Switch Is On for Valhalla, Monte Vista

Based on a routine assessment of enrollments, Grossmont Conference members Monte Vista and Valhalla will switch leagues beginning next fall, according to conference president Michael Eddy.

The principal’s council decided at its quarterly meeting Wednesday that Monte Vista will move to the Grossmont 2-A League and Valhalla to the Grossmont 3-A League, as recommended by the conference after a vote last week.

El Capitan (to 2-A) and Grossmont (to 3-A) made a similar switch before the start of the 1991-92 school year.

“Last time, there was some mumbling and grumbling,” said Phil Poist, Monte Vista’s athletic director. “This time around, it was pretty cut and dried.”

Based on enrollment figures from grades 10-12, Monte Vista has 1,146 students, eighth among the 10 conference schools.

Valhalla (1,324) is second to Granite Hills (1,514) and will join Helix (1,316), Grossmont (1,299) and Mt. Miguel (1,253) in the 3-A league. The new 2-A league will include El Capitan (1,210), El Cajon Valley (1,152), Monte Vista, Santana (977) and West Hills (809).

Coincidentally, the decision came two days before Monte Vista won its second football playoff game in school history and first since 1974.

Perhaps unfortunately, it will not take effect soon enough. The Monarchs play No. 1 Morse on Friday.

MACREADY OR NOT

John Macready, a senior at Santana High, finished second in the National Juniors Competition of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation at Colorado Springs, Colo., Sunday and will represent the U.S. in international competition beginning this spring in European countries, as well as Mexico and possibly Canada.

Casey Bryan of Salt Lake City, Utah, won the competition for the second year in a row while Macready moved up two spots from a year ago.

As well as gymnastic skills, competitors were tested for strength, flexibility, dance and combinations at Sunday’s competition, and Macready, one of only two gymnasts to score a perfect 10, received three.

“We’re very proud of him,” said Steve Butcher, Macready’s coach at the San Diego School of Gymnastics in Santee. “He’s by far the highest ranking gymnast San Diego has ever had.”

REIGN ENDS

Coronado failed to win a San Diego Section water polo title for the first time in six years and failed to reach the finals for the first time since 1985, but a semifinal appearance was still special, Coach Randy Burgess said.

“At the beginning of the year, realistically, I didn’t know if we would be one of the top eight teams in the county,” Burgess said. “We finished 20-10, and our three losses in San Diego were to the two teams in the finals (Poway and Granite Hills). . . . This year, this (the playoffs) is icing for me.”

The Islanders excelled despite Burgess being transferred to teach at a Coronado junior high school this fall.

“I lost a lot contact with the (Coronado players),” Burgess said. “With keeping up on their grades and looking after them, I felt very much like a walk-on coach. But that’s not why we lost.”

With an enrollment of merely 630, several people have suggested to Burgess his team play in the 2-A division, but he refuses. “We want to stay at this level of play.”

GO(A)LDEN ARM

For those who subscribe to the theory that “the best offense is a good defense,” Ryan Humphrey of Valhalla is your type of water polo player.

Humphrey, a goalie, scored 20 goals for the Norsemen (17-12) this season, including a remarkable 16 from the cage.

“I don’t think that’s ever happened before,” Valhalla Coach Kent Houston said. “He’s got a great shot from full court. He just throws it on a line.”

WATER POLO WRAP

The only member of Granite Hills’ water polo entourage who had previous championship experience before Saturday’s final against Poway was Coach Brian Wilbur, who was the section player of the year for Crawford in 1976 when the Colts lost to Vista in the title match, 13-9.

Granite Hills lost to Poway, 14-10, in Saturday’s final after defeating five-time defending champion Coronado, 18-13, in Thursday’s semifinal. It was the second time the Eagles had beaten Coronado. The first came in the first game of the season and marked Coronado’s first home loss since 1987. Granite Hills’ only losses were to Poway and Long Beach Wilson, a Southern Section power.

GOOD EATS

Point Loma failed to advance past the first round of the football playoffs for the first time since 1986, but there is one consolation, Coach Bennie Edens said: “This will be the first Thanksgiving I’ve spent at home in many years.”