Sharing sideline smiles

While their players tried to finish plays the other team knew were

coming, boys basketball coaches Chris Sorce and Rich Boyce, former

Estancia High colleagues, finished one another’s sentences on the

sideline Monday night.

Boyce, in his third season at Edison after 13 years in the

Estancia program, the final four as head coach before taking over the

Chargers, concluded yet another homecoming week by coaching his team

to a 51-43 triumph in the third-place game of the Estancia Coast

Classic.

But Boyce and Sorce, who moved up from the sophomores to the

varsity when Boyce left, had about as much fun as two competitors can

have in the heat of battle.

“We were both making decoy calls, because we run the same stuff,”

Boyce said of the strategic aspect of the matchup. “Chris and I knew

what was happening, but the kids fell for it.”

At one point, Boyce and Sorce conferred about the length of a

timeout, both eventually agreeing a full timeout, not a 30-second

stoppage, was more appropriate.

And, when Boyce wanted to call a late timeout to shuffle in some

subs who had not played in a string of recent close games, he first

let Sorce know about the ploy, so as not to ruffle any feathers.

“I enjoy coaching against Chris, because we have a lot of fun on

the sideline,” said Boyce, whose Chargers defeated Sorce’s Eagles two

years ago in the Coast Classic semifinals. “Sometimes, you can get so

caught up in competing, you forget it’s supposed to fun. There’s not

too many coaches you can converse with during the game, but Chris is

one of them.”

Both coaches said they talk at least twice a week during the

season and both root for one another and seek out one another’s

scores in the morning newspaper.

“Every once in a while, when we break a team huddle, the kids will

say, one-two-three Edison, and I’ll catch myself saying Eagles,”

Boyce said. “And just this year, I picked up a bracket of a

tournament both teams were in and I looked at the Estancia draw

thinking it was mine.”

Estancia and Edison scrimmage one another in the preseason and

plan to continue that trend, though Boyce said he will miss the Coast

Classic next year, in favor of a tournament in Florida.

*

More than coaching against his good friend, Boyce said all the

familiar faces he encounters makes the Coast Classic, in its 18th

year, a special event for him.

“Everyone here is so nice and personable and they always wish me

well,” he said.

Boyce also said he enjoyed seeing the development of Estancia

senior starters Joey Lindquist, Zack Novak and Matt Cachola, who were

freshmen in his final season with the Eagles.

He also couldn’t resist passing some praise Sorce’s way.

“I hope people realize that Chris is getting a lot out of his

kids,” Boyce said.

*

Among the scores of volunteers who helped tournament director Ben

Novak run one of the Southland’s most cordial and efficient events --

and oh the culinary delight of that hospitality room -- there is

veteran public address announcer Steve Kreisle.

Kreisle, in his seventh year working boys basketball games at

Estancia, said his daughter, former Eagle tennis player Katie

Kreisle, hooked him up with the job, after he complained about a void

on the microphone.

Raised in Indiana, where he became another Hoosier hooked on

hoops, Kreisle said he still enjoys calling games -- about two a

night during the tournament -- and plans to continue in that role for

as long as Sorce remains the coach.

“I think we’ll go out together,” said Kreisle, whose understated

style is one more game announcers should emulate.

*

Those holding their breath for the hiring of a football coach at

Estancia may want to exhale. Tim Parsel, Estancia boys athletic

director, said procedural problems have delayed the mandatory 10-day

period in which the job is advertised within the district.

Parsel said he hopes to begin interviewing candidates in late

January.

Parsel also said he has had about a dozen inquiries about the

position, but is unsure how many of those will actually apply. He

said a teaching position will be offered with enough flexibility

(including openings in physical education) as not to limit

applicants.