Falcon athletics’ bid to move to Rio Hondo League is denied in meeting last Friday.

By Brandon HENSLEY

Crescenta Valley High School’s bid to switch to the Rio Hondo League was denied by a vote of 23-5 during a CIF Southern Section Foothill Releaguing Chair Committee meeting at Hart High April 19.

If CV’s bid was approved to move from the Pacific League starting in the 2014-15 school year, it could have had implications involving Hoover and Arcadia high schools. As it stands, the Pacific League keeps every school it currently has including Arcadia, Burbank, Burroughs, CV, Glendale, Hoover, Muir and Pasadena.

The Rio Hondo League also retains what it had, with Blair, La Cañada, Monrovia, Temple City San Marino and South Pasadena.

In a proposal letter to the chair committee on March 15, CV Principal Michele Doll cited competitive equality, geography and student enrollment as reasons to join Rio Hondo.

CV would have been the biggest school in terms of student enrollment in RHL, but Doll said her school is anticipating decreased enrollment in coming years.

“Our enrollment has been slowly declining – 100 to 150 students each year,” she said in the proposal. “Currently, approximately 798 students are involved in our athletic programs. The argument can be made that we are too large to become part of the Rio Hondo League. However, only 30% of our students are involved in our athletic program.”

San Marino defeated CV in football this past season 27-7 in a non-league game.

Had CV been approved, Arcadia and Hoover had proposals written to also be moved to RHL, but those requests were withdrawn once CV’s vote was turned down. Arcadia’s reasons for moving included not wanting to lose the rivalry between the Falcons and Apaches.

One school that will be moving is Marshall Fundamental, which was denied a move to Rio Hondo as well. Marshall, which competes in the Alpha and Delphic Leagues, was approved to the Mission Valley League.

“CV enjoys being a part of the Pacific League,” wrote Falcons boys’ athletic director Dave Mendoza in an email this week. “The opportunity to possibly join the Rio Hondo league brought tremendous interest to my coaches. When the Rio Hondo pulled its proposal because they were not entirely united, it left us no options but to remain in the Pacific League.”

  Brandon Hensley