Southern Section Plans Realignment Proposal

The Southern Section executive committee, reacting to concerns about competitive equity between public and private schools in Orange County and elsewhere, announced Thursday plans to develop a proposal governing the placement of schools for realignment purposes and the criteria used to determine league membership.

The executive committee’s goal is to have a proposal to present to the section council no later than its last meeting of the school year, April 28.

If the council adopts the proposal, and if league placement criteria for an area is changed, the affected areas will be required to realign leagues beginning with the 1999-2000 school year.

“The executive council is looking to take immediate, rather than later, steps to rectify an area of great concern,” Southern Section Commissioner Dean Crowley said.

In 1992, the section disbanded the Angelus League, which had won 30 section championships since its inception in 1961.

Mater Dei joined the South Coast League, Servite and Rosary went to the Sunset League (joining the Golden West League as charter members in 1994), and Los Angeles Loyola, La Puente Bishop Amat and Bellflower St. John Bosco were moved to the parochial Del Rey League. Santa Margarita, which was playing a freelance schedule, joined the Sea View League the same year.

Similar concerns about competitive equity were expressed at the time.

“I think it’s like mixing apples and oranges,” Eric Patton, who was then Capistrano Valley’s football coach, told The Times in 1992. “I didn’t go out and schedule Saddleback College and Orange Coast College, but that’s what happened when Mater Dei was put in the same league.”

Next Thursday, the council again will vote on a two-year realignment proposal--to begin this fall--for the county’s 10 athletic leagues. It’s the same proposal Esperanza Principal Ray Plutko successfully appealed because of geographical concerns at the council meeting last October.

The plan, approved by a 42-18 vote of county principals on Jan. 8, would keep Mater Dei and Santa Margarita in public school leagues but not allow them to compete for varsity league titles in 11 sports, including football, basketball and baseball. It would also keep Esperanza in the Sunset League.

If the proposal passes, Plutko has said he would appeal again. Crowley said he knows of at least five other pending appeals based on competitive equity. All of them could delay further league realignment until after the executive committee’s proposal is heard.