Glendora High Sports Find Success Despite Move to Baseline

When the 42 high schools that compete in the Mt. SAC area voted on new league alignments almost two years ago, there were those who balked at the move. Some questioned if a school like Glendora High School could remain competitive in the restructured Baseline League.

Despite the trepidation, the Tartans have remained competitive and in some cases, exceeded expectations.

The Tartans’ baseball team won its first CIF title last season and despite losing a lot of players, are in the hunt for another league title this season.

Tartans head coach Dan Henley said he doesn’t believe the switch to the Baseline has affected his program much.

“It’s a league we get to compete in, just like the Sierra League was a league we got to compete in and I felt like every club in that league was quality and I feel every club in this league is quality, so for me it hasn’t changed,” said Henley, “We just know that every game in our league is a competitive issue, so it’s a similar situation.”

According to Thom Simmons, Director of Communications at CIF’s Southern Section, geography, school enrollment and competition are some of the criteria used to determine the re-leaguing process.

From projections at the beginning of the 2010-11 school year, Glendora High School’s enrollment was expected at 2,398 students. Alta Loma’s student population was projected to be 2,737 students, Etiwanda’s 3,313, Los Osos’ 3,208, Rancho Cucamonga’s 2,968. Upland had the biggest projected enrollment at 3,755.

School officials said while a school might be smaller in population, they might still field great athletic programs and both factors have to be taken into consideration, making the process more demanding.

 “It was difficult for the entire area to come up with a manageable restructuring for all 42 teams,” said League Coordinator Brice Sunderland while recalling the five hour plus meeting which determined the area’s realignment process and plucked the Tartans from the Sierra into the more powerful Baseline.

"I think it's wrong," Glendora basketball coach Mike LeDuc said. "Our enrollment is about 1,000 students less than all those other teams. I don't think it's right that we're in that league, but we are."

The varsity boys basketball team finished second in season play behind Etiwanda.

Sunderland said competitive equity remains the number one factor which governs the re-leaguing cycle every four years. “We try to factor all those things to try and keep it as equitable as possible. I think it’s pretty evident that the level of competition is difficult for everyone.”

Sunderland explained that there is a difference between being competitive and winning a CIF title every year and pointed to Glendora’s baseball team as an example. “There is no doubt that they compete well within the confines of the league.”

“We’ve gone through two seasons out of three and I think Glendora has been competitive,” said league representative Chris Hollister, principal at Los Osos High School.

 “They won a league championship in boy’s soccer, and they’ve been very competitive in other sports. They’ve come out and have shown that they are very classy and a good addition to the Baseline.”

Hollister said one valid criticism people have is that with rising gas prices, travels get difficult regardless of competitive equity.

 Hollister added as schools in the area go through the cycle, future committees will look at the same criteria to make re-leaguing determinations.