Cunningham Top Recruit at Irvine Valley

Heather Cunningham, the Empire League’s most valuable girls’ basketball player last season at Magnolia High, will play next season at Irvine Valley College, Laser Coach Lisa McNamee announced Tuesday.

In addition, Kristen Kopp of El Toro, Antoniette Banua of Costa Mesa High and Jaime Broneer of Hart will play at Irvine Valley, McNamee said.

Cunningham, a six-foot forward, averaged 17 points and 10 rebounds last season. Kopp, a 5-6 guard, was first-team all-Sea View League last year. Banua, a 5-9 guard who was first-team all-Pacific Coast League last season, played for McNamee at Costa Mesa is 1993 when the Mustangs won a Southern Section title and finished second in the state finals.

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The East Hills Pony League all-star baseball team, which had its 21-game tournament winning streak ended by Taiwan in the second round of the PONY World Series Monday, will play North Allegheny, Pa., tonight at 5 (PDT).

East Hills defeated Puerto Rico, 11-1, in the first round of games in Washington, Pa. If Taiwan defeats Puerto Rico in today’s 2:30 p.m. game, it advances to Saturday’s title game.

East Hills, composed of 13- and 14-year-old players from Anaheim Hills, had its hopes of reaching the championship game end with its loss to Taiwan. Only the teams with the best records in pool play advance.

East Hills advanced to the PONY World Series with a 10-7 victory over a team from Moreland last Wednesday at Amerige Park in Fullerton.

In other youth baseball news, the Anaheim Broncos, winners of last week’s PONY World Series for 12-year-olds, will be honored with a hometown parade Saturday, beginning at 11 a.m. at Savanna High School.