EDITOR’S NOTE: This post was submitted by Ralph Lopez. We would like to thank Ralph for helping raise awareness about this issue.
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The ?City Champs? are determined by 3 of the 4 local High School football teams in Santa Barbara / Goleta. Santa Barbara, San Marcos and Dos Pueblos all play each other in the Channel League with the hopes of being called ?City Champs?.
There?s only one ?small school? problem with any of the 3 teams being crowned with that title, and that?s that they don?t play everyone in the ?City?. Small school Bishop Diego has for the past few years been the most successful local football team in Santa Barbara.
Over the years it?s been said that Bishop ?doesn?t play anybody? or that Bishop is in a much easier league than the channel. Let?s be honest, the Channel League has gone downhill from what it once was. I remember when St. Bonny jumped from the Tri Valley League to Channel League, all I heard was how all the local channel league teams were going to show the Seraphs what it?s like to play with the ?big boys? and we all know how the story ends.
Bishop plays in the ?small school? division that is set by CIF. The schools they play range with enrollments of 500 ? 900 students, Bishop has just around 250 kids. I think it?s about that time Bishop be involved with the ?City Championship?.
It?s not right that Bishop can call themselves city champs by only beating Carpinteria, nor is it right that one of the three other schools be named the same without playing the other local school.
There?s been talk that a game between Bishop Diego and Santa Barbara has been offered, but has gotten a response that does not sound to confident of an acceptance. The Dons contract with Beverly Hills from what I understand is over this year, which means there will be an open slot for a game. A game I believe would gather great interest from the community and alum from both sides.
I know the players would be more than up for a game against old Jr High friends that they don?t get to compete against during the football season. Let us see just who is and can be the better team in Santa Barbara / Goleta.
That’s nice and all, but do you really think Bishop has the depth to compete with SB & DP? These schools are much deeper and can handle an injury or rotate fresh legs in without seeing a drastic drop off in talent. Bishop does not have that luxury. If you happened to watch the Lompoc/DP game, you would clearly understand what I’m talking about. DP hung with a top 15 LA Times ranked team for 3 qtrs, while Bishop would have been smoked from the get go. That’s the same reason they would get smoked by the Channel League teams in Basketball and Baseball as well – they don’t have the numbers.
That’s nice and all, but do you really think Bishop has the depth to compete with SB & DP? These schools are much deeper and can handle an injury or rotate fresh legs in without seeing a drastic drop off in talent. Bishop does not have that luxury. If you happened to watch the Lompoc/DP game, you would clearly understand what I’m talking about. DP hung with a top 15 LA Times ranked team for 3 qtrs, while Bishop would have been smoked from the get go. That’s the same reason they would get smoked by the Channel League teams in Basketball and Baseball as well – they don’t have the numbers.
That’s nice and all, but do you really think Bishop has the depth to compete with SB & DP? These schools are much deeper and can handle an injury or rotate fresh legs in without seeing a drastic drop off in talent. Bishop does not have that luxury. If you happened to watch the Lompoc/DP game, you would clearly understand what I’m talking about. DP hung with a top 15 LA Times ranked team for 3 qtrs, while Bishop would have been smoked from the get go. That’s the same reason they would get smoked by the Channel League teams in Basketball and Baseball as well – they don’t have the numbers.