Johnson signs with Vikings

Eddie Johnson, the former Newport Harbor High and Orange Coast

College standout, signed a three-year contract with the Minnesota

Vikings last Friday, his agent Ken Harris said.

Johnson’s deal was just under $1 million for the three years and

included a signing bonus of $75,820. Johnson, an All-American punter

out of Idaho State, has been working with kickoffs, holding for field

goals and punting with the Vikings, who opened camp Friday and

practiced with the Kansas City Chiefs Wednesday.

A local Minnesota newspaper reported that Johnson booted an

80-yard punt Saturday. Recently, Johnson has been taken off kickoffs

to concentrate his efforts on punting, Harris said.

The Vikings will open their preseason at home against the

Jacksonville Jaguars Aug. 9 at 5 p.m. local time.

Johnson was selected by the Vikings in the sixth round of the 2003

NFL draft. He is the first punter the Vikings have drafted since

1978, when the team selected Mike Deutsch in the ninth round.

- by Steve Virgen

Carillo, Yates win perpetuals at Lido Isle

* SAILING: Ariana Carillo and Brooke Yates won the Goldie Joseph

and Mary Wagner perpetuals at the All-Girl Regatta hosted by Lido

Isle Yacht Club on Saturday.

Carillo, of the Long Beach Yacht Club, took first in the Sabot C1

class series race to earn the Goldie Joseph perpetual, while Yates,

of the Lido Isle Yacht Club, won the Sabot A class series race to

collect the Mary Wagner perpetual.

In the Senior A class race, Gale Nye of Newport Harbor Yacht Club

won. NHYC’s Suzie Karjala won the Senior B class series race, while

her teammate Deon MacDonald finished second.

Hollie Sutherland, also from the NHYC, won the Senior C class

series race, while NHYC girls Julie Bissell and Katy Scruggs took

second and third, respectively. Kiki Bailey of the Lido Isle Yacht

Club won the Sabot C2 class series race, and Biz Buckingham of NHYC

finished second.

Lido Isle’s Laura Bailey and Brittany Buie won the CFJ class

series race.

UCI’s Choe qualifies for U.S. Amateur

* GOLF: UC Irvine sophomore Jay Choe (Esperanza HS) has qualified

for the U.S. Amateur Golf Championship at Oakmont Country Club in

Oakmont, Pa., Aug. 18-24.

Choe shot a 36-hole total of two-under par 142 (73-69) in the

sectional qualifying tournament at Red Hill Country Club in Rancho

Cucamonga on Monday.

Choe will be among 312 players from across the nation who will

compete in the U.S. Amateur Championship.