The Edison boys soccer team is tied for first place and has a chance to win the Sunset League championship, but the Chargers know there are more important things for them to focus on these days.
About three weeks ago, Nicky Macchiavello, a defender on the Chargers’ varsity team, crashed while riding his dirt bike. He suffered significant head injuries that required him to undergo several surgeries.
The junior is in a coma but showing signs of recovery, and Edison coach Charlie Breneman said Macchiavello is in stable condition.
Breneman called the accident a “galvinizing” factor for the team. The Chargers’ players have sold T-shirts and wristbands, held car washes and arranged for special events at a couple of local restaurants. All of the money being raised is to help Macchiavello’s family pay for his medical bills.
A gofundme.com site, titled “Prayers for Nicky,” has been set up ( gofundme.com/k5bjq8), and updates can be found on Twitter (@NickyMacFanPage).
“So much of the fundraising has been organized and set up by the team,” Breneman said. “The whole Edison soccer program has chipped in to support in some way and I couldn’t be more proud. We play every game for Nicky now.”
– DAMIAN DOTTORE
GIRLS SOCCER
It was going to take a special performance for a team to knock off top-ranked Aliso Niguel, and San Clemente got just that from sophomore Lauren Brzykcy last week.
The sophomore keeper stopped 13 shots in a 1-0 victory for San Clemente, snapping Aliso’s seven-match win streak.
While things have been nothing short of frustrating for the Tritons (5-8-3, 3-2) this year, back-to-back wins over Dana Hills and Aliso Niguel have vaulted San Clemente to second place in the always competitive South Coast League.
With matches against Capistrano Valley and Mission Viejo this week, the Tritons have an opportunity to solidify their place near the top of the league standings with playoffs just a few weeks away.
Other matchups to watch this week: No. 2 Huntington Beach at No. 8 Los Alamitos on Tuesday; Yorba Linda at Brea Olinda, No. 3 Tesoro at Trabuco Hills, and Rosary at No. 4 Santa Margarita on Thursday.
– KENNY CONNOLLY
GIRLS WATER POLO
Mission Viejo’s girls water polo team continues to build an impressive resume, but plenty of rough waters remain to be charted.
The Diablos notched their fifth consecutive victory against top CIF-SS Division 4 contenders by defeating visiting Laguna Hills, 8-6, in a Sea View League match Saturday.
Mission Viejo (21-4), ranked third in Division 4, is 2-0 against No. 9 Laguna Hills. The Diablos also own victories against Bonita, Cerritos and Trabuco Hills, who were ranked fourth, fifth and ninth, respectively, in the division.
“(We’re) a finals contender,” Mission Viejo third-year coach Jeff Rach said. “(But) I really think two through seven (in the division) can beat each other on any given day.”
Royal of Simi Valley (14-8) is No. 1 in Division 4, followed by Riverside Poly.
Mission Viejo doesn’t feature a senior but features a strong 2-meter attack.
Junior Skylar Newhouser scored five goals against Laguna Hills and leads the Diablos with 74 goals. Sophomore Emilee Feilmeier ranks seconds with 71 goals.
Junior Megan Patterson (40 goals) also sets 2 meters and drew a key penalty less than a minute into Saturday’s match.
“That’s the No. 1 part of our game,” Rach said of his team’s center play.
Mission Viejo also is solid in goal with junior Tiffany Sims, who is averaging almost eight blocks.
The Diablos are seeking their first league title under Rach, but face another challenge today against visiting Trabuco Hills (12-7, 2-2).
Laguna Hills (15-5, 4-2) remains a contender for a playoff spot and hopes rallying to tie the score, 6-6, in the fourth period Saturday provides a spark.
“This was the first game of the season that we showed up to compete,” said Laguna Hills coach Blake Corbin, whose squad plays host to Capistrano Valley today. …
Combined head-to-head records between Newport Harbor, Orange Lutheran and Corona del Mar were used in this week’s Orange County poll. The rankings have been debated since the Lancers beat Newport Harbor, 10-6, on Saturday, but they are 0-1 against Corona del Mar. Newport Harbor is 3-0 against the Sea Kings.
In the comparison, Newport Harbor earned the No. 3 spot with a 4-1 record against Orange Lutheran and Corona del Mar while the Lancers (1-2) edged the Sea Kings (1-3) for third.
The rankings will continue to be debated this week at the Irvine Southern California Championships, which run Thursday through Saturday. Orange Lutheran is not part of the field. The final is Saturday at Woollett at 3:15 p.m.
Laguna Beach’s junior varsity is part of 32-team tournament, replacing Fountain Valley, Irvine coach Scott Hinman said.
– DAN ALBANO
WRESTLING
One of the more interesting league finals will take place Wednesday at Villa Park when the Century Conference teams (Crestview and North Hills leagues) come together.
As an eight-team conference (El Dorado, El Modena, Esperanza, Villa Park, Yorba Linda, Brea Olinda, Canyon and Foothill), the top four at each weight will advance to the CIF-SS Individual Championships.
The Coast Valley Conference, which combines the South Coast and Sea View leagues, had its league finals Saturday. That was a 10-team league with the top five advancing to CIF. Laguna Hills and Trabuco Hills qualified 12 and San Clemente had 10.
– DAMIAN CALHOUN
FOOTBALL
Los Alamitos linebacker Matt Locher, the Register’s 2014 defensive player of the year, has changed his commitment to Boise State. Locher (6-3, 245) had committed to Cal Poly SLO last month.
– DAN ALBANO
BOYS WATER POLO
Huntington Beach hired Sasa Branisavljevic as its boys water polo coach, he confirmed Monday.
Branisavljevic is director of the Huntington Beach-based Vanguard club and coached several of the Oilers as age-group players. He replaces interim coach Chris Kaps, who filled in most of last season for Brian Anderson, who resigned. …
Dana Hills senior Marko Asic said he has committed to Pepperdine.
– DAN ALBANO
