Westlake’s Miller Undecided on Foot Surgery

Westlake High volleyball player Courtney Miller has been second-guessing her decision to have surgery on her left foot and possibly end her senior season.

Miller did not practice Friday but said she isn’t as certain she wants to have surgery to remove a bone fragment.

“I’m so indecisive right now,” said the 6-foot-2 opposite hitter, who is being recruited by several universities. “I’ve changed my mind so many times the past few days.”

If Miller opts for surgery, she likely will miss the regular season but have a chance at returning for the playoffs.

If Miller postpones surgery, the condition could deteriorate.

“If I wait until December, I have a chance of breaking it further and making it worse,” Miller said. “I don’t know.

“It’s my senior year. I want to play. But I think they’re going to do fine whether I’m playing or not.”

Miller, who expects to decide in the next couple days, broke the foot playing basketball as a freshman. It failed to heal properly, but only recently has it started to irritate her.

COLLEGE

Pepperdine men’s golf Coach John Geiberger, who guided the Waves to the NCAA championship last spring, has been named the university’s 1996-1997 coach of the year.

Gaylen Matsumura, a three-year letter winner on the women’s golf team, was named the Pepperdine scholar-athlete of the year.

TRIATHLON

Steve Neale, 45, of Newhall has qualified for the Ironman Triathlon on Oct. 18 at Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The event consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race and a 26.2-mile run.

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The Nautica Malibu Triathlon will take place Sunday at Zuma Beach at 7:30 a.m.

Several former Olympians will compete, including Amanda Beard, Dave Johnson, Ruth Wysocki and Steve Scott. Also competing will be model Kim Alexis, 1996 Miss USA winner Ali Landry and Alexandra Paul of “Baywatch.”

The triathlon benefits the Pediatric AIDS Foundation.

FOOTBALL

Admission for Royal High’s season-opening freshman and sophomore football games on Thursday at the Highlanders’ new stadium will be $5 for adults and $3 for children under 12.

Royal students with ASB cards will be admitted free. The freshman game is scheduled for 4 p.m. with the sophomore game will follow at 6 p.m.

SOFTBALL

The Southern California Stealth will hold softball tryouts for girls 16 and under Sept. 14 at Chaminade Middle School from 10 a.m. until noon. Information: (818) 551-8582.

MOTOR SPORTS

Castaic Lake will be the site of the SOLAS Western Championship personal watercraft races today and Sunday. Racing begins at 10 a.m. both days.

The event is the second-largest of its kind in the U.S., behind the World finals in October at Lake Havasu, Ariz.

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Alex Harris of Simi Valley, who last weekend posted his seventh victory in 11 U.S. Auto Club three-quarter Midget races this season, leads the Western States TQ Midget points standings with 449 points.

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U.S Auto Club Midget race cars will be featured tonight at Ventura Raceway. Among the drivers expected to compete are Billy Boat of Glendale, who raced in the Indianapolis 500 earlier this year, as well as Simi Valley resident Rick Hendrix and USAC Midget points leader Ricky Shelton.

Racing begins at 6 p.m. with qualifications, and the first race is scheduled for 7 p.m.

BOXING

Area boxers Don Goodwin of San Fernando, Rex Saldana of Van Nuys and Dario Lopez of Westlake will compete in separate bouts tonight at Paolina Boxing Club in Los Angeles.

Goodwin (6-7 with five knockouts) will face Fidel Avendano of Mexico (44-8, 26 KOs) in an eight-round super-middleweight bout. Saldana (2-2) will face Angel Ogas of El Monte (1-1) in a four-round junior lightweight bout. Lopez (0-4) will face Isreal Lopez (3-0) in a four-round super-flyweight bout.