Southern Section Council to finalize leagues on Wednesday

One of the most divisive releaguing cycles in Southern Section history is scheduled to be finalized on Wednesday when the Southern Section Council meets and votes to approve the new leagues that will exist for the next four years. The council is made up of representatives from all the leagues in the Southern Section.

Releaguing is difficult and always produces winners and losers, but the latest attempt led to a federal lawsuit that resulted in the Southern Section losing in arbitration, forcing three areas to meet again and revise their league proposals.

Wednesday’s meeting could result in an additional messy situation, because Cathedral will be appealing its placement in a new football league with Bishop Amat, Loyola and Gardena Serra. If the council agrees that Cathedral shouldn’t have been put in the league, then more proposals can be made.

Four years ago, the council threw out a proposal passed by the Northern Area and accepted a new one that created the current Marmonte League, so anything can happen.

Of course, this time it’s the Catholic Athletic Assn. in the middle, with mainly public schools deciding if the CAA 12-11 vote last week to put Cathedral in the new league should be upheld. If the CAA vote is thrown out, then CAA members could be asking what’s the point of having a CAA if their views aren’t followed?

And private schools have already demonstrated that they have good lawyers and money to spend.

It could make for an entertaining morning in Long Beach, with speeches and parliamentary maneuvering.

But once the final decision is made, there’s more controversy to come. The Southern Section then will begin deciding playoff divisions, with a final vote coming in June.

The big looming decision will be in football as for which leagues are put into the Pac-5. It’s already almost a given that the Big VIII League, led by Corona Centennial, is going to be moved into the Pac-5, but then which league moves out? Will it be the South Coast, led by Mission Viejo? Will it be the revamped Marmonte (Oaks Christian, St. Bonaventure, Westlake, Moorpark)?

Eric.sondheimer@latimes.com