Edison falls to Troy in semis; White’s hoops coaching career comes

to an end

Mike Sciacca, Independent

The Edison High girls basketball team met the end of the road

Tuesday during their journey through the 1999-2000 season, dropping a

54-42 decision to second-seeded Troy in a CIF Southern Section Division

I-A semifinal showdown played out before a standing room only crowd at

Sunny Hills High in Fullerton.

The game also marked the end of the coaching career for Dave White in

terms of girls basketball, who retired from the girls program following

13 years -- split between two stints -- at the helm.

“It’s just time to move on,” White said. “I’ve had a great time with this

program and have had the pleasure of coaching some fine athletes.”

White took over the girls basketball program in 1981, stepped away from

his post following the conclusion of the 1986-87 season, then returned

for the 1994-95 season.

In February of 1986, White first was named Edison’s varsity football

coach, succeeding the highly successful Bill Workman. When the 2000

football season kicks off next September, it will be White’s 15th season

as head coach (White said he plans on coaching football for some time to

come.

It was also in January of 1986 that White’s first child, son Matt, was

born.

He will be a freshman at Edison next fall.

“Between doing those two things (coaching football and girls basketball),

and the birth of my son, it was crazy,” White explained. “There wasn’t

enough time to do everything, so I left basketball and concentrated on my

family and football. I had no idea I’d be back again.”

White couldn’t have left at a better time, though. His 1986-87 Chargers went 31-2, won the Sunset League championship, and beat Buena in the CIF

Southern Section 4-A Division championship game.

He returned to the head coaching position at the start of the 1994-95

season, having seen “maybe two (Edison) basketball games,” he said, since

the end of that magical ‘86-’87 season. White’s reason for leaving? As

like before, he wants to spend more time with his family, and concentrate

on football.

White leaves the Edison girls basketball program having won five Sunset

League titles in 13 years, winning the crown in ‘83, ‘87, ‘96, and in

successive years, ’99 and 2000. His final Edison squad finished 22-9 and

made it to the semifinals, the fourth time in his last seven years of

coaching that an Edison team has reached the Final Four.

The 1999-2000 Chargers won 14 of their last 16 games before having their

season ended by Troy.

“You know, back in the ’87 season, I announced to the team before the end

of the season, that it was going to be my last year coaching girls

basketball,” White said. “We went on to have a dream season. This year, I

made the same announcement, and we went on to have another dream season,

but it ended just one game short of playing for another championship. It

was a great run.”

The Ocean View High Seahawks will be making their second appearance in a

Southern Section final Saturday (12:30 p.m.) when they battle Artesia for

the Division II-A crown at the Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim.

The Golden West League Seahawks (29-2) earned a shot at the top-seeded

Pioneers by defeating defending II-A champion Mayfair, 71-56, in

semifinal action Tuesday before a full house at Bellflower High. Tied

44-44 heading into the fourth quarter, Ocean View went on a 12-2 run to

take control of the game. Junior Marques Crane scored 11 of his 23 points

in the decisive period, and senior Torin Beeler finished with 19 to lead

the Seahawks, who won the III-AA title in 1998.

Artesia, which won the I-AA crown last year, advanced by belting John

Muir Tuesday, 70-36.