The Sac-Joaquin Section’s quadrennial realignment process is winding down and high school athletic conference are taking shape.
All that remains on the section docket is a March 28 meeting to ratify the proposed changes — none of which affect the Central California Athletic League.
Every four years, the section reshuffles the deck and moves teams around to form more competitively balanced leagues. Some teams welcome the moves, while others do not.
Of the section’s 25 conferences, home to nearly 200 schools, only one conference — the CCAL — was left untouched in the section’s initial proposal on Jan. 17.
In the three meetings since, other schools have proposed amendments to the section’s initial plan, some of which have included moving new schools into the CCAL. Another proposal had Turlock High moving out of the loop and into the Tri-City Athletic League. But at this point, it appears the CCAL will remain the conference home of Turlock, Pitman, Downey, Enochs, Gregori and Modesto high schools.
However, if more changes are proposed at the March 28 meeting, the section could schedule more meetings.
“I do not know if this next meeting will be the last one,” said SJS assistant commissioner Will DeBoard.
Unlike the CCAL, the Trans-Valley League is facing major change.
In recent years, the TVL has been home to Hilmar, Hughson, Escalon, Ripon, Livingston, Riverbank and Modesto Christian (MC’s powerhouse basketball team has played in the TCAL).
The section's initial proposal envisioned a new TVL that evicted Livingston and Riverbank, and welcomed in Sonora, Ripon Christian and Orestimba.
At various times, Orestimba and RC tried to wiggle out of their TVL assignment. But while Ripon Christian seems to have accepted its fate, Orestimba tried Tuesday to get into the Western Athletic Conference by trading places with Livingston. Los Banos, assigned to the Central California Conference, also proposed a flip-flop with Livingston on Tuesday.
“I don’t see that happening,” DeBoard said of Orestimba’s and Los Banos’ attempts to escape their new posts. “Only one change was made in the south today. The south is kind of wrapped up.”
That lone change in the south involved a league swap between West (Tracy) and Edison (Stockton). The north half of the section, however, remains far more complicated. And if the north negotiations drag on, it could open the door for a south school to launch a Hail Mary attempt to maneuver out of its new league. But failing that, the new TVL will feature Hilmar, Hughson, Escalon, Ripon, Ripon Christian, Orestimba, Sonora and Modesto Christian.
In January, the committee evicted MC from the TVL, but have since allowed the Crusaders’ football team to stay. MC’s other non-basketball programs will play in the new-look Southern League.
As far as football is concerned, the new TVL will be an even tougher conference than the old TVL, which has produced five state champions — Escalon (2), Hilmar, Ripon and Hughson — since 2018.
The new Southern League will feature Denair, Delhi, Delta Charter (football only), Gustine, Le Grand, Mariposa, Modesto Christian (no football, no basketball), Stone Ridge Christian and Waterford.
The new Central California Athletic Alliance will be home to Turlock Christian, Holt Academy, Hughes Academy, Millennium, River Islands and Venture Academy.
