Graves Resigns as Football Coach at Bolsa Grande After 4 Seasons

Earl Graves, who expects to be named assistant football coach at Pacifica, has resigned his head coaching job at Bolsa Grande, he said Tuesday.

In four years at Bolsa Grande, Graves was 9-30-1. Athletic Director Ron Inman, who called Graves a tireless worker, said the coach had become frustrated over his inability to get more assistant coaches for the Matador staff.

“He was doing everything the right way,” Inman said. “He spent a lot of hours on the program, year around, but I think it just wore on him that he didn’t have assistants on staff.”

Graves, a health, physical education and history teacher, expects to be reassigned within the Garden Grove Unified School District.

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Dewey Van Cleave has announced his retirement as boys’ basketball coach at Garden Grove High and will leave his teaching post at the end of the school year, Athletic Director Ron Zajec said.

Van Cleave, 63, has coached boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ track, varsity baseball and freshman and JV football in his 32 years at the school.

The 1997-98 season was Van Cleave’s 13th as the boys’ basketball coach, during which time the Argonauts compiled a 153-164 record. They were 3-23 this season.

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Irvine Ice Arena will be the site of the 26th Pacific Collegiate Hockey Assn. championship tournament, featuring club teams from Long Beach State, San Diego State, Cal State Northridge and Fresno State, Friday through Sunday.

The championship game will begin at noon Sunday. Tickets are $12 for a tournament pass and $5 for a day pass. Irvine Ice Arena is at 3400 Michelson Dr., Irvine.

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Sarah Spencer of Troy has signed to play basketball at Christian Heritage College in San Diego. Spencer, 6-0, was an All-Freeway League player who averaged 10.1 points and 8.6 rebounds.