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Head Coach Jeremiah Ross
As the 6-foot-5, 305-pound coach of the Crespi High of Encino football team stood up to survey the room at the Southern Section championship news conference and luncheon, he couldn't help but notice that, seated across the front row of tables, were players and coaches from Div. III finalist Notre Dame of Sherman Oaks and Div. I representative Loyola of Los Angeles. Ross couldn't help but think that it might be the last time - or at least the final occasion this decade - all three schools could be in attendance at the event that kicks off championship week. "It does cross your mind from time to time," Ross said. "But right now our focus is on winning another championship to make the seniors go out the right way. "But Notre Dame and Crespi would be a great game." Crespi, the defending Div. X champion, will join Loyola and Notre Dame as members of the Serra League next season, meaning that only two of the Catholic Athletic Association powers could advance to the Div. I final. "That's definitely going to affect who's going to be sitting in this room next year," said Southern Section assistant commissioner Rob Wigod. With league realignment taking effect in the Southern Section from 2006-2010, Crespi and Notre Dame are joining Loyola and Bishop Amat of La Puente in the revamped Serra League, with St. Francis of La Canada Flintridge, Chaminade of West Hills, Alemany of Mission Hills and St. Paul of Santa Fe Springs forming the new Mission League. Harvard-Westlake of Studio City, formerly a member of the Mission League, will fill the void left by Crespi in the Del Rey League. The league changes are only part of the facelift high school football - especially in the Southern Section - is expected to undergo between now and the beginning of the 2006 season in August. As much as Monday's event was signifying the end of the high school season, it was also the beginning of a new era. Divisional realignment and state bowl games are guaranteed for next season, in addition to the possibility of roman numerals being replaced by geographically based conference names to identify divisions. All decisions will be made final by the Southern Section council and executive committee in April. "Things will change. But we're still striving to do the same thing, regardless of where we're at," Notre Dame coach Kevin Rooney said. "There's no question it's going to be very, very competitive. But that's the way it should be." Monday marked the fourth consecutive year Rooney has appeared at the championship luncheon, although it will be Notre Dame's last as a finalist in Div. III. The Serra League is scheduled to compete next year in Div. I, unless the football coaches advisory committee elects to bring back conference names - similar to the ones used in 1977-87 - to identify playoff groupings. "There's been a lot of talk about going away from using numbers for divisions," Wigod said. "There's a lot of strong football all over the place. I think the misconception is that if you play in Div. VI, you're in the sixth-best division, but that's not the case. I think you can say there are several Div. I's out there." Whether it be the Big-Five Conference like the days of old, or a more updated version, one thing is clear - Crespi and Notre Dame want to face the best competition possible. "We're going to play anybody, anywhere, anytime," said Ross, who is leading Crespi into its third title game, following a Big-Five championship in 1986 and last year's Div. X crown. "We just want to try to push on the tradition that's already been established at Crespi. We're looking forward to the challenge." Oaks Christian, which was making its third consecutive appearance at the championship luncheon, is also a team that could find itself challenged by competing in a different playoff grouping. Lions athletic director Jan Hethcock and coach Bill Redell have drawn up a proposal that would have Oaks Christian playing a freelance schedule next season in an effort to play a level of competition similar to Crespi and Notre Dame. "That way they can place us in whatever division they want. Wherever they feel we'd be most competitive," Hethcock said. "That's what I'm asking for. And I want to do whatever I can to make this happen." Oaks Christian could encounter a roadblock in its bid for freelance status, because the Lions are seeking it for only one season. However, Southern Section officials are indicating they would have to remain in that position for the entire four-year cycle. As a result, the Lions could go undefeated during the regular season and run the risk of not making the playoffs depending on the number of automatic qualifiers in the draw. Should Oaks Christian remain in the Tri-County Athletic Association, not only next year, but until 2010, they could be in line to represent Southern California in one of three state divisional bowl games next season. Redell initially voted against the idea of participating in bowl games because of the physical toll a 15-game season would take on his players and how it would potentially conflict with the school's winter exam schedule. However, the Lions and St. Bonaventure of Ventura would be the frontrunners to represent Southern California in the state Div. III game, likely against Central Catholic of Modesto or McClymonds of Oakland. Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure are scheduled to play next season, meaning the winner would take the inside track to securing the bowl-game berth. Notre Dame would have been the likely candidate to represent Southern California against Del Oro of Loomis in the Div. II game, had it been held this season. Now, Rooney and his underclassmen will have to wait until next year to see if they can return to another division final at the Home Depot Center in Carson, also assuring them of at least another championship luncheon - and possibly more. "I'm really not sure how it's going to be (next year)," said Rooney, who previously coached Notre Dame for a year in Div. I in 1998, before the Knights returned to Div. III the following year. "In the last five years, the divisions have become much more competitive. But in a way, that's good, because it's always good to have new challenges." Some of which might be coming from coaches and players who were sitting in the main ballroom at The Grand on Monday. |