If the re-leaguing initiative passed on Tuesday morning holds up, local football teams may have Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure out of their hair come 2010.
A host of big media outlets including the Los Angeles Times and Fox Sports were at Bishop Diego to cover the morning meeting, which lasted nearly three hours and included 14 proposals on how to re-organize the CIF Southern Section’s northern region to bring about more parity, particularly in football.
The final proposal, which passed 31-23 but is expected to be appealed vehemently, would put Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure in a football-only league along with Grace Brethren and Santa Clara.
St. Bonaventure has not lost a Channel League gridiron matchup since joining the conference in 2002. Oaks Christian, meanwhile, has dominated the Tri-Valley League in such lopsided fashion that Lions coach Bill Redell said “they need to get us out” to PresidioSports.com after beating Carpinteria 56-0 this past season.
Santa Clara and Grace Brethren were of course opposed to the decision, but San Marcos Athletic Director Abe Jahadhmy brought up the fact that the new league would at least create a group which allows recruiting into all schools.
“It basically came down to that we can’t play by their rules, but Grace Brethren and Santa Clara can,” he said.
Dos Pueblos AD Dan Feldhaus said that the Channel League ADs have been discussing their proposal (the one that passed) since the school year began. It was exactly the same as proposals from many other leagues and schools involved.
“In football, it basically gives every team an opportunity to win the league championship,” he said. “There’s a light at the end of the tunnel as far as football is concerned.”
