Mater Dei Program Investigated

Four days after football players Derek and Leland Sparks transferred from Van Nuys Montclair Prep to Mater Dei High School, Stan Thomas, commissioner of the Southern Section, said Thursday he is investigating the Mater Dei athletic program.

Thomas said he questioned how two non-Catholics could get into Mater Dei at the last minute.

“It would appear Mater Dei is giving special treatment to athletes,” Thomas said. “I’m concerned with why they let these athletes in.”

Derek and Leland Sparks, cousins, withdrew from Montclair Prep last Tuesday, contacted Mater Dei Wednesday and enrolled Monday. Derek practiced with the football team all week.

Thomas said Mater Dei’s history played a role in prompting the investigation. The school was put on probation without sanctions by the Southern Section for the 1988-89 school year for illegal inducements in the transfer of Corona del Mar quarterback Dan O’Neil.

“All I can say is that Derek and Leland didn’t receive any preferential treatment here,” said Lyle Porter, Mater Dei’s first-year principal. “If two non-athletes would have come in at the same time as Derek and Leland, we would have made the same considerations for their admission.”

The Mater Dei investigation comes one day after the Southern Section Executive Committee ordered an in-house investigation of the Montclair Prep athletic program.

While Thomas and three members of the executive committee listened to an appeal Wednesday concerning a fifth year of eligibility for Leland Sparks, damning testimony from Jerome and Eric Sparks, uncles of Derek and Leland, convinced them to investigate Montclair Prep.

Jerome and Eric Sparks accused the Montclair coaching staff and Dr. Vernon Simpson, principal, of grade tampering, recruiting inducements and supplying false information on eligibility guidelines. Leland was granted a fifth year provided he qualifies academically.

Leland and Derek Sparks started the season at Montclair Prep. Leland, 18, a quarterback, found out two hours before the season opener Aug. 30 in Honolulu that his fifth year of eligibility had been denied. Derek, 17, a running back, played in the game.

Unhappy when Leland’s eligibility was denied, Jerome Sparks took the players to Mater Dei. The cousins are living in Santa Ana with June Sparks, Derek’s mother, who recently moved from Wharton, Tex.

Porter said according to transcripts, some of which are unofficial, Leland is a C-plus student and Derek is a B-minus student, which academically qualifies them for admission into Mater Dei.

Although 92% of the school’s 2,123 students are Catholic, he said religious preference is not a requirement. Porter also said that because Leland and Derek Sparks are seniors, they did not have to take a standardized entrance test required for incoming freshmen and sophomores.

Porter said the Sparks’ admissions were decided by himself, Francis Clare, assistant principal in charge of athletics, and Pat Murphy, assistant principal. Porter said no members of the athletic staff had any input on in the matter.

Thomas will rule on their eligibility after official transcripts are gathered. Until then, the Sparks remain on the sidelines, as they did when Mater Dei played Tustin Thursday night.

Mater Dei officials were unable to attain the proper paperwork that would have allowed Derek Sparks to play Thursday.

On Wednesday, Mater Dei officials attempted to have Sparks declared eligible. Porter said all the school lacked was an acceptable transcript from Montclair Prep, proving that Sparks was academically eligible.

Porter said the school had Sparks’ transcript, but it was not signed by Simpson.

Mater Dei Athletic Director Gary McKnight drove to Montclair Prep Thursday afternoon but was unable to obtain transcripts with Simpon’s signature until evening.

Montclair Prep sent the transcripts by fax at 7:05 p.m., according to Porter. However, Porter said Thomas requested that Mater Dei wait one more day.

Several members of the Catholic Athletic Assn., of which Mater Dei is a member, are upset over the school’s actions.

Jon Dawson, Loyola’s athletic director, said Derek twice tried to enroll at Loyola but was told he didn’t have the proper academic background to meet entrance requirements.

“The publicity generated by Mater Dei’s actions have hurt Catholic school relationships,” Dawson said.

Times staff writer Chris Foster contributed to this story.