AURORA - Valor Christian will not play in a football league withColorado Springs teams, a decision that came down to a single vote.
Valor will still play a full schedule in the 2012-13 seasonsagainst Pioneer League teams - including Doherty, Fountain-FortCarson and Palmer - but the games will be nonleague contests.
The vote was the second of Thursday's Colorado High SchoolActivities Association Legislative Council that went against Valor,which has become a lightning rod of controversy.
The first discussion, which grew contentious, resulted in a 57-11 vote that denied Valor membership in the Jefferson County Leaguefor most sports, excluding football.
That set up an anticipated afternoon battle over football, whichsprang to life when Doherty athletic director Chris Noll proposed anamendment to the annual football report that would remove Valor fromthe newly formed 5A football league.
Noll stressed competitive balance and travel costs in his plea tothe CHSAA legislative body to keep Valor out of the new league.
Valor had made efforts to be included in other leagues but hadbeen denied membership. The school has gathered detractors asrapidly as it has championships because of its giant budget -reported by the Denver Post to be $1.2 million for this school year -and for allegations of recruiting.
Valor won its second consecutive 4A title in December, setting achampionship game scoring record in routing Pine Creek 66-10.
The growing controversy prompted CHSAA Commissioner Paul Angelicoto speak at length over his concerns. He was specifically worriedthat Pioneer League members might not honor their commitments toplay Valor, but also worried about the number of personal feelingsthat had influenced decisions.
'We can't make everybody happy, but in the name of sportingbehavior, we have to get past that,' Angelico said. 'I don't have agood answer for what it will take to get past this, but until westop this we're going to get further and further in a hole that isgoing to be detrimental for high school sports.
'It appears to be all adult-driven stuff that has nothing to dowith high school sports,' Angelico added, referring not only toValor's controversy but also to Mullen's recent firing of celebratedfootball coach Dave Logan.
Valor athletic director Rod Sherman tried to lighten the mood,saying it was good to be back at the microphone after the morningdiscussion.
'With all due respect to our friends in the Colorado SpringsMetro League, we'd like to give our kids a chance to compete,'Sherman said.
But the vote went against Sherman by the slimmest possiblemargin. The amendment required a two-thirds majority to pass and thevote was 40-20 in favor of keeping Valor out of the league that alsoincludes Castle View, Heritage, Legend and Rock Canyon. One vote inValor's direction would have secured its spot in the league.
The news immediately elicited reactions on social media. PineCreek kicking coach Richard O'Cain said he didn't like the idea ofshying away from a new state power.
'How do we expect to get better as football teams in ColoradoSprings if we do not increase our competition,' O'Cain said on thegazettePreps Facebook page. 'Playing teams like Valor just makes uswork harder as coaches.'
All Pioneer League teams will go into Friday's footballscheduling meeting with the intent of keeping Valor on the schedule.
'This body can trust that when we say we're going to do anonleague game,' Noll said. 'We're not going to walk out on this.'
