For These Schools, It : Is a Season of Change : Releaguing: Several area teams will be competing in a different league or division in 1992.

In a football season fraught with change, El Segundo High returns to the public-school Pioneer League after four years of taking bus rides over the Sepulveda Pass to compete against Catholic schools in the San Fernando Valley League.

The Eagles had been in the parochial league because of its small enrollment (about 650), but travel costs and the desire to renew South Bay rivalries contributed to the league change.

“We were very happy in the Catholic league,” Athletic Director John Stevenson said. “They allowed our football program to get back on its feet. The travel was a drawback, and the Catholic league didn’t offer a breadth of sports.”

Last year, El Segundo’s football team competed in a Southern Section Division VII league. Despite joining what is considered a tougher league, the Eagles will be playing in Division IX this season. The other Pioneer League members are Torrance, North Torrance, West Torrance, South Torrance and Centennial.

“We drop two divisions and move into a tougher league,” said Craig Cousins, the Eagles’ new football coach. “Overall, it’s a fantastic thing. We feel we will have better crowds. The town is happy to be back with the local schools.”

El Segundo is not the only South Bay football team changing either its league or division status in the Southern Section, which begins a new two-year league cycle in 1992.

The Ocean League, consisting of Morningside, Beverly Hills, Culver City, Mira Costa and Redondo, moves up one level to Division VII.

The Mission League was in Division III in 1991, but lost Alemany, Crespi and St. Paul. The remaining schools, Bishop Montgomery, St. Bernard, Chaminade and Sherman Oaks Notre Dame, will join newcomers Harvard-Westlake and St. Francis in Division IV.

The Camino Real league, which consisted of Pius X, St. Anthony, St. Monica, Serra and Verbum Dei in 1991, added Cantwell-Sacred Heart and Mary Star and will drop from Division VII to Division VIII.

“Our releaguing and playoff groupings by our constitution have to be done every two years,” said Scott Cathcart, director of media relations for the Southern Section. “Playoff groupings are based on a couple of criteria--enrollment, which would be the average enrollment of schools in leagues, and then also the traditional strength of the programs.”

The Southern Section added a division in football, increasing the number to 11.

The Ocean League moved up one division, largely because of its success in the playoffs in 1991. Morningside won the Division VIII title (it later was stripped of the championship for using an ineligible player), and Redondo and Beverly Hills each won playoff openers.

“The Ocean League, that’s really kind of the strength out there,” said Bill Clark, Southern Section administrator in charge of football. “We’re recognizing their excellence. We look at two or three criteria: the size of the school, the competitive equity of the school and the geography involved in transportation.”

Not all coaches agree with the section’s view of the state of football in the South Bay, however.

“The Ocean League was stronger, but I watched a lot of games and the Pioneer League beat the Ocean League in a few matchups,” South Coach Don Morrow said. “I wouldn’t be surprised this year if the reverse didn’t happen. We have most of our kids back in this league, it makes you wonder how much research (the Southern Section) does.”

In Mary Star’s switch from the Santa Fe League to the Camino Real League, the Stars moved up two levels to Division VII after a 1-8 record in 1991.

“We always wanted to be in the Camino Real League because of St. Anthony, Serra and Verbum Dei, and other local schools and teams the community could identify with,” Mary Star Coach Mike Marinkovich said.

In Eight-Man Division changes, South Bay Lutheran has moved from the Express League to the Heritage Christian League. Harbor Christian has changed its name to Gateway Christian.

In the City Section, Narbonne, which was 1-9 in 1991, has moved from the elite Southern Pacific Conference to the less competitive Southeastern Conference.