Officials Vote to Continue Realignment

The Southern Section general council voted, 35-29, to continue the league realignment process, Commissioner Stan Thomas said Friday. The realignment committee will begin hearing proposals Monday.

The process, which takes place every two years, allows for the restructuring of the section’s 66 leagues. However, a proposal was made last week to postpone the cycle for one year.

The executive committee had rejected a realignment plan from members of the section’s 10 geographic areas because of irregularities in the process.

Many Orange County officials are concerned about the placement of two of the county’s Catholic schools--Mater Dei and Santa Margarita--into their area. Two other Catholic schools, Servite and Rosary, have been denied placement among the county’s public schools.

“The Orange County people felt strongly that we should hold off and the parochial schools wanted to move forward,” Thomas said. “The public school (officials) have a real concern about bringing parochial schools into their leagues. That’s the whole issue.”

A postponement was proposed, which was voted on by school principals. One league did not vote and another split its six votes, leaving a six-vote margin to continue the process.