Emme chosen

John Emme, who led the Corona del Mar High baseball team to the CIF

Southern Section Division IV championship last spring, has been named

coach of the South in next month’s Orange County All-Star game

against the North, the first time he has received the honor.

Three Newport-Mesa players dot the South’s 22-player roster,

including CdM seniors Wess Presson and Ben Maggard, along with

Newport Harbor senior Patrick Keehan.

The game is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. June 14 at Glover Stadium in

Anaheim.

Emme, who also led CdM to a CIF title in 1999, named Newport Coach

Joel Desguin as one of his three assistants.

Emme, in his eighth year guiding the Sea Kings, received a phone

call a week ago from tournament organizers informing him of the

honor.

The addition of three players from Newport-Mesa is also a rarity,

Emme said.

Maggard entered play Wednesday with the second-best ERA in the

league (1.820) while Presson was tied for second for the team lead in

RBIs (16) and ranked third on the squad in hitting (.347).

Keehan led Newport in hitting (.397), runs (15), doubles (five)

and stolen bases (nine).

-- Bryce Alderton