CdM, Estancia league proposals are Orange County finalists

Orange County is getting closer to configuring its athletic leagues for the 2018-19 school year, and two of the three two-year proposals on the table are from local high schools.

Proposals from Corona del Mar and Estancia made the final cut on Monday, when school representatives, principals and athletic directors met in Anaheim to vote on the finalists. Nate Goellrich, an athletic director at Estancia, said Estancia teamed up with Pacifica on its proposal. The other proposal is from Segerstrom.

“There were 60 [proposals] to begin with,” Goellrich said. “I’m actually pretty shocked that ours got that far. It’s exciting to see that something we came up with [Pacifica] got a lot of support.”

Out of the three proposals, Goellrich said CdM’s received the most votes, followed by Segerstrom and Estancia-Pacifica. Voting on the three proposals is on May 8, and for one to take effect for the 2018-19 and 2019-20 school years, Goellrich said it must receive 60% support.

Where CdM ends up differs in all three proposals. One thing is for sure, the Irvine schools want CdM out of the Pacific Coast League, which the Sea Kings dominate in many sports.

The Sea Kings’ proposal has it leaving the Pacific Coast League for the Sunset League. The Sunset League would become an eight-school Sunset Conference, with Cypress coming from the Empire League. Portola would take CdM’s spot in the Pacific Coast League.

If this proposal passes, it would affect another local school, Laguna Beach. The Breakers, perennial Orange Coast League champions in almost every sport since its creation in 2006-07, would move to the Golden West League. The Golden West League, home to another area school, Ocean View, will have Orange go to the Orange Coast League.

Segerstrom’s proposal has CdM swapping spots with Laguna Hills. The Sea Kings would go to the 10-school Coast View Conference, part of the Sea View League and South Coast League, and the Hawks move to a newly created eight-school conference featuring the Pacific Coast League teams from Irvine. Laguna Beach would also be a part of the eight-school conference, along with Portola, a first-year school that would field varsity teams in 2018-19.

Taking Laguna Beach’s spot in the Orange Coast League would be Orange, while Santa Ana Valley, from the Orange League, comes in for Godinez. The Grizzlies head to the Golden West League with Orange exiting.

The Sunset League would remain the same with its six schools, with locals Edison, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, Marina and Newport Harbor, and Los Alamitos.

The Estancia proposal keeps CdM with the current Pacific Coast League teams (Beckman, Irvine, Northwood, University and Woodbridge), but it forms an eight-school conference, along with Laguna Beach and Portola.

With Laguna Beach gone from the Orange Coast League, Orange replaces it. Locals Costa Mesa and Estancia would stay in the Orange Coast League, as well as Calvary Chapel, Godinez and Saddleback.

Pacifica would take Orange’s spot in the Golden West League’s new eight-school conference. Garden Grove comes in for Loara, and both Kennedy and Western come from the Empire League, which would disband.

Under Estancia’s proposal, the Sunset League turns into an eight-school conference, with Crean Lutheran, from the Academy League, and Cypress, from the Empire League, becoming members.

“My understanding is the Sunset League doesn’t necessarily want Corona del Mar,” Goellrich said. “Nobody wants [CdM], and I guess that’s a good thing, that means you’re good.”

Battle of the Bay trifecta

Corona del Mar’s Mitch Haly and Newport Harbor’s Dayne Chalmers will face each other in their third Battle of the Bay rivalry in as many sports this school year.

The Sea Kings (15-2) play host to the Sailors (17-2) in a nonleague boys’ volleyball match on Saturday at 6:15 p.m.

Haly got the better of Chalmers in the fall and winter seasons, CdM winning the football game, 41-13, at Orange Coast College, and the boys’ basketball game, 52-46, at home.

Haly, a senior middle blocker, will try to sweep the Back Bay rivalry this year. It won’t be easy, as Chalmers, a sophomore outside hitter, is on a talented Newport Harbor team, which is ranked No. 3 in the CIF Southern Section Division 1 poll.

The No. 5 Sea Kings have won the annual rivalry the past three times.

Chona no-nos

A week after throwing a no-hitter against Whitney, Sage Hill left-hander Ashwin Chona threw a no-no on Monday during a 10-0 win against Menifee Santa Rosa Academy.

The sophomore accomplished the feat in consecutive starts, both at home. He struck out nine and walked one in the game against Santa Rosa that was called after five innings because of the 10-run mercy rule at the Anaheim Lions tournament.

Chona went the full seven innings, striking out 13 and walking two in the 9-0 win against Whitney.

Chona is the 16th pitcher in the CIF Southern Section to record no-hitters in back-to-back starts.

CdM to honor late umpire

Corona del Mar plans to honor late umpire Randy Gersten with a ceremony at home plate before its home baseball game against Beckman on Tuesday.

Gersten, who passed away at age 60 in December, was a popular umpire in Newport Beach, and his two sons, Sherwin and Ruvin, went to CdM.

The ceremony will be at 3:15 p.m., followed by the first pitch at 3:30.

Sage Hill’s 40-game unbeaten streak ends

The Sage Hill School baseball team suffered its first setback since Feb. 27, 2016, losing at home to Glendora, 3-2, in the Anaheim Lions tournament on Tuesday.

Sage Hill went 39-0-1 during its impressive run, including winning the CIF Southern Section Division 6 title in June.

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Twitter: @ByDCP