High School Swimming Preview: Diggy Riley and Keith Ryan back together at Costa Mesa
Diggy Riley and Keith Ryan had success as co-coaches for Edison High swimming for eight years through 2012.
The Chargers were often among Orange County’s best teams during that time, which included the high school career of Olympian Tom Shields. The girls won the CIF Southern Section Division 1 title in 2009.
Riley and Ryan are back coaching together at Costa Mesa this year, again as co-head coaches, following the resignation of Tim Postiff.
Ryan took over the Costa Mesa Aquatics Club swim team in the fall of 2018, and Riley, who resigned at Edison in 2016 and has coached at Newport Harbor since then, recently joined CMAC as well.
“We were presented with the opportunity to lead the Costa Mesa High swim program very late in the game, and we knew we had to do it,” Ryan said. “Not only for the kids because they deserved it, but because we know how much of an impact we can make, doing what we love to do. Sharing excitement about the sport is honestly our No. 1 strength and it is already showing. We have always, and continue to just truly love the high school swim format.”
Costa Mesa is the returning Orange Coast League champion in both genders. Top swimmers for the Mustang boys include Cal Poly San Luis Obispo-bound senior Aidan Blair, who swims club for Golden West and is versatile in his strokes, as well as junior water polo players William Harrington and Xander Luckett.
Two freshman club swimmers, Kira Anderson and Maddie Stein, will make an impact for the Costa Mesa girls, along with junior Sophie Blair.
Estancia will also look to contend in the Orange Coast League, with senior Sydni White and junior Caroline Conner as top girls’ swimmers and junior Noah Gniffke and sophomore Reece Adkins as top boys’ swimmers.
Los Alamitos’ boys’ and girls are the defending champions in the Surf League, but plenty of fast local swimmers also return. Newport Harbor had its girls finished second in the league last season but graduated a lot, including twin sisters Ayla and Zoe Spitz. Senior Carly Yasko, bound for Columbia University, is a key returner for the Sailors girls in the freestyle, as well as sophomore water polo players Taylor Smith and Morgan Netherton.
The Newport Harbor boys will be led by seniors Reed Stemler and Makoto Kenney (freestyle), sophomore Mason Hunt (freestyle) and sophomore Caden Jardim (backstroke).
The Fountain Valley girls placed second in the league last year but will need to deal with the graduation of Hannah Farrow, the league champion in the 100-yard butterfly and 200 individual medley. Junior Ivan Nghi, the co-Surf League Boys’ Swimmer of the Meet after setting meet records in the butterfly and IM last year, should be a top returner for the Barons boys,
Edison swept the Wave League in both genders last year, though the Chargers lost key seniors like Taylor Whitmore and Jakob Otte on the boys’ side. Senior Emma Willmer, who swims club for Irvine Novaquatics and is committed to Boise State, is a top returner for the Chargers girls.
For the first time in a four-year high school career, Edison High senior boys’ swimmer Taylor Whitmore cannot call himself a league champion in an individual event.
Huntington Beach boys’ coach Ryan Camps said he expects the Oilers, led by junior distance freestyler Chase Dodd, to compete for their first league championship since 1928. The Oilers girls will be led by junior sprinter Maddy Harris and junior distance swimmer Summer West, as well as freshman Grace Brehm.
Laguna Beach will be led on the girls’ side by freshman club swimmer Jana Jocic, who swims for the Mission Viejo Nadadores, as well as junior water polo players Jessie Rose and Molly Renner. Coach Kari Damato said the girls are aiming for the league title this year. Seniors John Ford, Nathan Solomon and Augie Renezder lead the Breakers boys.
Senior Stuart Holton, a University of Maryland, Baltimore County commit who is the defending Wave League champion in the butterfly and backstroke, leads the charge for the Marina boys. The girls will be led by sophomores Anna Konovalov and Lynn Nguyen, as well as freshman Alexa Pham.
Sage Hill looks to repeat as San Joaquin League champion in both genders. Sophomores Kyle Wong and Adam Yang, as well as freshman Ryan Chang, lead the boys. Senior Nicole Harvey, junior Sydney Rosmann and freshman Susan Zhang lead the Lightning girls.
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