Alemany’s Bid to Avoid League Change Revived

Alemany High could avoid joining the newly aligned Mission League because of a recent court decision that has forced the Catholic Athletic Assn. to devise a new releaguing plan.

Alemany, a current Del Rey League member, was assigned to the Mission League under a proposal that was approved at a Sept. 21 meeting of the Southern Section Council. The plan was to take effect for the 1990-91 school year as part of the section’s two-year releaguing cycle. The CAA plan realigned the Del Rey and created the Mission, placing Alemany with Bishop Amat, Bishop Montgomery, Mater Dei, St. Bernard and St. Paul.

The CAA will meet Monday in an effort to adopt a new releaguing plan.

All avenues for appeal were closed to Alemany, which balked at the move because of the travel problems presented by membership in the new league.

But when the CAA lost a legal battle with the Southern Section last month, the parochial-school group was forced to accept responsibility for placing Santa Margarita--a newly opened school in south Orange County--in a league.

The CAA executive board met Oct. 4 and proposed four new plans that will be discussed at Monday’s meeting at the offices of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles.

Two of the plans call for Alemany to remain in a restructured Del Rey League that would include Crespi, Loyola, St. Bernard, St. Francis and either Bosco Tech or St. John Bosco. The other two plans would send Alemany to the Mission with Notre Dame, Bishop Amat, Bishop Montgomery, St. Bernard and St. Paul.

Father William Brelsford, the principal at St. Bernard and president of the CAA, said that the group would not be limited by those four proposals.

Alemany Athletic Director Dudley Rooney favors any releaguing plan that keeps his school in the Del Rey with schools that are geographically close. He also expressed relief that the Indians may avoid the Mission League.

“We felt like we got a reprieve as we were walking down the last mile,” he said.

“Releaguing is an emotional issue and it doesn’t affect just our area.”

When the CAA finally adopts a plan, it will be submitted at the next Southern Section Council meeting Jan. 18.