League Realignments Are in Motion

Orange County principals have passed a proposal to add Orange Lutheran and San Juan Capistrano Serra to the Serra League during the first stages of realigning leagues for the 2006-07 school year.

The realignment, voted on Friday, would also force Los Angeles Loyola and La Puente Bishop Amat to find another football league. St. Joseph, an all-girls school in Lakewood, would leave the Serra League.

Among other major changes: former Sea View League powerhouse Newport Harbor replaces Huntington Beach in the Sunset League; Aliso Viejo Aliso Niguel and Rancho Santa Margarita Tesoro replace Lake Forest El Toro and Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills in the South Coast League.

The ripple effect would have Huntington Beach, El Toro, Trabuco Hills and Irvine Northwood joining the Sea View League with Irvine and Laguna Hills leaving the Sea View for the Pacific Coast League.

Appeals are due to the Southern Section office by May 26. The Southern Section will finalize realignments during its council meeting on Oct. 13.

Football

The 24 football schools of the Catholic Athletic Assn. approved a proposal that would create a four-team Division I league made up of Loyola, Bishop Amat, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Encino Crespi.

Schools can submit new proposals at the next CAA meeting scheduled for April 13. Only Loyola and Bishop Amat want to play Division I.