Edison’s swim program is again showing its strength in the face of cancer.
Coach Diggy Riley returned to the Edison pool deck Monday, five days after his wife, Sally, 50, died from melanoma cancer.
“I need to be here. I want to be here and it feels good to be back on the deck,” he said.
Riley said he and his family have endured ups and downs since Wednesday, but have leaned heavily on their Christian faith and the support of family and friends.
“It’s hard not having her here,” said Riley, who had children, Lindsay, 25, and Tanner, 27, with Sally. “Faith is what is going to get us through.”
Edison’s swim team continues to be supportive. The program plans to wear T-shirts in honor of Sally today as Edison plays host to Marina at 3 p.m.
Earlier this season, Edison swimmers wrote “Team Sally” and “#swim4sally” on their backs, arms and legs.
A memorial service for Sally will be held Saturday at First Christian Church in Huntington Beach at noon. A memorial website also has been established at memorialwebsites.legacy.com/sallyriley/homepage.aspx
Edison swimming also features LSU-bound senior Thomas Smith, who races on as a knee cancer survivor.
“I still have two legs so I’m going to race as hard as I can,” Smith said. …
This week’s top meets: Fountain Valley-Los Alamitos and Capistrano Valley-Tesoro today and University-Corona del Mar and Villa Park-Foothill on Wednesday. …
Troy divers Christian Herrera (272.90) and Chrysoula Gatsios (241.30) placed first during last week’s boys and girls dual meet against Sonora.
– DAN ALBANO
BOYS GOLF
Two matches this week could determine the South Coast League champion.
Today at El Niguel Country Club, No. 2 Dana Hills will play host to No. 5 Tesoro, and Wednesday the Titans welcome the Dolphins onto the South Course at Coto de Caza Country Club.
Both teams have been putting up impressive scores. Dana Hills tied for sixth in the premier high school tournament in the nation, Champions Invitational.
The Titans finished 1-over par in beating Santa Margarita by seven strokes at Tijeras Creek Golf Club, 181-188, last month. Paraic Foley shot a 3-under-par 33 to earn medalist honors for Tesoro.
The Dolphins are undefeated in five matches at El Niguel this season, averaging a 194.2 on the front nine. Of the five visiting schools who have played there, only one broke 200.
– DAMIAN DOTTORE
TRACK & FIELD
One of the county’s most versatile track and field athletes has turned the corner in his recovery from a knee strain.
Edison’s AJ Beynon resumed running and jumping last week in preparation for a return at this week’s Mt. SAC Relays.
Beynon had mixed feelings following his first practice.
“It was frustrating because I know where I should be at,” he said in reference to his progression curve. “At the same time, it was exciting because just a few weeks before, I wasn’t really able to walk.”
The senior suffered his injury while participating in the long jump at the Redondo Invitational. Beynon possesses career-best marks that would project in the county’s top seven for the 110 and 300 hurdles, the high jump and the long jump.
“I feel really excited because I still have a second opportunity to compete later this season, and my senior year isn’t over yet,” he said.
– ANDREW TURNER, Contributing writer
GIRLS LACROSSE
The San Juan Hills girls lacrosse team will have a new face on the field when it plays Rosary on Wednesday night.
Journey Fischbeck, who transferred from Capistrano Valley, had to sit out the start of the season due to the 30-day transfer rule.
Fischbeck, a junior attack, scored 42 goals last year for Capistrano Valley.
– DAMIAN CALHOUN
BOYS VOLLEYBALL
Huntington Beach;s boys volleyball team extended its consecutive winning streak to 88 with a pair of sweeps in Hawaii at the Clash of Titans.
The Oilers swept Punahou, 25-19, 25-17, 25-21, and Hawaii Baptist Academy, 25-18, 25-20, 25-19. The Oilers return to Sunset League play tonight against Fountain Valley.
Also over the weekend, Tustin advanced to the final of the Kennedy Tournament, but lost to San Gabriel, 25-17, 25-17. In the third-place match, Magnolia defeated Kennedy, 21-25, 25-13, 15-12.
– DAMIAN CALHOUN
BOYS LACROSSE
Foothill’s boys lacrosse team ended its East Coast trip with a 14-13 victory over Medfield in Worchester, Mass., on Saturday. Nate Marano scored six goals, including the winner with 33 seconds remaining in overtime.
The Knights opened their trip with a loss to Lincoln Sudbury, 13-11, but bounced back to defeat Cohasset, a Massachusetts state champion, 11-4, Thursday.
Santa Margarita and Corona del Mar both went 2-0 on their northern California trip. St. Margaret’s went 2-1 on a trip north, with a highlight being a 16-9 victory over San Ramon Valley.
– DAMIAN CALHOUN
FOOTBALL
Mater Dei junior outside linebacker Curtis Robinson has committed to Stanford, he announced Monday.
Robinson (6-3, 225) said he picked the Cardinal for their academics, networking opportunities after graduation and linage of linebackers.
“It’s always been a dream school and it just felt like home,” he said in a text message.
Stanford also has a commitment from Santa Margarita junior quarterback KJ Costello (6-5, 218). …
The funeral service for former Orange standout running back Daniel Chairez is Tuesday at 11 a.m. at Templo Calvario Church in Santa Ana. Chairez died April 2 after a battle with asthma.
– DAN ALBANO
GIRLS WATER POLO
All-County water polo players Carlee Kapana (Newport Harbor), Makenzie and Aria Fischer (Laguna Beach) and Maddie Musselman (Corona del Mar) have been selected to the U.S. roster for the FINA Women’s Intercontinental tournament starting April 28 in New Zealand. Former county standouts Courtney Mathewson (Canyon) and Kaleigh Gilchrist (Newport Harbor) also are on the squad.
– DAN ALBANO
