Santa Margarita’s Battle With Southern Section Ends

The year-long dispute between the Catholic Athletic Assn. and the Southern Section over the placement of Santa Margarita High School in a league with other parochial schools appears to be over.

Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas said CAA officials informed him this week that they will not pursue litigation and will accept the decision to place the school in the Parochial Area. Beginning in the 1990 school year, Santa Margarita may join the Mission League, which will have only two other Orange County members--Mater Dei and Rosary.

Santa Margarita, a Catholic school that opened three years ago in Rancho Santa Margarita, wanted to play in a county public school league beginning next season. The school cited problems involving transportation costs and long travel distances if it were placed in a parochial league. Santa Margarita currently competes in the Olympic League with small private schools, but its anticipated enrollment of 2,000 students dictated a move.

Richard Schaff, Santa Margarita athletic director, said he was happy to see the issue finally resolved, but said he was uncertain which league the school will be placed in next season.

“Now we’ve got to wait and see where they (releaguing committee) put us,” Schaff said. “Everyone seems to think it’s going to be the Mission League, but there are about five different proposals on the board. Nothing is set in writing yet.”

Santa Margarita was placed in the Parochial Area with other Catholic schools by the Southern Section’s releaguing committee last spring, but the school and the CAA launched a series of appeals with the section and the California Interscholastic Federation that were ultimately denied.

“The issue is closed, and I’m very pleased the way the parochial schools handled the situation,” Thomas said. “They (CAA) could have taken the matter to court and their attorneys had expressed the desire to do so.

“But the (CAA) principals decided to keep the matter within the family of the CIF. I have to give high marks to the Catholic schools. This was one of the most difficult issues I’ve had to deal with in my four years as commissioner.”

Thomas said the placement of Santa Margarita in the Parochial Area for the 1990-92 cycle is expected to be approved by the Southern Section’s Executive Committee in its next meeting, Dec. 5, and confirmed on Jan. 13.

BACKGROUND

Santa Margarita High School has wanted to be part of an Orange County league to save travel costs. Orange County principals rejected the school’s placement with their teams because they say parochial schools operate under a different set of rules.