THE PREPS / ERIC SHEPARD : Galarze Doesn’t Bend for Rule-Breakers

Many high school coaches know the right thing to do when disciplining their athletes. But many of those same coaches do not have the courage to follow through with what they believe is the correct punishment.

Suspending or kicking an athlete off the team, for example, might be proper in some instances. But what if the victim is a star quarterback or an ace wide receiver?

Ray Galarze, football coach at Bell High, does not have such a problem. He makes it clear to everyone on his team that if they are caught using drugs or drinking during the season that they will be dismissed immediately. No questions asked.

Unfortunately for Galarze, he had to implement his rigid policy last week after five of his players were caught drinking at an off-campus party during school hours.

The players, all senior starters, were returned to school last Tuesday by Bell police. Galarze was called to the office, and he asked the players if they had been drinking. They all admitted they had. The coach then told them they were off of the team.

Complicating the situation, Bell was finishing off one of its best seasons in school history. The Eagles (9-1) are the top-seeded team in the City Division 3-A playoffs, which begin Friday. They have won their last nine games.

“We’re trying to teach a lot more than X’s and O’s on this team,” said Galarze, Bell’s coach since 1984. “We’re trying to teach these young men what is right and what is wrong. We’re teaching them how to be young adults.

“Certainly, I could’ve looked the other way in this situation and given them a slap on the wrist. That would’ve been easier. But it wouldn’t have been fair to all of the kids over the years who have received the same punishment. I can’t have double standards.”

Playing without its starting quarterback and running back is certain to hurt Bell’s chances in the playoffs. Robert Levy, Belmont’s coach, said he is not sure if he could have levied the same punishment.

“I would have to know the history of each kid to determine what to do,” Levy said. “Most likely, I would suspended them for one game and then talked with their parents and the principal about the next step. I don’t know if it’s fair to punish a whole team based on a few kids’ actions.”

Galarze said only one of the suspended players has approached him since the incident, and that he held firm on his decision.

“I just told him I wasn’t going to let him back on the team,” he said. “My players know where I stand.”

There were a few surprises at the City football playoff pairings meeting Sunday afternoon.

The biggest shock was when Granada Hills Kennedy Coach Bob Francola declined an at-large berth in the Division 4-A playoffs to make room for Crenshaw.

Coaches voted in favor of Kennedy and Garfield for the two remaining at-large berths. But Francola said that because Kennedy (4-6) lost to Crenshaw earlier in season that it would be more fair to include the Cougars.

Crenshaw (5-4-1) plays at Belmont Friday night in the first round.

Another surprise was when Carson was seeded second in 4-A and then ordered to play its first-round game on the road against Lincoln.

Hal Harkness, City commissioner, said being seeded has nothing to do with home-field advantage. Home games are decided by league finish and then conference record. Carson and Lincoln each won their league, but Lincoln (6-1) had a better conference record than the Colts (5-1).

“If the coaches don’t like the system we have, then they are free to try to change it,” Harkness said. “This is the system they voted for years ago. Then can just as easily vote it out.”

Prep Notes

In the City Division 3-A playoffs, North Hollywood (5-5) will replace Sepulveda Monroe (2-8) as the Mid-Valley League at-large entry. . . . Garden Grove had to forfeit four games last week for using an ineligible player. The Argonauts, 2-5 in the Garden Grove League and 4-6 overall, still made the Southern Section playoffs and play host to Fullerton Troy Friday in a Division VII matchup. . . . Indiana has had more success recruiting basketball players in Southern California recently than UCLA. In the last week, Hoosiers’ Coach Bobby Knight signed center Richard Mandeville of La Canada, guard Robert Foster of Fairfax and forward Monte Maraccini of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame. UCLA has failed to get any commitments since the weeklong early-signing period started last Wednesday. Bruins’ Coach Jim Harrick is still in the running for forward Charles O’Bannon and center Avondre Jones of Artesia. Each has said he will sign in the spring. . . . Manual Arts guard Troy Matthews signed with Southern Methodist.

Times’ Top 20 Football Poll

The Times’ top 20 high school football poll, with teams from the City and Southern Sections.

School Sect. Div. Rec. LW 1. Bishop Amat SS I 10-0 1 2. Los Alamitos SS II 10-0 2 3. Muir SS II 9-1 3 4. Fontana SS I 9-1 4 5. Hart SS II 10-0 5 6. Loyola SS I 9-1 6 7. Esperanza SS II 9-1 7 8. Eisenhower SS I 8-1-1 8 9. Servite SS II 8-1-1 11 10. Mater Dei SS I 8-1-1 16 11. Baldwin Park SS III 9-0-1 12 12. Irvine SS IV 9-1 14 13. Ran. Alamitos SS VII 8-2 9 14. Sylmar City 4-A 9-0 15 15. Hawthorne SS III 8-2 10 16. LB Poly SS I 7-3 NR 17. Rubidoux SS IV 10-0 20 18. Charter Oak SS VI 10-0 NR 19. Bell Gardens SS III 9-1 NR 20. Wil. Banning City 4-A 7-3 NR