There Will Be No Hiding From Playing Mater Dei

Everyone has a reality from which they’d like to hide. Post-holiday credit card bills. Overdue library books. The caloric content of quiche. Newspaper deadlines . . .

Sometimes we’d rather run from reality--stick it in that file we call denial--but we’re usually better off making the best of it. And the sooner, the better.

Four of Orange County’s parochial schools--Mater Dei, Servite, Rosary and Santa Margarita--are scheduled to leave the all-parochial Angelus League next fall to join one of three public school leagues in Orange County.

If you’ve kept half an ear open to what has gone on in prep sports the past year, you know there aren’t a lot of public school coaches who support the parochial-public merger. Many say parochial schools have an unfair advantage because they can attract athletes from anywhere in the county while public schools are limited to a particular enrollment area.

But at this point, it doesn’t really matter. After much debate, the decision was made--and, after appeal, upheld--by the releaguing powers that be. This fall, Mater Dei is set to compete in the South Coast League; Santa Margarita in the Sea View, and Servite and Rosary in the Sunset.

That’s the reality.

Enough said? Apparently not. Some public school coaches continue to curse the parochial-public realignment, as if complaining is going to change things. How does that saying go? You’re only young once, but you can be immature forever?

Granted, Mater Dei hasn’t exactly made things easy on public school teams this year. In football, the Monarchs were a power, winning the Division I title. In boys’ basketball, Mater Dei is--once again--the county’s dominant program. And on Christmas? Well, that rumor about Santa suddenly pledging allegiance to Mater Dei just wasn’t true. He wears red and white because he’s Santa , OK?

Friday night, Mater Dei met Capistrano Valley in a nonleague hoops showdown at the Bren Center. For both teams, the motivation seemed obvious. Mater Dei is the county’s top-ranked team. Capo Valley is ranked No. 2. The teams are longtime rivals. The players know each other from summer tournaments.

And for that extra zip? This game would be their last in nonleague action; next year the Monarchs and the Cougars will fight their battles in the South Coast League.

Just before tipoff, Mater Dei players were introduced in the traditional Monarch way--not just by name, but by hometown, too.

Reggie Geary, El Toro . . . Marmet Williams, Fountain Valley . . . Terence Wilborn, Anaheim Hills . . . Ray Jackson, Santa Ana . . .

With every Mater Dei introduction, every around-the-county reference, Capistrano Valley Coach Mark Thornton seemed to grimace a bit more. He didn’t look happy, to say the least. Capistrano Valley’s Aaron Rhoades said that after the Cougar players were introduced, Thornton shouted sarcastically, “Oh, by the way, we’re all from Mission Viejo.”

Nice line. Bad attitude--especially moments before the Cougars’ most important opportunity of the season thus far.

But Thornton, a seemingly cheery guy (at least when he’s working the chain gang at Capo Valley football games), didn’t let it rest. He griped over nearly every call by the officials in the first half and was called for a technical.

The Cougar players, meanwhile, started the game as if they were under water. Sluggish, timid, out of sync and psyched out, Capo Valley trailed, 19-7, after the first quarter, and 39-21, at the half.

An impressive fourth-quarter surge cut Mater Dei’s lead to five--Did anyone else notice that Capo Valley’s play improved when Thornton stopped griping?--but the rally fell short and Mater Dei won, 68-59.

After a quick assessment of the game, Thornton hit reporters with a blast of sarcasm directed at anyone who ever mentioned “parochial” and “public” in the same breath.

“Obviously,” Thornton said bitterly, “I guess Mater Dei belongs in the South Coast League.”

Maybe. Maybe not.

Face it, it’s no longer a matter of debate.