Loyola, to Avoid Hitting the Road, Will Appeal Releaguing Proposal

Loyola High School Athletic Director Jon Dawson said Monday his school will appeal a recent Catholic Athletic Assn. releaguing proposal.

Because of the addition of Santa Margarita, a three-year-old Catholic school in Rancho Santa Margarita, the CAA came up with a redesigned league proposal for the Southern Section’s committee, which will be submitted Dec. 5.

In the proposal, Santa Margarita is in the large-school division with Mater Dei, Servite, Bishop Amat of La Puente, St. John Bosco of Bellflower and Loyola, located near downtown Los Angeles; along with all-girls schools Rosary of Fullerton and St. Joseph of Lakewood.

The smaller-schools division consists of Alemany of Mission Hills, Bishop Montgomery of Torrance, Chaminade of Canoga Park, Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks, St. Bernard of Playa del Rey, Crespi of Encino and St. Paul of Sante Fe Springs.

“We are appealing for the students’ concern first and not for competition reasons,” Dawson said. “The travel demands just do not make sense.

“We are 65 miles from Santa Margarita, one-way, and 45 miles from Mater Dei. In the old alignment, St. John Bosco was our farthest trip and now it is our closest.”

Loyola, which competes in the Del Rey League, will have a chance to appeal by Dec. 5.