Principals Vote to Accept Releaguing Plan

Orange County high school principals voted Thursday to accept a releaguing proposal that places four Catholic schools in public athletic leagues for a two-year cycle beginning in 1992.

The principals voted, 47 1/2 to 9 1/2, in favor of placing Servite/Rosary in the Sunset League, Santa Margarita in the Sea View League and Mater Dei in the South Coast League in a closed meeting at Foothill High School. In addition, Irvine would move from the South Coast League to the Sea View League.

Currently, the four Catholic schools compete in the Angelus League against other Catholic schools throughout Southern California. Catholic school administrators requested the move into the county’s public leagues because of rising transportation costs.

The half-vote resulted from Servite (an all-boys school) and Rosary (all-girls) splitting its vote. Servite administrators favored the move to the Sunset League while Rosary administrators opposed it.

“We had quite a bit of discussion,” said Foothill Principal Jim Ryan, chairman of the committee. “Most of the discussion centered on the Sea View League.

“We focused on the application of criteria (enrollment, strength of program and proximity of other schools) in the league. There’s a disparity in enrollment with a large school (Saddleback and its 2,500 students) and two smaller schools (Newport Harbor, 1,200 students; Corona del Mar, 1,125 students) with strong programs.

“Surprisingly, there wasn’t a lot of discussion regarding the move of the Catholic schools.”

The proposal will be sent to the Southern Section on Monday. Schools will be allowed to appeal the decision at a meeting scheduled June 3.

Still lingering is an appeal by five school districts regarding the section’s decision to allow the county’s four Catholic schools to participate in public leagues. The appeal, to be heard by a three-member panel from the state office of the California Interscholastic Federation, is scheduled May 10 in Carson.

HOW THE LEAGUES WOULD LOOK

If Orange County releaguing is given final approval and survives the appeal process, here is how the leagues will break down (schools that will change leagues in bold):

ARROWHEAD--California School for the Deaf, Calvary Chapel, Capistrano Valley Christian, La Verne Lutheran, Leffingwell Christian, Sherman Indian, Southern California Christian.

CENTURY--Canyon, El Modena, Foothill, Orange, Santa Ana Valley, Villa Park.

EMPIRE--Cypress, El Dorado, Esperanza, Katella, Loara, Los Alamitos.

FREEWAY--Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Sonora, Sunny Hills, Troy.

GARDEN GROVE--Bolsa Grande, Garden Grove, Kennedy, La Quinta, Los Amigos, Pacifica, Rancho Alamitos, Santiago.

OLYMPIC--Ayala, Brethren Christian, Capistrano Valley Christian, Ontario Christian, Orange Lutheran, Valley Christian, Whitney, Whittier Christian.

ORANGE--Anaheim, Brea-Olinda, Magnolia, Savanna, Valencia, Western.

PACIFIC COAST--Century, Costa Mesa, Estancia, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Trabuco Hills.

SEA VIEW--Corona del Mar, Irvine, Newport Harbor, Saddleback, Santa Margarita, Tustin, University, Woodbridge.

SOUTH COAST--Capistrano Valley, Dana Hills, El Toro, Mater Dei, Mission Viejo, San Clemente.

SUNSET--Edison, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Marina, Ocean View, Santa Ana, Servite/Rosary, Westminster.