Orange County Releaguing Plan Draws Protests

Taking the approach that you can’t please everyone, the Southern Section Releaguing Committee unanimously approved the most recent Orange County league realignment plan Thursday.

After hearing formal protests from seven schools, the committee agreed to move Trabuco Hills to the South Coast League, Los Alamitos and Esperanza to the Sunset League, El Toro to the Sea View League, University to the Pacific Coast League, and Kennedy and Century to the Empire League for a four-year period beginning in 1994. It would also form a new league consisting of Ocean View, Saddleback, Santa Ana, Tustin, Westminster and the parochial tandem of Servite (boys) and Rosary (girls).

The protesting schools were Corona del Mar, Newport Harbor, Dana Hills, El Toro, Trabuco Hills, Servite and Rosary.

Their appeals were largely based on perceived inequities in the three criteria for realignment: competitive levels between the schools, geographical locations and enrollment. Appeals can again be heard Oct. 21 by the Southern Section Council; the realignment proposal could be finished after a hearing of those appeals.

“Is it perfect? No,” said Western Principal Warren Stephenson, who heads the county’s league realignment committee. “Does everybody have a chance to win a championship? No. But I think everybody was able to give their input and it’s the best we can do after repeated efforts.”

Four alternative proposals were offered to the committee, including two by the Newport-Mesa Unified School District, which includes Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor. Dana Hills, El Toro and Trabuco Hills made another proposal, and Rosary and Servite made a third proposal.

Corona del Mar (970 enrollment) and Newport Harbor (1,385), two of the county’s smallest schools, had concerns over transportation to El Toro and Santa Margarita, both south of the Interstates 5 and 405 intersection, and enrollment disparities with El Toro (2,177) and Irvine (2,207).

“We’re passing up six or seven schools (en route that) we feel we could compete with to get to El Toro and Santa Margarita,” Corona del Mar Athletic Director Jerry Jelnick said.

El Toro, a Division I school, was also unhappy with the move. Principal Jack Clement said it was “grossly unfair to stick us in with (smaller) Division IV schools.”

Dana Hills was bothered by Mater Dei remaining in the South Coast League and the competitive inequity that creates. Dana Hills Principal Rickie Lundgren claimed that Dana Hills, San Clemente and Capistrano Valley’s losses in enrollment and coaching resources to fledgling Aliso Niguel will affect the competitive balance of the league. She referred to “a demoralized student body that hasn’t been able to compete with Mater Dei.”

Servite and Rosary, parochial boys’ and girls’ schools, were happy with the competition after their first year in the Sunset League and wanted to remain, rather than stepping down to the perceived lower level of competition of the new six-team league.

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