Football: Which new league is stronger?

The Catholic Athletic Association created new football leagues beginning in 2014, and there seems to be a difference in opinion as to which one is stronger among two leagues likely to be placed in the Pac-5 Division.

One league will be made up of Alemany, Crespi, Chaminade, St. Bonaventure and Oaks Christian.

Another league will have Gardena Serra, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, Loyola, Bishop Amat and Damien.

Alemany shared the Serra League title with Notre Dame last season, Chaminade won the Mission, St. Bonaventure won the Marmonte.

Serra won the Western Division championship.

So which one is stronger? Let's hear from the fans. Vote in our poll below.

Of course, the leagues could all be discarded if the lawyers for St. Bonaventure, Damien and Oaks Christian win their legal maneuvering.

  -- Eric Sondheimer

Football: QB Chad Kanoff gets cameo in music video

There's a video out from a new song by Claire Nordstrom, and Princeton-bound quarterback Chad Kanoff of Harvard-Westlake gets to try his acting skills.

Check him out at the 2:50 mark.

They didn't use him for a pool scene, because his passing skills are better than his diving skills, according to sources.

-- Eric Sondheimer

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

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

Football: Catholic Athletic Assn. approves new leagues for 2014

The Catholic Athletic Assn. voted Tuesday to approve new football leagues beginning with the 2014 season.

The 26 schools approved a proposal from Serra. The new leagues:

League 1: Alemany, St. Bonaventure, Chaminade, Crespi, Oaks Christian.

League 2: Bishop Amat, Damien, Loyola, Notre Dame, Serra.

League 3: Cathedral, Harvard-Westlake, St. Francis, St. Paul.

League 4: Bishop Montgomery, Cantwell-Sacred Heart, La Salle, Salesian, St. Bernard, Verbum Dei.

League 5: Bell-Jeff, Bosco Tech, Mary Star, St. Anthony, St. Genevieve, St. Monica.

Leagues 1 and 2 are expected to join the Pac-5 Division.

Lawyers representing St. Bonaventure, Oaks Christian and Damien continue to explore options in challenging the Southern Section decision to place those three schools in the parochial releaguing area. An attorney representing St. Bonaventure attended Tuesday's meeting.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: Catholic Athletic Assn. set to approve leagues

The Catholic Athletic Assn. was on the verge Tuesday morning of approving new football leagues beginning with the 2014-15 sports season.

There were 26 schools represented, and 14 votes were needed to pass one of the 10 proposals submitted. Two proposals received 16 votes and one is expected to be approved shortly.

The St. Bonaventure proposal:

League 1: Crespi, Damien, Notre Dame, Oaks Christian, St. Bonaventure.

League 2: Alemany, Bishop Amat, Chaminade, Loyola, Serra.

League 3: Cathedral, Harvard-Westlake, St. Francis, St. Paul

League 4: Bishop Montgomery, Cantwell-Sacred Heart, La Salle, Salesian, St. Bernard, Verbum Dei.

League 5: Bell-Jeff, Bosco Tech, Mary Star, St. Anthony, St. Genevieve, St. Monica.

The Serra proposal:

League 1: Alemany, St. Bonaventure, Chaminade, Crespi, Oaks Christian.

League 2: Bishop Amat, Damien, Loyola, Notre Dame, Serra.

League 3: Cathedral, Harvard-Westlake, St. Francis, St. Paul

League 4: Bishop Montgomery, Cantwell-Sacred Heart, La Salle, Salesian, St. Bernard, Verbum Dei.

League 5: Bell-Jeff, Bosco Tech, Mary Star, St. Anthony, St. Genevieve, St. Monica.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: Receiver JB Blackwell is headed to Sacramento State

Sacramento State has received a commitment from Crespi senior receiver JB Blackwell, a big-play weapon this past season.

He had a 92-yard run last season.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: Receiver Desean Holmes adds offer from USC

Sophomore receiver Desean Holmes of Alemany has picked up a scholarship offer from USC, according to Coach Dean Herrington. UCLA previously offered Holmes, who played with USC-bound Steven Mitchell and Colorado-bound Devin Ross last season.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: QB Jonathan Santos makes college decision

Standout All-City quarterback Jonathan Santos from South East has signed with Valley City State, an NAIA school in North Dakota.

Santos passed for 2,809 yards and 39 touchdowns as a senior.

-- Eric Sondheimer

 

Football: The cupboard is never bare at Corona Centennial

After winning the CIF Southern California Open Division bowl game last season, Corona Centennial is not going to be in a rebuilding mode for 2013. At least that's the verdict of college recruiters who have already offered six Huskies for the coming year.

Running back Tre Watson has offers from Nevada, Brigham Young, Utah and Toledo.

Defensive back John Plattenburg has offers from California, Oregon State, Washington and San Diego State, among others.

Defensive lineman Jaylen Johnson has offers from Boise State, Northwestern, Oregon and Arizona State.

Offensive lineman Viane Talamaivao has offers from UCLA, Colorado, Washington and a host of others.

Receiver Barry Ware and defensive lineman Austin Maloata are committed to UCLA and USC, respectively.

Yes, Coach Matt Logan has lots to work with in 2013.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Football: St. John Bosco has a future writer snapping the ball

Get ready for some interesting tales ahead about the St. John Bosco football team if Coach Jason Negro lets his 300-pound junior center, Elijah Zabludoff, continue to practice his writing and blocking skills.

Zabludoff loves football and writing almost as much as he does eating. He's starting to write a blog, and that could be good and bad. It's good, because it will prepare him for the future. It might be bad, if his coach doesn't like something in it.

So far, it's pretty entertaining.

Entitled, "From the Trenches," Zabludoff wrote about last season's playoff loss to Long Beach Poly.

"I sat in my locker at Vets Stadium, all my gear still on, with my head in my lap. I was drowning in my own tears and thinking of the ways I could have changed the outcome of that foggy game. Twenty minutes later, I was on the longest, quietest bus ride of my entire life."

Zabludoff also knows humor.

"My dad was waiting outside for me and I broke down in his embracing arms. My tears kept flowing as he kept uttering the words, 'You're alright son, you did your best. There's always next year.' I ate my sorrows in a 4 by 4, animal style fries and chocolate shake from In-N-Out."

A lineman who can write, eat and think.

Oh, is it going to be a fun year following the St. John Bosco Braves in 2013.

-- Eric Sondheimer