Mira Costa, Redondo Upset Over Proposed Move to Bay League

Here we go again.

Just when you think the South Bay has settled into an equitable situation for its athletic leagues, a new controversy crops up.

This one concerns Mira Costa and Redondo high schools, which tentatively have been moved to the Bay League for the 1991-92 school year following a vote of principals Tuesday at Santa Monica High.

“One of the worst days of my life,� is how Mira Costa Athletic Director Rich Egan described it.

Under the new configuration, Mira Costa and Redondo will leave the Ocean League and join Peninsula High in the Bay League with holdovers Hawthorne, Leuzinger, Inglewood, Santa Monica and Beverly Hills. Culver City moves from the Bay League to the Ocean League, where it will join Morningside and the five schools currently in the Pioneer League--South Torrance, North Torrance, West Torrance, Torrance and Centennial to form a seven-school league.

The meeting was reportedly held to place newly formed Peninsula High in a league with larger schools. Peninsula, which will combine the student bodies of Palos Verdes, Rolling Hills and Miraleste on the Rolling Hills campus, is expected to have an enrollment of around 3,000 when it opens in the fall.

In doing so, however, the principals voted 9 to 6 in favor of moving Redondo and Mira Costa to a league where they will be forced to compete with schools that are considerably larger.

“We’re very displeased with the results,� Egan said. “All of our coaches are upset about the ramifications of this vote. The big thing is that we’re going to be competing against schools a lot larger than us. In some cases, twice as large.�

According to Egan, Mira Costa and Redondo have enrollments of about 1,450 and 1,600, respectively. Santa Monica, Hawthorne, Leuzinger and Peninsula are all expected to have enrollments approaching 3,000, with Beverly Hills around 2,000.

Redondo football Coach Chris Hyduke said it is unrealistic to think that his school and Mira Costa can compete in that situation.

“We can’t compete with the Hawthornes and Leuzingers,� he said. “I wouldn’t mind playing them in a nonleague game, but we have to think about the morale of our kids. It can destroy a program. The kids will say, ‘Hey, we can’t compete with those guys, why play?’

“We know we’re never going to be big-time Carsons and those places, but I know we can offer good football if we play the schools our size. That’s all we want to do . . . compete.�

Egan said Mira Costa and Redondo plan to bring their grievance before the CIF-Southern Section Council. One of Egan’s major complaints is that neither school was informed of the proposal until arriving at the meeting.

“I think we all felt that this was going to be a discussion and not an actual vote,� he said. “We’d listen to the options and state what we wanted. Before we knew it, it came to a vote. It came down to whether Mira Costa and Redondo would go to the Bay League or Culver City would stay in it. The vote went against us.�

Culver City, with an enrollment of around 1,350, has wanted out of the Bay League for the same reasons stated by Mira Costa and Redondo.

“Apparently the Bay League (principals) got together, and this was their proposal,� Egan said.

Egan said the four Torrance schools sided with Mira Costa and Redondo, with everyone else voting against.

A more equitable situation, Egan said, would be going to three five-school leagues instead of two leagues of eight and seven schools. In this scenario, Peninsula could join Hawthorne, Leuzinger, Santa Monica and either Beverly Hills or Inglewood in the Bay League. The Ocean League would be composed of Mira Costa, Redondo, Culver City, Morningside and either Beverly Hills or Inglewood, and the Pioneer League would remain the same.

“That was one of the options suggested, but it seemed to be passed over because there wasn’t that much interest in it,� Egan said. “We could have lobbied for it if we knew what was going to happen.�

Stay tuned.

What do you do if you’ve accumulated more than 100 sick days at work?

If you’re Gene Vollnogle, you take early retirement.

Early, in the case of the Carson High football coach, is skipping the spring semester. Friday will be his last day on the job.

“I won’t be gone officially until June, but I won’t be back in school after Friday,� Vollnogle said. “I’ll get a chance to kick back and relax. Maybe if I don’t like retirement, I’ll come back.�

Gene, are you serious?

“No,� he shot back.

After 38 years, the winningest high school coach in California history (289-73-1, 10 L.A. City titles) is looking forward to his days of leisure.

Already, Vollnogle has passed the torch to his successors--former assistants Jim D’Amore and Marty Blankenship, who will serve as co-coaches.

“It’s been pretty nice,� Vollnogle said. “I don’t have to answer those (recruiting) letters I keep getting. I just hand them over to D’Amore and Blankenship and let them return all that sort of stuff.

“At this school, you’re talking about a whole lot of mail.�

Vollnogle was critical of San Pedro High’s firing of football coach Henry Pacheco, who was an assistant at Carson for seven years.

“That’s bull,� he said. “Henry is a good coach, an outstanding coach. I don’t know what they’re doing over there. I know they’re making a big mistake, because he’s good.�

Pacheco, who coached San Pedro to two league titles and seven City playoff appearances in 10 seasons, was replaced by assistant Mike Walsh. The Pirates were 4-6 last season and did not reach the playoffs.

One of their losses was to Carson, 47-0.

Alumni baseball news:

The annual El Segundo High alumni baseball game and family reunion will be Saturday at Recreation Park in El Segundo. All former El Segundo varsity baseball players from 1927 to 1986 and their families are invited to play and/or participate in the program, which starts at 10 a.m. with batting practice. Pregame festivities conclude with a home-run contest at 12:40 p.m., followed by the alumni game at 1. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for those under 18. Information: Coach John Stevenson at 322-4500, Ext. 242 (days) or 322-1170 (nights).

Banning High will hold its annual alumni game Feb. 9 at 11 a.m. at the school. A batting derby is planned, with prizes going to the winner. Any past varsity players are welcome to participate. Information: Coach Syl Saavedra at 549-7500, Ext. 239 (weekdays) or 835-0246 (nights and weekends).

RELEAGUING PROPOSAL FOR 1991-92 SCHOOL YEAR BAY LEAGUE

Beverly Hills, Hawthorne, Inglewood, Leuzinger, Mira Costa, Peninsula, Redondo, Santa Monica. OCEAN LEAGUE

Centennial, Culver City, Morningside, North Torrance, South Torrance, Torrance, West Torrance.

South Bay’s Boys’ Basketball Top 10 Selected by Times Sportswriters Through Tuesday’s Games

Rank, School, League Record 1 Morningside (Ocean) 20-2 2 Westchester (Metro) 16-6 3 San Pedro (Pacific) 17-4 4 Inglewood (Bay) 14-8 5 Mira Costa (Ocean) 16-6 6 Carson (Pacific) 12-9 7 Torrance (Pioneer) 13-6 8 Hawthorne (Bay) 11-10 9 St. Bernard (Mission) 10-10 10 Miraleste (Camino Real) 12-6