Ocean View’s 20-4 Season Comes to End in Courtroom, Not on the Court

Jim Harris, basketball coach at Ocean View High School in Huntington Beach, prepared himself for the worst Thursday.

And he got it.

Harris’ petition to the Orange County Superior Court, asking that sanctions by the Southern Section of the California Interscholastic Federation barring his team from this year’s playoffs be overturned, was denied by Judge Harmon G. Scoville.

The Seahawks (20-4 overall and 10-0 champions of the Sunset League) won’t be participating in the 5-A playoffs. Edison and Marina of Huntington Beach, and Fountain Valley will represent the league in the postseason tournament.

Harris appealed the penalties at the Southern Section and state CIF levels last fall but the sanctions were affirmed each time.

“I’m not shocked or surprised,” Harris said of Scoville’s decision. “I’ve become so unemotional for so long that I was prepared to hear that answer. It was an uphill battle all the way.”

Harris said he probably will not pursue his appeal any farther. He could take his case to an appellate court, but a verdict wouldn’t be reached in time to get his team into the playoffs. Pairings will be announced Sunday.

“There could be grounds for an appeal but it would be too little, too late,” Harris said.

The Southern Section ruled the Seahawks ineligible for the playoffs for violating CIF Rule 510, charging Harris with undue influence in the retention of Lynwood transfers Ricky Butler and Desi Hazely at Ocean View in the summer of 1984.

John Myers, Ocean View principal, forfeited the Seahawks’ 24 victories and league title and decided not to rehire Harris as coach in March, 1985, after a Huntington Beach Union High School District investigation revealed the infraction.

Harris was reinstated as coach in May after signing a written admission of guilt, but the Southern Section Executive Committee voted to impose stiffer penalties in August when it decided that the school’s self-imposed sanctions were not strong enough.

After two unsuccessful appeals, Harris, the Ocean View booster club and 12 players filed a lawsuit against the high school, district and the CIF, claiming that Rule 510 was never violated and that the section’s sanctions were excessive.

A hearing was held Monday, in which Scoville listened to 80 minutes of testimony by lawyers on behalf of Harris and the CIF. But Harris’ petition was eventually denied.

“I was pretty shocked, I thought we’d be in the playoffs,” Butler, a 6-6 forward, said. “I just hope we can win the league next year and get into the playoffs.

I feel sorry for guys like (seniors) Blaine (DeBrouwer) and Tony (Panzica), who worked so hard and won’t get a second chance.”

Said Mike Vogtmann, 6-8 senior center: “I wasn’t a member of the varsity team last year, but I’m being punished for what happened last season. That’s not right.”

Andrew Patterson, attorney for the CIF, was pleased with Scoville’s decision, which stated that the CIF’s actions were reasonable, but added, “It’s not a good feeling to have to impose sanctions upon a school. No one enjoys doing that, but there’s a system in place and athletics do have to be regulated and administered.”

Ray Plutko, Southern Section commissioner, reacted to the verdict with little emotion.

“Any time you take interscholastic athletics to the courtroom, there are no winners,” he said.