Principals Stick With Plan That Has Been Denied Once

Orange County principals voted Thursday to resubmit to the Southern Section council the same plan for realigning the county’s athletic leagues that the council rejected last month.

The council, in voting down the proposal on Oct. 21, upheld an appeal by Esperanza Principal Ray Plutko to allow his school to leave the Sunset League because of geographical concerns. The council told the county principals to return to committee meetings to reconsider Esperanza’s request.

But Thursday, by a 40-19 vote taken during a meeting at Fountain Valley High, the principals rebuffed Plutko and Esperanza, because of a sense of urgency to schedule the 1998 football season and also because deciding the fate of parochial powers Mater Dei and Santa Margarita is a higher priority.

“Esperanza has a legitimate geographical concern,” Los Alamitos Principal Carol Hart said, “but a greater priority is private school placement. There is some momentum for [moving] private schools [from public to private-school leagues] and I want to see it continue.”

Plutko, who became principal July 1 and did not participate in the realignment meetings last spring, said he would appeal again when the section council reconvenes Jan. 29.

“Our appeal seemed to take a back seat to alleviate the political pressure regarding Mater Dei and Santa Margarita,” said Plutko, who pointed out that the Nov. 5 letter sent to principals announcing Thursday’s meeting said no proposals were expected to be voted on at the meeting. “As the dynamics of the meeting grew, [approval of the proposal] became more apparent.”

Plutko appeared to be getting some backlash from principals who were unhappy he had appealed the proposal.

“It’s unfortunate that Ray was not involved in the [initial] procedural steps to address Esperanza’s problem,” Irvine Principal Gail Richards said. “But the fact is, it will take a long time to re-do the entire process for Esperanza. That’s why we’re asking them to give us two years.”

Corona del Mar Principal Don Martin expressed his displeasure that the section council would put Esperanza’s concerns above the rest of the county’s schools.

“We had passed this before, then the affected leagues met and adjusted it,” Martin said. “It was considered a good proposal. Then the Southern Section decided because one school didn’t like it, they can tell us what to do.”

Principals who did not speak up in support of the proposal at the council meeting last month said they would be vocal in January.

“Right now, Esperanza is playing the wild card,” Newport Harbor Principal Bob Boies said. “There are a number of principals unhappy with Esperanza’s political pressure coming into play to eliminate the hard work by the committee. At that January meeting there will be 20 principals speaking in favor of this proposal and one who does not. I think that will make a big difference. I would be surprised if [the section council] overturns it again.”

The two-year realignment proposal includes:

* Mater Dei moving from the South Coast to the Sunset League, and Santa Margarita switching from the Sea View to the South Coast League.

Both schools will compete as at-large entries and be ineligible to win varsity league titles in 11 different sports, including football, basketball and baseball. The varsity teams in those 11 sports can make the playoffs only by earning at-large bids.

* Marina, which was headed to the Pacific Coast League, remaining in the Sunset. The Pacific Coast will become a five-team league until Irvine’s Northwood High, which opens in 1999, is ready for varsity play.

Northwood officials have asked the realignment committee to be allowed to play a freelance schedule for four years.

* Corona del Mar moving from the Sea View to the Pacific Coast League; Aliso Niguel and Laguna Hills moving from the Pacific Coast to the Sea View League; Dana Hills moving from the South Coast to the Sea View League; El Toro moving from the Sea View to the South Coast League.