Football: St. Bonaventure, Oaks Christian voted into same league

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After three hours of discussions and votes, the Northern Area representatives voted 31 to 23 on Tuesday to accept a proposal that would place St. Bonaventure and Oaks Christian together in a football league that would also include Grace Brethren and Santa Clara, effective with the 2010 sports season.

All the schools involved immediately vowed to appeal to the Southern Section. The day started with 14 proposals, a number that was cut to two, with the other proposal seeking to move Oaks Christian into the Marmonte League for all sports and change places with Calabasas.

‘It’s absolutely ridiculous,’ Oak Park Co-Athletic Director Dick Billingsley said of the accepted proposal that forces tiny Grace Brethren and Santa Clara to compete with football powers Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure.

The Southern Section is likely to reject the Northern Area recommendation, which would force the representatives to meet again in the coming months to come up with a new plan.

‘It’s dead on arrival,’ St. Bonaventure Athletic Director Mike Gianelli said.

-- Eric Sondheimer