Hinman Quits as Santa Ana Football Coach After 4 Seasons

Coach Bob Hinman, whose Santa Ana High football team finished 1-9 last season, resigned Thursday, boys’ Athletic Director Frank Alvarado said.

Hinman, who compiled a 3-35 record in four seasons at the school, plans to return to college and work on an advanced degree.

*

Orange County’s top three wrestling teams will be among 40 competing today on the first day of the Estancia tournament at Estancia High.

Top-ranked Calvary Chapel, fresh off a victory Wednesday over Bakersfield, will compete, as will second-ranked Irvine and No. 3 Anaheim.

This marks Calvary Chapel’s first appearance in the tournament.

“Since we won’t be going to Five Counties this year, we wanted to enter a tournament that’s close to home,” Calvary Chapel Coach John Azevedo said.

The tournament begins at 3 p.m. today and continues at 10 a.m. Saturday.

*

Esperanza track and field Coach Al Britt has been named a winner of a 1996 Los Angeles Invitational Track Coaches Hall of Fame award.

Britt, The Times Orange County 1995 coach of the year for girls’ track and field, has sent as many athletes to the event, formerly known as the Sunkist Invitational, as any school in Orange County.

In 16 years, he has guided the Aztec girls’ team to 14 league titles, an 83-1 dual-meet record, six Orange County Championships (1983, ‘84, ‘85, ‘93-95) and the Southern Section championship in 1994; the boys’ team won section titles in 1989 and ‘90, the Orange County Championships twice (1990, ‘95), and have won nine consecutive league titles.

Britt will be honored at the indoor meet Feb. 24 at the Sports Arena.