Schools Approve Proposal to Disband Foothill League

The Foothill area schools of the Southern Section have approved a releaguing plan that will disband the Foothill League and form a newly aligned, eight-team Pacific League that includes Burbank, Burroughs and Hart.

The proposal was passed at an April 19 releaguing meeting and will be submitted to the Southern Section’s executive council May 23 for approval for a two-year period beginning in the 1990-91 school year.

The new Pacific League would consist of former Foothill League members Burbank, Burroughs and Hart, plus current league schools Crescenta Valley, Glendale, Hoover, Muir and Pasadena.

Alhambra, San Gabriel and Schurr, the other Foothill members, would join Arcadia, Bell Gardens and Montebello in a new Renaissance League. The Golden League consisting of Canyon, Saugus, Antelope Valley, Burroughs Ridgecrest, Palmdale and Quartz Hill would be unchanged.

Although the plan passed by a 26-to-16 vote, all eight members of the new Pacific League dissented. Crescenta Valley, a current member of the six-school league, will appeal the decision at the May 23 meeting.

“With all eight schools in opposition it seems unreasonable to put them together,” Crescenta Valley Principal Ken Biermann said. “We’re developing our arguments now but I don’t think our chances are good.”

Hart Principal Laurence Strauss agrees with Biermann’s assessment but plans no appeal. The reduced travel time in the league appeals to him, but the size of the league and the competitive strength give him pause.

“Starting out in a league and finishing in third or fourth place can be disheartening,” he said. “But somebody has to be in a league with Muir and Pasadena. I feel we’ll be competitive but not dominant.”

Schurr Athletic Director Don Hill, who voted for the plan, can understand Strauss’ reservations.

“I don’t blame them for being upset,” he said. “We’re thankful we’re not in that league. With Muir, Pasadena and Hart in the same league, that’s going to be a humdinger. Just in football, it’s going to be a bloodletter. If someone wants to see good high school football, just go to one of those Pacific League games.”

Hill also cited travel considerations as instrumental in the new alignments. Schurr of Montebello balked at the 50-mile trip to the Santa Clarita Valley and welcomed a league with closer rivals.

Hart still hungers for a return to the Golden League but its proposal was defeated. The Indians were bumped from the league six years ago when Burroughs of Ridgecrest was added to the league.

“We’re sort of left by ourselves,” Hart administrator Bill Beauer said. “We have some tradition with those schools but we don’t have any with Muir and Pasadena. There are some good programs in the Pasadena district. Frankly, it’s going to be a lot tougher for us.”