Marmonte League to split into two divisions for football

Marmonte League principals voted 6-4 Tuesday to split the 10-team high school football league into two five-team divisions and create a conference championship game at the end of the season.

The decision, effective in the fall of 2012, will give each school five nonleague games and four league games. The 10th game will pit the two first-place teams against each other, the two second-place teams and so on.

It was an emotional issue because schools that felt overwhelmed last season fought to get rid of the 10-team format that allowed only one nonleague game and resulted in numerous routs when the top teams played the bottom-half teams.

“Some of the schools are obviously not happy,� said Calabasas Principal C.J. Foss, who’s president of the Marmonte League.

Agoura spearheaded the plan, with Coach Charlie Wegher saying, “There were some bad blowouts. We’re trying to create a situation where teams at the bottom half can be more competitive.�

The West Division will be made up of Oaks Christian, Thousand Oaks, Moorpark, Calabasas and Agoura. The East Division will be St. Bonaventure, Westlake, Royal, Newbury Park and Simi Valley. The league is guaranteed four Southern Section playoff spots. Still to be determined: how to break ties, and where the championship game will be played.

St. Bonaventure provided the decisive vote in favor of the plan.

“It’s like the SEC,� St. Bonaventure Coach Todd Therrien said of the championship game format.

Therrien likes the opportunity to schedule five nonleague games, because the Seraphs have historically played strong opponents.

One downside of separating into divisions is that the neighborhood rivalry game between Westlake and Thousand Oaks could come to an end unless the schools meet in a league playoff or Northern Division playoff game. Westlake Coach Jim Benkert said he would not schedule Thousand Oaks for a nonleague game, because of the possibility his team might have to play the Lancers three times in a season.

The Marmonte League expanded from eight to 10 teams for football before last season, adding Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure, and it created big crowds and highly anticipated games involving top teams such as Oaks Christian, Westlake and St. Bonaventure. Oaks Christian ended up defeating Westlake in a wild Northern Division final before a packed crowd. But schools near the bottom of the league complained about competitive equity and sought a change.

Now coaches will be scrambling to find five nonleague games in 2012. The current format of a 10-team league will remain in place for next season.

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