Marmonte League tries to avoid adding Oaks Christian

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Meetings have begun to take place as the Southern Section prepares for a revamping of its sports leagues in the 2010-2011 school year, and the eight-team Marmonte League has taken the first step to prevent other leagues from forcing it to take Ventura County sports power Oaks Christian.

Southern Section leagues are placed in seven geographic areas and two demographic areas (parochial and small school). The Marmonte League, part of the Northern Area, has asked to be placed into the Foothill Area, which goes from Long Beach to Palmdale. If granted, the Marmonte League would be shielded from being asked to add Oaks Christian to its league.

‘The people in the Tri-Valley League want to push Oaks Christian to us,’ Westlake football Coach Jim Benkert said. ‘We want to stay together.’

Oaks Christian has won 24 Southern Section championships in the last six years while becoming a football powerhouse. Tri-Valley schools have tried unsuccessfully to remove Oaks Christian from their league, and now in the new releaguing cycle, they are trying again.

If the Foothill Area accepts the Marmonte League, the Tri-Valley League would be out of options because it belongs in the Northern placement area. Oaks Christian would agree to move to the Marmonte for just football or all sports.

There’s lots of proposals expected to come out before final decisions are made, but it’s clear what to do with Oaks Christian has people in Ventura County burning up the phones at night and scheming. There’s a big mess brewing, but it offers great intrigue.

-- Eric Sondheimer