HIGH SCHOOLS LOSE BATTLE AT PUMP ATHLETIC DEPARTMENTS FACE YEAR-END DEFICTS BECAUSE OF DIESEL PRICES, FUEL SURCHARGES.

Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer

Rising gas prices are putting pressure on high school athletic departments to cut costs and improve fund raising, or else prepare for a hefty end-of-the-year deficit.

From June to August, the price of diesel gas paid by the William S. Hart Union School District that represents most of the Santa Clarita high schools rose 72 cents a gallon from $1.93 to $2.65 according to transportation director Gary Smith.

``I don't think we'll really see a true indication of where we're at until the spring time when we see how much we've spent this year,'' said Dick Dornan, athletic director at Crespi of Encino. ``But we're preparing now so that, when the spring comes around and we get the final numbers, we won't pass out.''

Whether a school contracts out for buses and vans or fills up its own vehicles, gas increases are hitting athletic programs as much as the average consumer.

Bus companies are asking for fuel surcharges of 5 to 8 percent. Notre Dame High of Sherman Oaks is paying $28 more per bus, according to assistant athletic director Dana Vasquez. Through last week, the school already chartered 53 buses this year for football, cross country, tennis and volleyball. That's nearly $1,500 more in transportation expenses, not counting van usage, and it's barely past the midway point of the fall season with winter and spring sports still to come.

Because most bus companies either charge by the hour or add on a steep hourly charge after a five-hour flat rate, Dornan said one cutback is that lower-level teams that play before varsity teams won't be able to stay for the varsity game.

Oaks Christian athletic director Jan Hethcock estimates a difference of $400 a week for transportation costs this fall.

``We can dip into gate receipts from football, basketball and volleyball, where in the past those would be surplus or cream,'' Hethcock said. ``So if, say, we need an extra pitching machine, we won't be able to get it this year, and coaches will understand.''

Santa Clarita schools are given a yearly athletic transportation budget, then need to make up any difference if they go over. Many schools had trouble meeting the budget in the past, before the increases, according to Smith.

If Hart of Newhall goes over its allotted funds, as expected, the excess will be paid by the Associated Student Body. The ASB usually puts that money toward student activities such as dances.

Smith is encouraging schools to have parents transport their kids to tournaments during winter break. This would save on bus costs but could prevent some athletes from attending.

The one district that planned ahead for the increased transportation costs was Los Angeles Unified, not usually the first to make adjustments. The LAUSD requested and received an additional $2 million to its usual $6 million transportation budget, according to transportation director Antonio Rodriguez.

While private schools such as Oaks Christian and Notre Dame can simply appropriate funds to make up for the extra costs, a less-lucrative private school such as St. Genevieve of Panorama City really is in a bind.

St. Genevieve travels to all football games because it doesn't have a home field. Athletic director Marlon Archey said he might have to cancel some scheduled winter tournaments in sports like basketball and soccer.

``If we get into the situation where we're clobbered by this football budget, we might not be able to attend some of these invitationals,'' Archey said. ``We're hoping we won't have to do that. We're making it mandatory for teams to fund-raise this year, and hope a lot of car washes and candy sales will help subsidize the transportation costs.''

Matthew Kredell, [phone]

matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com