Plan Seeks Valley-Oriented, Non-Football Catholic League

Seven of the area’s strongest parochial high schools will compete in a Valley-oriented league in all boys’ and girls’ sports but football if a releaguing proposal by the Catholic Athletic Assn. is ratified next month.

The proposal is the first in a series of steps toward finalizing leagues for the 1994-98 seasons, when a four-year cycle will replace the current two-year format. The plan, which would keep alive several rivalries among Valley schools, was formulated after feedback was solicited from schools and administrators.

Under the proposal, the Mission League--in all sports but football--would include area schools Alemany, Chaminade, Crespi, Harvard-Westlake, St. Francis and Notre Dame. A seventh area school, Louisville, and Flintridge Sacred Heart would be added in girls’ sports, and Loyola also would be a member school.

In short, the proposed league would contain all schools from the region in the CAA except Bell-Jeff and St. Genevieve, which will play in the Santa Fe League in all boys’ sports.

Alemany, Chaminade, Crespi, Harvard-Westlake, Loyola, Notre Dame, Bishop Montgomery and St. Bernard are members of the non-football Mission League alignment. Under the plan, the latter two would join the Del Rey League in all sports but football. They would remain in the Mission in football.

A public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for Thursday at Los Angeles Archdiocese headquarters. After making adjustments, if any, the CAA is expected to ratify the plan at a meeting March 11 and forward it to the Southern Section on March 15.

The proposed football alignment for the Santa Fe League: Bell-Jeff and St. Genevieve again will play in the Santa Fe, but would move from Division X to Division IX. They would be joined by Murphy, Salesian, La Salle and new members Pius X and Mary Star. Cathedral would leave the Santa Fe for the Division VII Camino Real League.

The Division I Del Rey League--which comprises Alemany, Bishop Amat, Crespi, Loyola, St. John Bosco and St. Paul--would remain unchanged. The Division IV Mission League again would contain Bishop Montgomery, Chaminade, Harvard-Westlake, Notre Dame, St. Bernard and St. Francis.

* PROPOSED LEAGUE ALIGNMENTS: C15