Mission Viejo Is Out Two Coaches

The long hours spent developing the Mission Viejo football program into one of the state’s powerhouses have led to the stepping down of two key assistant coaches.

Marty Spalding, a highly regarded line coach for 34 years, and Marty Mikkelsen, the defensive coordinator at Mission Viejo the last five seasons, said they would not return next season when the Diablos attempt to win their fourth Southern Section Division II title in five years.

“It’s the simplest and most mundane reason there is,” Spalding said. “I’m just tired.”

Spalding, 57, helped coach Lake Forest El Toro to three section titles alongside Mission Viejo Coach Bob Johnson in the 1980s. He will continue teaching science at Mission Viejo.

Mikkelsen, a former quarterback at Garden Grove Pacifica and Saddleback College, joined the Mission Viejo staff before the 2000 season and turned around a defense that has since proved to be one of the strongest units in the area. Mikkelsen, who works full time in real estate, said the additional hours had become too long.

At least two other Mission Viejo coaches are said to be pursuing college opportunities. Johnson would not comment on the status of the other coaches, only to say of Spalding and Mikkelsen, “Those guys are real good friends. We’ve had a great time together.”

Dan Arritt

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Brian Stiman, who guided Valencia to the Southern Section Division II championship game this season, has resigned for personal reasons after 10 years as coach.

Stiman, who started the program, had an 80-41 record that culminated with the program’s first appearance in a section final after it won the Foothill League. Stiman was assistant head coach at Canyon Country Canyon under Harry Welch from 1982 to 1993, when the Cowboys won seven Golden League titles and three section championships.

Offensive coordinator Larry Muir is considered the top candidate to succeed Stiman.

Eric Sondheimer

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Water Polo

The celebration of Santa Ana Foothill’s 9-8 victory over previously unbeaten Newport Harbor on Saturday in the title game of the Santa Barbara Tournament of Champions will be short-lived as the Knights prepare to face the Sailors again tonight at 6:45 in a Sea View League game at Tustin High.

Bob Rohwer

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Boys’ Basketball

Lawndale Leuzinger is scheduled to retire the boys’ basketball jersey worn by former players Dorell Wright and Khelcey Barrs in a ceremony Thursday before its Bay League game against visiting South Torrance.

Both players wore No. 3 for the Olympians.

Wright, 19, finished his career for Leuzinger in 2003, then played a year at South Kent (Conn.) Prep as a fifth-year senior. A 6-7 shooting guard, Wright was selected 19th overall by Miami in last spring’s NBA draft and is on injured reserve.

Barrs was a highly touted 6-6 sophomore forward at Leuzinger when he died last spring of an undetected heart condition after playing a series of pickup games at L.A. Southwest College.

Chris Young, an assistant coach at Leuzinger, said the school decided to retire Wright’s jersey before Barr died.

-- Dan Arritt