouffe from Encino Crespi.

Third-team selections included senior third baseman Jeff Flaig from Placentia El Dorado and senior pitcher Ian Kennedy from Westminster La Quinta, who was a second-team pick last season.

More than 200 of the top high school boys’ basketball players will take part in the sixth Plyo City Roundball Extravaganza today at Huntington Beach Ocean View High.

The game for seventh-graders begins at 11 a.m., followed by games for each successive grade level every 1 1/2 hours, including the 6:30 p.m. game for high school juniors and concluding with the elite all-star at 8 p.m.

Ticket prices are $10 for adults and $5 for students and children. Information: (949) 206-2441.

Yanick Clay, who graduated in 1995 as one of Inglewood’s best girls’ basketball players, returns to her alma mater to coach the Sentinels. She replaced Maritza Cruz, who was fired after leading Inglewood to a 14-10 record and the second round of the Southern Section Division II-AA playoffs.

Clay, who was named The Times’ South Bay girls’ basketball player of the year in 1995, played four seasons for North Carolina and also served as an undergraduate assistant there.