City Rejects Reseda Move to 4-A League

The City Section Interscholastic Athletics Committee has rejected a recommendation that would have forced Reseda High to swap conferences with Canoga Park for the two-year releaguing cycle period beginning next fall.

IAC also rejected a recommendation from its realignment committee that proposed a similar swap between Westchester and Narbonne.

But IAC also instructed the realignment committee to reconvene in January to study “other concepts and options for Canoga Park and Narbonne.”

Reseda Principal Robert Kladifko and coaches Jeff Halpern (basketball) and Joel Schaeffer (football) argued against the recommendation Monday, claiming that Grant or Birmingham would be better suited for the move.

Reseda, a member of the Valley Pac-8 Conference, objected to the move to the Northwest Valley Conference because it meant a step up from the 3-A Division to the 4-A Division in most sports.

Reseda officials presented detailed records comparing their school’s overall athletics program to those at Grant and Birmingham. Surprisingly, IAC members never referred to the Reseda-Canoga Park situation during the nearly two hours of discussion that followed the presentation.

Instead, IAC rejected the idea of any movement at all for two more years.

“I think there was a block of people who wanted the schools to stay where they are and make the most of it,” said Ernie Scarcelli, the IAC chairman and principal at Sylmar.

The decision surprised Halpern and Schaeffer, who left Monday’s meeting with little hope.

“I didn’t have a good feeling when I left,” Halpern said. “I thought if they were really concerned they’d ask questions, but they didn’t ask any. This is obviously not over, but I’m glad we can at least be in a situation where we can be competitive. It’s where we belong.”

Marty Denyer, Canoga Park Athletic Director, said he had no comment.