Requesting a Serra League Shake-Up

In the first step of what could be a heated process involving the formation of new leagues in the Southern Section, administrators from Santa Ana Mater Dei, Anaheim Servite, Santa Margarita and Bellflower St. John Bosco have asked to form a new private schools league in Orange County that could include Orange Lutheran.

If the plan were adopted, Los Angeles Loyola and La Puente Bishop Amat, two Division I football schools that compete with Mater Dei, Servite, Santa Margarita and St. John Bosco in the Serra League, would have to find a new league.

That could put pressure on Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, the two-time defending Division III champion, to move to Division I in a new league with Loyola.

The final vote by the re-leaguing committee is scheduled for October of next year. The next re-leaguing cycle is set to take place in the 2006-07 school year and last until 2010.

-- Eric Sondheimer

Quarterback Karsten Sween of Ridgecrest Burroughs has committed to Wyoming.

Sween, a 6-foot-2, 205-pound left-hander, leads the Southland in passing with 1,703 yards in five games. He has completed 99 of 180 passes for 17 touchdowns with six interceptions for Burroughs (3-2).

Cross-Country

The Fountain Valley girls’ team, ranked No. 1 in the Southern Section Division I coaches’ poll, is the favorite for the sweepstakes title Saturday at the 38th Orange County Championships at Irvine Regional Park.

The individual favorite in the boys’ sweepstakes race is defending champion Brandon Bethke, a senior from Lake Forest El Toro, No. 6 in Division I.

The meet begins at 8 a.m., but the sweepstakes races, involving the top 15 seeded teams, will be held at 9:30 for the girls and 10:15 for the boys.

Girls’ Basketball

Some of the top high school girls’ basketball teams in the Southland are participating in the West Valley Hoops Fall Classic.

The tournament, which started Tuesday, continues on Saturday at El Camino Real College and ends Sunday at Taft High.

Teams scheduled to participate include Lynwood, Newhall Hart, Mission Hills Alemany, Torrance Bishop Montgomery, Ventura, Chatsworth and Ventura Buena.

-- Bob Rohwer