NEWMAN – In the upcoming days and weeks of September, Orestimba and Gustine high schools’ fall athletic teams will be starting action in the Trans-Valley and Southern Athletic leagues respectively.
This school year is the third of the Sac-Joaquin Section’s current league realignment cycle that started in the summer of 2024 and runs through spring 2028.
Come summer 2028, the Warriors and Reds may not be members of their current leagues. On top of that, the TVL and SAL could be eliminated.
On the morning of Sept. 3, via YouTube, section officials released the first proposal of league realignment for the 2028-32 cycle. Section officials stated during the 54-minute presentation that the proposal is based on competitive equity, program strength, enrollment and scope of program.
Two tiers
The proposal is broken into two tiers: Football and all sports.
Under the first proposal, which is football only, Orestimba would be relocated to the Mother Lode League - Capital Tier. This is the highest tier among the two MLL football leagues. The Warriors would join fellow TVL member Hilmar, plus Calaveras, Denair, LeGrand, Linden, Stone Ridge Christian of Merced and Summerville.
Orestimba and Hilmar are the only current TVL schools that would be a part of this new league, should this and/or a similar plan is approved by the section’s league realignment committee, board of managers and all schools in the section that range from LeGrand to Yuba City.
Gustine would be a member of the MLL - Valley Tier, also for football only. The Reds would join Big Valley Christian of Modesto, Bret Harte, Delhi, Mariposa, River Islands of Lathrop, Riverbank and Waterford.
In all sports, Orestimba would be a member of the MLL - Capital Tier. The Warriors would join Bret Harte, Calaveras, Delhi, Denair, Hilmar, Linden and Summerville.
Gustine would be a member of the MLL - Valley Tier for all sports. Joining the Reds in this league are Big Valley Christian, LeGrand, Mariposa, Riverbank, River Islands, Stone Ridge Christian and Waterford.
The section, under this plan, has 13 leagues total; one for football and all sports.
Five leagues eliminated
The downside to this proposal is the elimination of five leagues/conferences that include the TVL (currently Division V) and SAL (D-VI), along with the San Joaquin Athletic Association (D-III), Western Athletic Conference (D-IV) and Metro Conference (D-II).
The TVL was established in 1959. It is unclear as to when the SAL was founded.
The SJAA started action in 1972. The WAC, which Orestimba and Gustine were members from 2006 until 2010, was created in 2006. Orestimba was moved to the TVL from 2010 until 2014 and then returned to the SAL from 2014 to 2024. Gustine returned to the SAL in 2010 and has remained there for the last 16 years.
The section has invited schools from the section to submit proposals.
On top of that, the section plans to hold public meetings by the end of this year and entering early 2027. The final vote would take place late winter/early spring 2027.
To view the entire video, visit the link: https://www.cifsjs.org/realignment
Mike Bush is a multimedia journalist who was born and raised in the Stanislaus and Merced County areas. Follow him on X/Twitter @MikeBMultimedia and Instagram @mikebushmedia.
