Catholic Schools Scrap ‘Super League’

Plans for a Division I Angelus League that would have brought together six of the strongest high school football programs in the Southland were scrapped Wednesday when the Catholic Athletic Assn. voted instead to create seven four-team leagues.

Schools in the 46-member CAA have until next Wednesday to appeal to the Southern Section, but the alignments are expected to stand and begin in the fall of 1999. They will be effective for three years.

Last week, the CAA voted to create a “super league” in football made up of Mater Dei, Servite, Santa Margarita, La Puente Bishop Amat, Los Angeles Loyola and Bellflower St. John Bosco.

However, the major Division I schools objected, claiming there would be fewer playoff spots awarded to Catholic school teams under the “super league” proposal. Loyola appealed the decision and its proposal won on a 15-12 vote by principals. The Division I schools received support from small schools pleased with the four-team league format.

The Angelus and Del Rey leagues will compete in Division I. Mater Dei, Servite, St. John Bosco and Santa Margarita are in the Angelus League. Loyola, Bishop Amat, Mission Hills Alemany and Santa Fe Springs St. Paul are in the Del Rey League.

For girls’ sports, the Angelus League will include Rosary and Lakewood St. Joseph in place of Servite and St. John Bosco, both all-boys’ schools.

“This is what I was hoping would happen,” Santa Margarita Athletic Director Rich Schaaf said of the realignment. “I don’t like the fact that we’ll be playing only three league games, but I’d rather have that than play in the super conference. We’d rather be in an Orange County league, but since we can’t do that, this is the next best thing.”

Other league alignments for football: Mission--Torrance Bishop Montgomery, North Hollywood Harvard-Westlake, Gardena Serra; San Fernando--West Hills Chaminade, Encino Crespi, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, La Canada St. Francis; Camino Real--L.A. Cathedral, Sierra Madre La Salle, Santa Monica St. Monica and L.A. Verbum Dei; Santa Cruz--Rosemead Bosco Tech, San Pedro Mary Star, L.A. Salesian and Long Beach St. Anthony; Santa Fe--Burbank Bellarmine-Jefferson, Montebello Cantwell-Sacred Heart, L.A. Daniel Murphy and Burbank St. Genevieve.