Principals to Consider Realignment

Area principals will meet again Thursday in Fountain Valley to try and choose from 13 proposals to realign the 10 county athletic leagues for 1998-2002.

Huntington Beach High Principal Jim Staunton, who heads the releaguing committee, said athletic directors are running out of time to schedule games for the fall.

“I think we can come to an agreement. But if not, we will continue to meet on a later day until we do,” Staunton said. “I do think there are an adequate number [of proposals] to choose from that span the possibilities.

The principals have been trying to realign the schools since last February. They presented a proposal to the Southern Section Council in October, but Esperanza Principal Ray Plutko successfully appealed that his school should not remain in the Sunset League because of geographical concerns and travel expense. The issue was sent back to the principals.

Plutko has sent a new proposal to Staunton, offering to stay in the Sunset League for football. However, the school hoped to move to the Century League for all other sports for two years.

“It would give us some time to look at the entire county to see how to help everyone,” Plutko said.

But Canyon Principal Ralph Jameson sounded skeptical.

“I can tell you this much: the Century League is against any proposal that has Esperanza for any sport,” Jameson said. “That’s not a reflection on Esperanza or Ray. At Canyon, we have deep respect for both. But we feel that competitively it is not a fair situation, and the size of Esperanza compared to other schools in the league is not fair.”

Another issue is where to place Mater Dei and Santa Margarita, parochial schools that compete in public leagues leagues.

Many principals do not want either school in a public league. Eight of the 13 proposals suggested Mater Dei and Santa Margarita be placed in a league with Servite/Rosary.

Mater Dei Principal Pat Murphy said he would oppose a three-team Catholic League. “According to the CIF constitution, you can’t do that,” Murphy said. “And I would not go for it anyway; the scheduling would be too difficult.”

Section Commissioner Dean Crowley said there have been situations where three-team leagues have been allowed.

“We have had them with small schools in past,” Crowley said.

“We have anticipated this would come forward. We have an Executive Committee meeting on Jan. 16-17. If this is approved by Orange County, we have asked the committee to look at it.”