The No. 1-seeded Sea Kings beat Foothill, 7-3, to advance to their second straight Division I title match.
If this is Chaney’s last hurrah, CdM (29-1) will try to send its longtime coach out with a championship, the program’s first in Division I.
“I’ve been saying that every year for 10 years,” said Chaney of stepping down. “I never know what’s in my future. People say that [I’m going to retire], that’s because I retired from [being a referee] so they think that I’m retiring from coaching.
“I don’t know yet. I’ve got some cans in the fire. I haven’t said one way or another. My wife’s having a baby in two weeks. [I’ll] see how much she needs from me.”
Chaney’s girls in the pool are hoping he guides them past No. 2 Dos Pueblos of Goleta.
The two have held the section’s top spot in the regular-season coaches’ poll.
Dos Pueblos (27-3) advanced to the final with a 9-8 semifinal victory against No. 3 Newport Harbor, CdM’s Back Bay rival.
A second straight Back Bay championship almost happened. Chaney said he wasn’t disappointed that the Sailors failed to return to the championship. As for his girls, that’s a different story.
“They would rather face Newport Harbor because it’s a rivalry,” Chaney said.
Another motivational tool Chaney could’ve used was last season’s Division I meltdown against the Sailors. Newport Harbor beat CdM, 6-5, in overtime.
In that match, the Sea Kings led by three goals going into the fourth period. What transpired the rest of the way stung CdM. Chaney mentioned the match after getting past formidable Foothill (18-11).
