Mix-Up Could Become an Untimely Error for Foothill

With the dominance of pitching in high school softball, an error often decides the outcome of a game.

That might be the case in the Century League, where Foothill High School failed to show up on time for its league home opener April 3 against Villa Park.

The two teams, both undefeated in conference, are scheduled to play at 3 p.m. today at Hillview School in Santa Ana.

For the first-round meeting April 3, first-year Foothill Coach Joe Gonzalez thought the game was at 5 p.m., because that was the starting time of last year’s home games at Foothill.

But according to the league’s master schedule, the game was scheduled to begin at 3 p.m.

A change in athletic directors, coaches and playing facilities contributed to the mix-up, said Jerry Whitaker, who is in his first year as girls’ athletic director at Foothill.

“The slip basically came from the league and myself operating off a master schedule, and the coach operating off another schedule he was given,” Whitaker said.

With Foothill unbeaten in four games--all shutouts--in league play and fresh off an upset of fourth-ranked Canyon, and with Villa Park also 4-0 in league play, the game will definitely have an impact on league standings.

Gonzalez says the first-round game should be played, citing similar mix-ups this season, including one in the Century League in which Canyon and Santa Ana Valley were each waiting at their respective schools to play one another.

Villa Park Coach Dave Shelton says Foothill should forfeit the game.

“We have a rule in our league constitution that says any change in game time must be approved by both athletic directors, and both athletic directors the day before agreed to a 3 p.m. game, and the only people not in compliance were Foothills’ coaches and players,” Shelton said.

Discussion on the matter at a Century League meeting of principals and athletic directors was postponed Wednesday because Villa Park representatives were unable to attend. daThe matter is scheduled to be discussed on Monday at a meeting of the league’s athletic directors.