Strange Realignment Moves That Should Happen

With realignment talks coming in December for the Sac-Joaquin Section, there are going to be a lot of proposals, arguments, rumors, and articles about the subject. Some moves will be simple, like splitting up the Modesto schools in different leagues. There may be some odd proposals, too. There was one suggestion last realignment cycle that would have sent Summerville High School to the Southern League. That means all the Bears teams would have had to travel as far as Gustine. With that in mind, there are five moves I have in mind that may be strange, but I think the section should consider. Riverbank to the Mother Lode League This move would seem strange because of geography. However, geography is only number three on the priority list. The top two are near even enrollments and competitive equity. Riverbank’s enrollment is near 700, which is around the same as many of the other Mother Lode League (MLL) teams. Competitively, a couple of games would be winnable for Riverbank in football, and in basketball, Riverbank vs. Calaveras would be an interesting matchup. Finally, Riverbank schedules a lot of MLL teams in non - league play in many sports. Riverbank shares enough success that though it seems strange, Riverbank to the MLL does make sense. 2) Sheldon to the Tri-City Athletic League There are two reasons why this move would seem strange. First, Sheldon is in Sacramento, so that would be a fourth city in the league. Second, Sheldon is a team in the north half of the section, and the Tri-City Athletic League (TCAL) is a south league. (Note: The Sacramento- San Joaquin County line is generally accepted as the border between North and South.) It is rare that the section would even consider mixing North and South teams in the same league, though it has been done before. Sheldon should be considered for the TCAL for competitive equity. Football is the catalyst for league changes, and Sheldon cannot compete in its current league (Delta League) in football. Sheldon has not had a league win since 2013, and had not been to the playoffs since 2011; and playoff appearances are few and far between for the Huskies. The school would be more competitive in the TCAL. There would be some winnable games for Sheldon, and it might even be able to make the playoffs. Sheldon’s big sport is basketball. With it and St. Mary's in the same league, the TCAL can have a championship - quality matchup in league play twice a year. With these facts, it is my opinion that Sheldon would make an excellent addition to the TCAL. 3) Lee Vining to the Mountain Valley League Can someone tell me why Lee Vining is in the Southern Section? I truly have no idea. The Vikings have to travel three and a half hours to their closest league opponent and over six hours to their farthest one. A move to the Sac-Joaquin Section can help the school save some money, and maybe be able to add a sport or two in the future. Lee Vining is the most isolated School in the state of California, and one of the most isolated Schools in the nation. It is around an hour and a half drive to the closest school. As bad as its situation is, Lee Vining can improve the situation by moving to the Sac-Joaquin Section. Currently there are two schools in Lee Vining league that are further than the furthest school from it in the MVL. I know the teams in the Mountain Valley League will resist the move. A lot of these teams do not have a lot of money for athletics, and they would be asked to make a three-hour trip per sport to add Lee Vining to the league. However, this is a move that needs to get done one way or another. A six-hour bus ride should not have to happen until playoffs. 4) The CCAA and SMAL should become 8-man football leagues The Sac-Joaquin Section is the only multi-league section in California without at least one 8-man football team. There was an 8-man football team in the past. Modesto Christian has won some state championships as an 8-man team. The Sac-Joaquin Section needs to bring 8-man football back. Over the past five years, Woodland Poly and Jim Elliot Christian had to drop football, because they could not field enough players to form a team. With 8-man football, schools do not need a lot of players to get a team. Who knows, maybe more small schools could add football with 8-man teams. 5) Have one league full of private school powerhouses A lot of fans think it is unfair that schools like St. Mary's and Central Catholic have an unfair advantage, because those schools “get to choose which players they want” whereas the public schools in their respective leagues are limited to who is in their zip code. Those fans have called for an all-private school league. There already is one, the Central California Athletic Association (CCAA). However, many of those private schools are not athletic powers. The other problem that is presented us that there are not enough teams on either side of the Sacramento- San Joaquin County line to support a league of powerhouse private schools. There is a solution, however. This is one league that teams in the north and south can be in the same league. From the south, I would take Central Catholic (Modesto), Modesto Christian, Ripon Christian, St. Mary's (Stockton), and maybe Brookside Christian (Stockton). Capital Christian (Sacramento), Christian Brothers (Sacramento), Jesuit (Carmichael), and Sacramento would represent the north. Since Sacramento is a charter school, and charter schools have more options of where they can get students, they would be grouped as “private” schools. Each one of those schools has at least one sport in that it is really strong. In addition, each school is a powerhouse in basketball; this league would jump to the best in the Sac-Joaquin Section, and possible top-five in Northern California. The Central Coast Section has an all-private school league, and it is one of the best in the state. This league can match its power if it is created.