ATTITUDE CORRECTION: RESPECT CITY SECTION.

Byline: CHRIS BRANAM

In 1993, Taft High played Crespi and won. The Celts went on to play in the Southern Section Division I final and the Toreadors lost in the City 4-A quarterfinals to Dorsey.

In 1994, Taft and Crespi played again. This time the Celts won by a point. Taft went on to lose in the 4-A quarterfinals again, again to Dorsey.

Taft coach Troy Starr made a choice after that season ended. He no longer wanted to play Crespi, or any Southern Section team from the surrounding region. He wanted to play Dorsey.

And Crenshaw. And Banning. They all went on the schedule. And Taft? The Toreadors are on track to make their third consecutive appearance in the City 4-A championship.

Taft is an annual threat to play for the championship because Starr made that decision four years ago to play the Southern Pacific Conference teams that were intimidating the Toreadors in the playoffs.

``We want to play the teams that we want to beat in December,'' Starr said. ``We need to play Southern Pacific teams.''

There is also a philosophy at work here. Starr calls it ``the level playing field.''

Even though the Marmonte and Foothill leagues are composed of public schools, those coaches are not working with the same standards as their counterparts in the City. They have money available for more assistant coaches, travel budgets for summer passing leagues and established junior feeder programs.

Starr is right. It does Taft no good to play a Crespi, or a Notre Dame, or even a Newbury Park, if the Toreadors end up not winning the 4-A title. Enough with the argument that such a intersectional game would create fan interest.

The job for coaches at Taft, or Chatsworth, or North Hollywood, isn't creating matchups fans want. It's to win a championship. Not many City alumni are going to remember a win in September over Crespi if the season ends in December with a loss to Dorsey.

Sure, there is a perception that teams from the Northwest Valley or Valley Pac-8 conferences are inferior to those in the Marmonte, Mission and Foothill leagues. It becomes a running joke when something amazing happens, as when opposing running backs both go for more than 250 yards in the same game. It happened last week when San Fernando's Major Caldwell (253) edged Cleveland's James Bethea (251).

``That's the City Section for you,'' somebody said, trying to downgrade the achievement.

The stands might be made of wood. The press boxes might only fit two. The goalposts might not have been replaced since the Nixon administration. But that doesn't mean the players on the field aren't any good, or, as is popularly described, the teams are undisciplined.

That is a stereotype bordering on racism, considering most of the City Section teams are predominantly African-American and Latino.

Bad, undisciplined teams are everywhere. Don't argue that they are all in the City Section.

El Camino Real beat Chaminade on Sept. 18. Is it out of the realm of possibility that the Conquistadores would beat Hart or Notre Dame? City teams consistently compete well against the Southern Section.

Look at what happened this season when Granada Hills went intersectional and played Royal and Simi Valley. The Highlanders won both times, by a combined score of 51-21. The pro-Southern Section faction argues Granada Hills benefited from that 2-0 start and has carried the momentum to a 9-0 record entering tonight's game at Taft.

Did it really matter that the Highlanders beat two Southern Section teams? No. Granada Hills has had closer games in the last three weeks, in its Northwest Valley schedule. Beating Royal and Simi Valley, also-rans in the Marmonte League, hasn't been the highlight of its season.

Remember that ECR victory over Chaminade in September? The Conquistadores are facing the prospect of a sub-.500 record if they lose at Chatsworth tonight. Chaminade has gone on to clinch a share of the San Fernando League title.

What did that result prove?

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: (Color) Should Taft High, class of Valley City Section football in recent years, start playing the best teams the Southern Section has to offer? Taft coach Troy Starr (pictured) won't do it, and local columnists Vincent Bonsignore and Chris Branam spar over the question.