Glendora: Won its appeal to move back to the Sierra League, which would make the Sierra league a six-team league with South Hills moving out. The Sierra would be Glendora, Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Ayala, Damien/St. Lucy’s and Claremont.
South HIlls: Won its appeal to be moved back to the Miramonte/San Antonio League, which would make it an eight team league along with Bonita, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, Rowland, Walnut, West Covina.
Charter Oak – Lost its appeal to reorganize the Sierra League and/or move down to the Miramonte/San Antonio League, which only would have worked if Rowland moved down to the Valle Vista.
Rowland – Lost its appeal to move down to the Valle Vista and make it an eight-team league.
Note: There also was a proposal voted down that would have included moving Charter Oak and South Hills to the Miramonte/San Antonio, with Glendora going to the Sierra league and Rowland going down to the Valle Vista league without moving other teams that are already in place. That proposal lost 5-3.
Fred’s thought: This would have been the proposal that satisfied all four parties, however when a committee member asked if anyone on the floor objected, only one raised their hand, Diamond Ranch principal Monica Principe. “I do not support it,” Principe said of allowing Charter Oak and South Hills into the Miramonte/San Antonio League, making it a seven-team league with Rowland moving to the Valle Vista. “It would make it very difficult for us to compete.”
What’s next: This is far from over. The original proposal and the proposal that was passed at the CIF-Southern Section Releaguing Committee on Wednesday now goes to the executive council May 20. Charter Oak and Rowland have the right and probably will file an appeal to the Executive council to be heard again.
ORIGINAL PROPOSAL BY MT.SAC PRINCIPALS
Baseline League – Alta Loma, Etiwanda, Glendora, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland
Sierra League – Ayala, Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Claremont, Damien/St. Lucy’s, South Hills
Miramonte/San Antonio League – Bonita, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, Rowland, Walnut, West Covina
Mt. Baldy League – Chaffey, Chino, Colony, Don Lugo, Garey, Montclair, Ontario
Valle Vista League – Baldwin Park, Covina, Nogales, Northview, Pomona, San Dimas, Wilson
Montview League – Azusa, Bassett, Duarte, Ganesha, Gladstone, La Puente, Sierra Vista, Workman
RELEAGUING COMMITTEE PROPOSAL THAT PASSED
Baseline League – Alta Loma, Etiwanda, Los Osos, Rancho Cucamonga, Upland
Sierra League – Glendora, Ayala, Charter Oak, Chino Hills, Claremont, Damien/St. Lucy’s.
Miramonte/San Antonio League – South Hills, Bonita, Diamond Bar, Diamond Ranch, Los Altos, Rowland, Walnut, West Covina
Mt. Baldy League – Chaffey, Chino, Colony, Don Lugo, Garey, Montclair, Ontario
Valle Vista League – Baldwin Park, Covina, Nogales, Northview, Pomona, San Dimas, Wilson
Montview League – Azusa, Bassett, Duarte, Ganesha, Gladstone, La Puente, Sierra Vista, Workman
For reaction, click thread
Quotes from Wednesday’s Hearing.
Rowland principal Robbie Robinson was the most visibly upset, noting his school should have been granted relief to the Valle Vista to form an eight-team league. Rowland struggled to compete in the existing San Antonio league, and will have an ever harder time in the proposed San Antonio/Miramonte League. “You need to look deeper, look at our demographic make-up, we’re 79 percent Hispanic and Asian,” Robinson told the panel. “Our girls sports are struggling. The only reason I think we were put in this league is because our football team went to the semifinals in CIF for the first time since 1964. Everyone looks at the power sports, but that’s just one year.” Robinson also didn’t hide his feelings regarding the voting process among Mt. SAC-area principals that led to Wednesday’s appeals. “I’m appalled at the politics that went on,” Robinson said. “(Principals) started meeting in groups, that’s why it took 4 1/2 hours to finish. We happened to be the odd team out.”
Glendora principal Kelly Bruce successfully argued to the Committee that none of the three criteria under consideration for realignment were met.
Bruce pointed out that in the last three years, Glendora sports across the board have finished fourth among teams in the Sierra League, behind Ayala, Damien and Chino Hills, all schools that are also closer in proximity to Baseline teams.
“Closer examination demonstrates that Glendora’s placement in the Baseline League also flies in the face of geography,” Bruce wrote in his appeal. “In the Sierra league, travel for Glendora averaged 23 miles per round trip. Travel for Glendora in the Baseline League would average 34.2 miles per round trip.
“To further compound our frustration, Glendora’s placement in the Baseline contradicts school enrollment. The current average enrollment of school’s comprising the Baseline is 3,183 students. Glendora’s enrollment number is 2,483 students.
Afterward, Bruce was happy with the decision, but cautions the fight is far from over.
“We were requesting relief, and ended up in a tougher league,” Bruce said. “We understand if we don’t get relief, but this seemed punitive. The guidelines are very clear, so we did our best to address the three criteria and I felt like we had a very unbiased panel that heard our argument on not being a fit in the Baseline based on that criteria.”
