Del Rey League Opts Out of CIF-City Game

Principals and athletic directors from the Del Rey League have notified the Southern Section that their six member schools no longer will participate in the bowl game that pits the City and Southern Section major-division football champions.

The Del Rey League includes Crespi and Alemany highs among its members. Even though league member Bishop Amat won the Division I title and the inaugural CIF/Reebok Bowl last month with a 31-10 victory over Sylmar, the league voted Wednesday not to participate in future bowl games.

Section officials said Thursday no decision had been made for selecting a replacement should a Del Rey team win the Division I title. The section plans to conduct the bowl game for the next four seasons.

Alemany Athletic Director Dudley Rooney said league administrators voiced concern over several factors, including the length of the season and that the bowl game disrupted finals week.

Representatives from Loyola, a Del Rey member that lost to Bishop Amat in the Division I final, said at midseason that the school would not participate in the bowl.

“From an educational and philosophical standpoint, I agree with the decision,” Rooney said. “(The bowl game) doesn’t even determine a section champion.”

Pat Degnan, who coached at the collegiate level for nine seasons before taking over at Alemany last fall, said playing on television puts a considerable amount of pressure on the players. The bowl game was televised live in Los Angeles and posted good ratings.

“The football part is a great concept,” Degnan said. “But it isn’t the Super Bowl and the players aren’t making $2 million a year. They shouldn’t be scrutinized on every play.”

According to Rooney, Bishop Amat Coach Mark Paredes, who is also the school’s athletic director, cited the length of the season as his primary concern. Paredes could not be reached for comment, but many in the league shared his opinion.

“Fifteen games is too many,” Degnan said. “Most of the pros only play 16 games, and they’re making big money. I think we’re making kids grow up too fast.”

That Bishop Amat declined further participation did not come as a surprise. Last month at a press conference preceding the game, Msgr. Aidan Carroll, the Bishop Amat principal, criticized the concept.

“The playing of the 15th game is an exploitation of the student-athlete for monetary purposes,” he said, “and I have a real problem with that.”