Football: Old rivalries gone, new ones about to begin in 2014

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Barring last-minute legal success by lawyers representing St. Bonaventure, Oaks Christian and Damien, the new leagues approved on Tuesday by the Catholic Athletic Assn. for 2014 will end some old rivalries and perhaps start some new ones.

Among the winners are Gardena Serra, which gets put in the weakest of the two likely Pac-5 Division leagues with Damien, Loyola, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame and Bishop Amat. Coach Scott Altenberg should be doing somersaults. He’ll win the league but the Cavaliers also will be moved to the Pac-5, so winning a section championship will be tougher.

Among the losers are fans of the Crespi-Notre Dame rivalry. Their game has produced the most dramatic finishes in recent years. They will be in different leagues, and based on a conversation with Notre Dame Coach Kevin Rooney, he’s not inclined to schedule a nonleague game with the Celts since they will be a potential playoff opponent.

Alemany will face a challenge from the new Ventura County schools _ Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure. Chaminade shouldn’t be too happy, joining the toughest of the two leagues with Alemany, St. Bonaventure, Oaks Christian and Crespi.

Damien hired a new coach, Mark Paredes, but the Spartans’ best hope is paying its lawyer lots of money to get out of the pending fiasco.

-- Eric Sondheimer