A Contentious Transfer of Power

With each touchdown pass thrown by quarterback Rudy Carpenter of Westlake Village Westlake, bitterness rises among Marmonte League schools still upset about his transfer from Newbury Park.

One Marmonte school principal said this week the league is in an uproar. Words such as “farce” and “mockery” are being used behind the scenes.

Moorpark Athletic Director Rob Dearborn said another school is floating the idea of banishing Westlake during the next re-leaguing cycle in 2005, proposing a league of Westlake, Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Ventura St. Bonaventure and Westlake Village Oaks Christian.

Allegations have been made that Carpenter isn’t living full time with his mother within the Westlake attendance area, but the Conejo Valley Unified School District conducted a two-week investigation last month and concluded there was no violation of Southern Section rules.

The district appears to have made a good-faith effort to uncover the truth, even hiring a private investigator, and it’s time for Carpenter’s critics to accept the fact he’s eligible.

Robert Fraisse, the Conejo superintendent, has put his credibility on the line by saying, “We conducted a very serious investigation.”

He’s a former coach with ties to many administrators in the Marmonte League. He insists the district will continue to monitor the situation to make sure the Carpenters follow Southern Section rules.

“I’m personally involved to make sure the integrity of our school system is not questioned,” he said.

It’s understandable that schools are questioning Carpenter’s eligibility because Westlake hasn’t been known for conducting thorough investigations in the past when concerns were raised about transfer students.

Because Carpenter was the top offensive player in the league last season, his transfer to Westlake changed the balance of power and put the Warriors in a class by themselves.

They’re 3-0 entering the start of Marmonte play tonight against Thousand Oaks and have a realistic shot at a rematch with Ventura St. Bonaventure in the Division IV championship game and a 14-0 season.

Adding to the emotions is the reason for Carpenter’s transfer. Last February, his father, Scott, said it was because of a dispute with former Newbury Park baseball Coach Mike Lee.

But last week, after Westlake’s dramatic 25-24 victory over Newhall Hart, Rudy Carpenter added fuel to the conspiracy theories with this comment to a reporter: “I never really played teams like these before. This is what I was looking forward to when I transferred.”

As long as he changed residence, it doesn’t really matter what reason Carpenter had for transferring. It’s his choice.

But it matters to league officials, who have gone on the record as vigorously opposing transfers for athletic reasons. They put through a tough transfer rule two years ago, banning students from varsity athletic competition for one year if they didn’t relocate.

If Carpenter was seeking respect as a football player, he has earned it. He’s probably the No. 1 quarterback in Southern California through three games based on the competition he has played and his performances.

But it’s doubtful he can do anything to appease those who don’t believe he should be attending Westlake.

It sets the stage for an intriguing Marmonte League season that reaches an emotional high point on Oct. 24 when Westlake plays at Newbury Park.

“We’re hoping everyone involved behaves well,” Westlake Assistant Principal Richard Urias said.

Let’s hope it’s not wishful thinking.

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A 68-year-old man with silver hair and wearing a red Oaks Christian football hat was walking around the campus this week observing practice and offering tips.

He was recognizable to those who follow the NFL. Jim Mora, who was a head coach for 15 years with the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts, spent the week as an assistant coach.

A group of parents donated $7,000 at a charity golf tournament at the urging of Oaks Christian Coach Bill Redell to secure the volunteer services of Mora, who coached Redell at Occidental College in the early 1960s.

Mora was the NFL Coach of the Year in 1987 and has never coached at the high school level.

“I’m going out there and winging it,” he said.

As a college assistant at Colorado in the 1970s, Mora tried to recruit Crenshaw High running back Wendell Tyler. Tyler went on to play for UCLA and in the NFL. Mora met Tyler’s son, Marc, a freshman linebacker at Oaks Christian.

Mora said he doesn’t miss coaching.

“It’s a good life,” he said. “There are a lot of ups and downs. It can be stressful at times. The winning is fun, the losing is the pits.”

He lives in Palm Desert and does commentary on radio. He hoped to pass along an important lesson to Oaks Christian players.

“To me, football is the ultimate team sport,” he said. “Individual stats are important, but the main thing is to win as a team and put the team first, and it’s true at any level.”

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Eric Sondheimer can be reached at eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.