Murphy Accepted by Taft Under Open Enrollment

Eshaya Murphy, considered the region’s top freshman girls’ basketball player last season at Montclair Prep, has been accepted by Taft High under open enrollment.

Murphy was the 62nd name selected Tuesday during a lottery held at Taft. More than 350 students applied for 275 openings at the Woodland Hills campus.

If Murphy decides to transfer, she will join a team that returns four starters from a 15-7 squad that reached the City Championship quarterfinals. The 5-foot-9 Murphy averaged 26.5 points and 18 rebounds and was a second-team All-Valley selection by The Times.

Larry Dill has resigned as Taft’s coach after one season. Former boys’ coach Mark Drucker will run the girls’ team until a replacement is chosen. Drucker could be a candidate to replace Dill.

SOFTBALL

* Thirty-six girls from 18 area high schools will compete in the Ventura County senior all-star game at 6 p.m. Thursday at Borchard Park in Newbury Park.

Topping the West are pitcher Kathryn Nevard and shortstop Nicki Holt of Camarillo, catcher Mackenzie Vandergeest of La Reina and shortstop Amanda Oleson of Agoura. All four have Division I scholarships.

They’ll face a formidable East squad featuring Division I-bound third baseman Brittney Green of Simi Valley, pitcher Erin Voeltz of Westlake, shortstop Oli Keohohou of Newbury Park, and first baseman Heather Bell and catcher Sara Hall of Calabasas.

Brandy Brennan of Agoura will coach the West and Suzanne Manlet of Simi Valley will guide the East.

A home run contest begins at 5 p.m.

BASEBALL

* Manny Flores, senior third baseman who led San Fernando to its first league championship in 10 years, has been selected Valley Mission League player of the year.

* Conor Jackson of El Camino Real and Matt Fisher of Chatsworth, three-year starters and All-City shortstops, have been chosen West Valley League co-players of the year.

* Pitcher Mike Ploharz of The Master’s College was selected a second-team NAIA All-American.

Pitcher Josh Higgins and catcher Mike Wertz of the Mustangs received honorable mention.

* The Malibu Baseball School will conduct camps this summer at Pepperdine, starting with players 7 to 12 from June 26-30.

There will be camps for players 8 to 14 from July 9-13, ages 12 to 16 from July 23-27 and a high school showcase for grades 10 to 12 from July 16-20.

Information: (805) 983-2018.

* Chaminade High will hold a camp for players 7 to 14 from July 24-28 at its West Hills campus.

Coach Scott Drootin will run the camp. Information: (818) 347-8997.

FOOTBALL

* Loi Phan, a former sophomore coach at Glendale High, has been chosen varsity coach.

Phan coached the sophomore team from 1990-95 and has served as boys’ soccer coach.

WATER POLO

* Meghan Corso, a 13-year-old sixth-grader from North Hollywood, will travel to Europe next month to compete with the Shore club team comprised of top girls’ players from Southern California.

She is the daughter of Harvard-Westlake Coach Rich Corso.

GOLF

* Kyle Thurston of Moorpark was selected to the All-American team of the Jim McLean Future Collegians Tour in the boys’ 14-and-under division for the fall and winter season.

Brandon Christianson of Valencia was selected to the third team in the same division.

Brian O’Flaherty of Westlake Village received honorable mention in the boys’ 15-18 division.

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All-Star Rosters

EAST TEAM

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Name School Pos. Jamie Astorino Simi Valley P Monique Barretto Rio Mesa 1B Heather Bell Calabasas 1B Annie Domenic Westlake OF Shannon Fink St. Bonaventure 1B Brittney Green Simi Valley 3B Sara Hall Calabasas C Charity Harmeson Hueneme SS Armida Jimenez Hueneme C Oli Keohohou Newbury Park IF Kamala Kiffe Newbury Park IF Annie Marostica St. Bonaventure P Dianna Michael Simi Valley C Kolia Ponce Simi Valley 2B Dana Porter Oak Park P-OF Amy Rosson Calabasas P Erin Voeltz Westlake P Kaitlyn Wilson Westlake SS

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WEST TEAM

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Name School Pos. Davis Beck Moorpark IF Carrie Harvey Royal OF Nicki Holt Camarillo SS Shawna Lane Thousand Oaks 1B Joey McKearn Thousand Oaks OF Jennifer Mullen Santa Clara 2B Kathryn Nevard Camarillo P Meredith Nevard Camarillo P Cassie Nicoletto Ventura C Amanda Oleson Agoura SS Tawny Pritchard Buena OF Jessica Ramirez Oxnard IF Kim Refkin Agoura IF Nikki Sutton Camarillo C Shannon Teverbaugh Thousand Oaks OF Kristen Ward La Reina P Alicia White Agoura OF Mackenzie Vandergeest La Reina C

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