Principals Approve League Realignment Plan : High schools: Latest proposal would put Esperanza and Los Alamitos in Sunset League, El Toro in Sea View.

After 3 1/2 hours of discussion Tuesday at Western High, Orange County high school principals approved a new league realignment proposal.

Major changes in the proposal include placing Esperanza and Los Alamitos in the Sunset League and El Toro in the Sea View League. Mater Dei would remain in the South Coast League.

County principals met after Southern Section officials rejected a previous proposal June 2. The county league realignment committee needed a proposal to submit to the section by late September, before the section council meeting Oct. 21.

The new proposal, which will take effect in the 1994-95 school year, was passed, 44-8, with eight abstentions, said Western Principal Warren Stephenson, who heads the county’s league realignment committee.

“This is the only proposal we’ve been able to settle on over this drawn-out process,” El Modena Principal Gail Richards said. “I’m pleased it received the two-thirds majority approval.”

Richards was elated with the new proposal, which will leave the Vanguards in the Century League. El Modena, along with Brea-Olinda, El Dorado and Santa Ana, appealed the previous proposal after they were placed in the Empire League with Esperanza and Mater Dei.

Section officials upheld their appeal, stating competitive inequity, setting up Tuesday’s meeting.

According to Stephenson, the main areas of concern in the new proposal are the South Coast League’s retaining of Mater Dei and the inclusion of El Toro and Santa Margarita in the Sea View.

“But I think no matter how we created the leagues, there would be an appeal from somebody,” Stephenson said.

Said Mater Dei Principal Lyle Porter: “This proposal will probably be passed by the Southern Section. A lot of people feel it will fly because it is more responsive to the competitive equity and enrollment issues.”

The proposed leagues and member schools:

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

Empire--Century, Cypress, El Dorado, Katella, Kennedy, Loara.

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

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

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

Pacific Coast--Aliso Niguel, Costa Mesa, Estancia, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, University.

Sea View--Corona del Mar, El Toro, Irvine, Newport Harbor, Santa Margarita, Woodbridge.

South Coast--Capistrano Valley, Dana Hills, Mater Dei, Mission Viejo, San Clemente, Trabuco Hills.

Sunset--Edison, Esperanza, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Los Alamitos, Marina.

New--Ocean View, Saddleback, Santa Ana, Servite/Rosary, Tustin, Westminster.