SEA VIEW LEAGUE

Aliso Niguel

Coach: Paul Wachenheim

1998-99 record: 13-12

League record: 5-5

Paul Wachenheim is a first-year coach in the county but he brings impressive credentials. He was named Ivy League coach of the year in 1996, while turning Moreno Valley Canyon Springs into an Inland Empire powerhouse. He left a year later to become the physical education director at the Rancho Capistrano retreat in San Juan Capistrano. Aliso Niguel has two starters back: 6-1 senior Ryann Ross and 5-9 junior Dino Lamela. Also returning are 5-9 junior Brandon Sievers, 6-2 junior Zac Zanolli and 6-4 senior Tim Hefty. Sky Chambers, a 6-2 junior, is battling for a starting spot. “We should, to some extent, be able to control the tempo of the game,” Wachenheim said.

Irvine

Coach: Mark Decker

1998-99 record: 18-9

League record: 5-5

The league’s other new coach, Mark Decker, has no starters back and only two returning players. He replaces Steve Keith, who retired last season. Matt Roggero, a 6-2 guard, was the sixth man last season and averaged eight points. This is his third varsity season. Andrew Bosshart, a 5-11 guard, is back on the varsity for the second season. Lower level players moving up include 6-5 senior center Brady Davis, 6-3 junior forward Jon DeVries, 6-2 forward junior Eric Patton and 5-10 senior guard Greg Schiesel, who was the JV point guard last season.

Laguna Hills

Coach: Dave Brown

1998-99 record: 16-11

League record: 7-3

Coach Dave Brown, who enters his 31st season, needs 22 victories to reach 500. Last season, the Hawks earned a share of the Pacific Coast League title. Now they have moved to the Sea View. “We’re anticipating another strong year,” Brown said. “We had an excellent summer.” There are no starters returning, but 6-3 Brian Anderson, 6-3 Nick Homyak, 6-6 forward Marshal Houser and 6-0 Chris Lee are back. Cade Stone, a transfer from Boise, Idaho, adds height at 6-5; 6-1 Alvarado Lua and 5-10 Jimmy Vollenhals are up from the junior varsity.

Newport Harbor

Coach: Larry Hirst

1998-99 record: 24-6

League record: 7-3

Dustin Illingworth (14.8 points, 5.8 rebounds) is perhaps the league’s best post player, if not the Sea View’s best all-around performer. He set a single-season school record with 174 rebounds last season. He will be counted on even more this season because he’s the only returning starter, and one of only two returning players with varsity experience. “We’ll have some getting-to-know-each-other pains early on,” Coach Larry Hirst said. Aaron Yarnal, a 6-0 junior guard, is also back. Greg Perrine, a 5-10 sophomore guard, and Mater Dei transfer Ryan Cook, a 6-1 junior guard, figure to play a lot.

Woodbridge

Coach: John Halagan

1998-99 record: 7-19

League record: 1-9

The Warriors don’t figure to struggle when the league race starts, as they did last season. Based on summer play, when Woodbridge went 23-4, league coaches have established the Warriors as the front-runner. Coach John Halagan doesn’t altogether disagree. “We’re very deep with more overall size and experience than last season,” he said. Shane Harris, a 5-10 senior guard who averaged 4.3 points, 2.5 rebounds and three assists, returns to the starting lineup, as does Regan Arroyo, a 6-5 senior forward who averaged 6.2 points and 5.1 rebounds. Matt Wallin, a 6-2 senior guard, is penciled in at point guard, while 6-5 senior forward Andy Boyum, 6-3 junior swingman Doug Koeller and 6-4 junior swingman Danny Lambert are battling for starting jobs. Four players from the 23-1 junior varsity team have moved up.