League to Seek More Penalties for Montclair Prep : High schools: Plaisance heads Alpha group that will propose further sanctions against Mounties, already on probation for recruiting violations.

Alpha League officials plan to propose further penalties against Montclair Prep’s athletics program at a league meeting May 20, saying that Southern Section sanctions imposed against Montclair Prep two weeks ago for recruiting violations are not harsh enough.

The Southern Section placed Montclair Prep on three years’ probation and banned the Mounties from playoffs in all sports the next school year and for three years in football. However, Montclair Prep can appeal the last part of the penalty after the second year.

Athletic directors from Alpha League schools will propose that Montclair Prep be precluded from winning league championships for the duration of its probation. The proposal will state that during the next school year, league games involving the Mounties in all sports would count toward the opposing team’s overall record but not toward its league mark.

The same arrangement would stay in effect in football for the 1992-93 school year, and the arrangement for the following football season would hinge on Montclair Prep’s status with the Southern Section.

At least one league member sought an even tougher penalty than the one proposed.

Mike Plaisance, football coach and athletic director at Village Christian, favored banishing Montclair Prep. “(But) I’ve searched and I’ve searched our league constitution and we have no legal right to kick them out of the league,” Plaisance said, “So we’re going to ask that the games with Montclair not count toward the league championship. I will honor playing Montclair Prep. I enjoy playing Montclair Prep. I enjoy beating them.

“And we’re not necessarily trying to get Montclair Prep. But we need to show that when you get caught cheating, you’ve got to pay the price.”

The proposal has no precedent in the league, according to league president Gary Smidderks, the principal at L. A. Baptist.

“I’m sure that Montclair Prep will have equal and opposite arguments,” Smidderks said. “As a principal and as the league president, I would reserve judgment until I heard them.”

Montclair Prep Athletic Director Greg Reece said the school would object to any attempt to ban the Mounties from league play.

“I had a feeling that something like this would be brought up,” he said. “I would like to call (the Southern Section) and see what they say about it. We’re not going to let this go without a fight.”

Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas, citing the lack of precedent, said he probably would approve whatever action the league takes.

“This would be an all-time first,” he said. “But I think I would support the league’s decision. It’s a local decision and I think (we) would support the league.”

The Alpha League proposal stems from an agreement reached last month between the Southern Section and Montclair Prep that followed charges against the school of illegal recruiting, grade tampering and nonpayment of tuition by football players. Montclair Prep admitted to recruiting charges and accepted the Southern Section penalties, the harshest imposed in Thomas’ five years as commissioner.

As part of the agreement, V. E. (Doc) Simpson, Montclair Prep’s principal, must attend at least one-half of the school’s league meetings during the period of the probation.

“I’ve been at every league meeting since the formation of this league in 1982-83,” Plaisance said. “And I can only remember seeing Doc at one league meeting.”

The league proposal seems to reflect some resentment toward Montclair Prep, which has enjoyed substantial success in the league, particularly in football and baseball. The Mounties are the defending 1-A Division baseball champions and won the Division X football title last fall.

“They’ve benefited in the past from improprieties,” said Mark Bates, the football coach at L. A. Baptist. “We as a league have endured the hardships while they won league titles and their kids were placed on all-league teams even though they were illegal. There should be some penalty. Otherwise, we’d be saying as a league that things are just business as usual.”

But not all Alpha League administrators share that view. Western Christian Athletic Director Reese Mitchell said the Southern Section’s punishment was fair and opposes further penalties.

“I just don’t think we need to go for the jugular,” Mitchell said. “These kids have feelings, and why penalize them for something coaches or administrators did? Let them participate in the league, but just don’t recognize a championship. That way, if their kids win a league title in any sport, they can know in their hearts and minds that they were the best team in their league.”

Mitchell acknowledged that geography feeds his tolerance. Western Christian, located in the San Gabriel Valley, is far from the internecine battles among league members in the Valley.

“I think a lot of these feelings come from bitterness from the Valley schools,” Mitchell said. “It’s harder on them. I don’t have to pick up the paper at Western Christian and read how Montclair Prep just received some stud transfer.”

Plaisance, whose Village Christian football team was eliminated in the Division X semifinals by the Mounties, leads the pro-punishment group. His teams have engaged in spirited games with Montclair Prep in recent seasons, often with the league championship at stake.

“I still have a lot of questions in my mind about a lot of other allegations,” Plaisance said. “I want to know what they admitted to. Why is this so secretive?”

Plaisance also objected to Commissioner Thomas’ claim after the agreement that Montclair Prep was saved from more severe punishment by its candor in admitting wrongdoing.

“Why should I, who has done everything above board, allow them to stay in the league?” Plaisance asked. “The Southern Section made Montclair Prep seem white as snow by saying they were being honorable. All this secrecy behind closed doors is tantamount to plea-bargaining.”