Notebook : Pacifica’s Dizzying Pace Isn’t What Ails Coach

One could almost say Pacifica softball coach Rob Weil is dizzy with glee over his team’s success, but he’s not.

He’s just dizzy.

Weil missed 1 1/2 weeks of the season because of vertigo, which developed after an inner-ear infection. Whenever he stood, or sat up, he felt as if he were spinning. That prevented him from coaching the Mariners (17-2), who are ranked second in Orange County, even from a wheelchair.

After missing four games, Weil returned to the dugout three weeks ago in the championship game of the Fountain Valley Barons Classic. He managed to sit through a 4-0 victory over Mater Dei and even went to the plate to dispute a call.

“I was standing behind him,” assistant Janet Fettig said, “so I could be there when he collapsed.”

Weil didn’t collapse--he just walked very slowly and didn’t move very much. That has been his modus operandi of late, even while coaching the bases: coach carefully.

“I’m about 80% of full strength,” Weil said Monday. “I just have to stay on my medication and take it easy. And pray for not too many bad calls.”

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La Habra turned in a triple play of the most critical kind--with runners at second and third--against Garden Grove in the consolation semifinals Saturday at the Woodbridge Classic softball tournament.

It took place in the bottom of the third inning with no score. Amy Silva was on third, Wendi Griffin was on second and Angela Sifuentes was batting. The infield was in. With two strikes, Sifuentes struck out on a squeeze bunt; catcher Jenny Topping threw to shortstop Aimee Weathers covering third, who threw back to Topping, who tagged out Silva in the rundown; Topping then threw to center fielder Brooke Koehler covering second base to hang up Griffin, and Koehler threw to Weathers, who ran down Griffin for the third out.

La Habra scored two in the top of the fourth and won, 2-0.

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Huntington Beach, the No. 1 ranked boys’ volleyball team in Orange County, plays at third-ranked Fountain Valley (8-2, 3-1) Friday to highlight this week’s schedule. Huntington Beach (10-0, 4-0) rallied from a two-games-to-none deficit to win in five games in their first Sunset League match.

In the Sea View League, No. 4 Irvine (9-1, 4-0) plays at No. 10 Santa Margarita (8-3, 3-1) Tuesday. Wednesday, Servite (7-3, 4-0) plays at sixth-ranked Tustin (6-1, 4-0) in the Golden West League.

In the Century League, ninth-ranked Orange (12-0, 4-0) first plays at El Modena (8-1, 3-1) today then plays at Foothill (5-3, 3-1) Thursday. Orange defeated Foothill in five games in their last meeting.

Friday in the Garden Grove League, La Quinta (10-1, 7-0) plays at Garden Grove (9-2, 6-1). Staff writer Michael Itagaki contributed to this story.