What would a new MMC look like? Say hello to Turlock, Pitman

The Sac-Joaquin Section held its first realignment meeting Wednesday for the four-year cycle beginning with the 2018-19 school year and, as expected, the Modesto Metro Conference found itself on the chopping block.

Every four years, the section realigns its athletic conferences to maintain competitive equity. The MMC’s problem with competitive balance by two of its seven members – Davis and Johansen – has made the league a target of the section office.

The section presented its plan to the nine-member realignment committee during a six-hour meeting at The Reserve at Spanos Park golf course. The plan calls for MMC teams to be placed in three conferences.

Large schools Enochs, Gregori and Modesto, with enrollments north of 2,100, will join Turlock, Pitman and Central Valley in the new-look MMC, though Pitman athletic director Dave Walls made a request that the league be called the Central California Conference, since Turlock and Modesto were founding members of that loop.

Beyer and Downey would be moved into a revamped Valley Oak League that includes Central Catholic, Oakdale, Patterson, East Union, Manteca and Sierra.

Meanwhile, Davis and Johansen would be bumped into a Western Athletic Conference that only retains Ceres. Lathrop, Mountain House and Weston Ranch also would come aboard.

“We recognize that the MMC is quite unique in our CIF area,” said Michael Coats, senior director of educational services for Modesto City Schools. “But we do believe that there should be special consideration given to us, and we do request that we remain with the MMC. We’re not ready to accept the changes in the proposal.”

Coats, along with Gregori Principal Brad Goudeau and Beyer Principal Dan Park, hammered the point that the Modesto City Schools share three stadiums and one school – Gregori – does not have its own pool.

The next realignment meeting, when schools and conferences are expected to submit counterproposals, is set for Jan. 12 at The Reserve. That meeting will be sure to feature a counter from Central Valley which, despite growing enrollment that may touch 2,000 in the next few years, was not pleased with being lumped into the new MMC.

“My concerns start with the fact that we would be the smallest in a six-team, very large conference,” said Greg Magni, the school’s athletic director.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, Magni proposed Central Valley and Patterson join Merced, Golden Valley, El Capitan, Atwater and Buhach Colony in the new CCC, which would allow Los Banos and Pacheco to stay in the WAC. He then called for Downey or Beyer to take Central Valley’s place in the new MMC, which could leave the VOL with just Central Catholic, Oakdale, East Union, Manteca, Sierra and Downey/Beyer.

The idea was supported by Los Banos, Pacheco and Patterson and seemed to get the attention of the committee, which peppered Magni with follow-up questions and requested a draft of his proposal.

The Trans-Valley League also is in line for a huge makeover.

Escalon, Hilmar, Hughson, Ripon and Modesto Christian remain. Mountain House would be out, while Linden, Livingston and Orestimba join. Ripon Christian would be in the league for basketball only.

Orestimba has been moved each of the last four realignment cycles, and the Southern League team is in line for a fifth move. Denair also would leave the SL and head for the Central California Athletic Alliance, while Riverbank would give up its independent schedule and join the SL.

The Mother Lode League stays the same except for the loss of Linden to the TVL. However, Linden Principal Richard Schmidig pointed out that the Lions have one win in the last 21 meetings against TVL football teams and that the Southern League might be a better fit.

Modesto Christian’s boys and girls powerhouse hoops programs, meanwhile, would be sent to the Division I Tri-City Athletic League.

Greg Pearce, the MC athletic director, was unhappy with that proposition and suggested the VOL would offer more competition for his teams.

“There seems to be this false notion that placing a school in a higher division solves your competitive equity issue,” Pearce said. “In our case, that is not the situation.”

Putting the Crusaders in the VOL would make that loop a powerhouse boys basketball conference with 2016 state champion Manteca, defending D-IV section champ Central Catholic and 2015 D-III champ Sierra.

This story was originally published December 14, 2016 at 6:51 PM with the headline "What would a new MMC look like? Say hello to Turlock, Pitman."