Two high school softball teams in the state of California are choosing not to compete in the playoffs. Bonita and Murrieta Mesa will face sanctions from the CIF for their decision to withdraw.
This issue stems from a scheduling conflict.
The high school softball season takes a back seat to the travel ball circuit when it comes to recruiting. The calendar makes it impossible to do both.
Bonita and Murrieta Mesa backed out of the playoffs before they started.
Believe it or not, these schools are two of the best in the state. We’re not talking about teams that fell backwards into the playoffs or don’t deserve to get in.
Bonita High School is located in La Verne, California. Opened in 1903, it enrolls ~1,900 students in Grades 9-12. The Bearcats compete in the second division of the CIF Southern Section. They went 20-9 during the regular season and hit 34 home runs.
Murrieta Mesa High School is located in Murrieta, California. Established in 2009, it enrolls ~2,200 students in Grades 9-12. The Rams compete in the first division of the CIF Southern Section. They went 25-2 during the regular season to be ranked No. 9 in the state and No. 25 in the country.
Both schools made the postseason but the high school playoff format for California is split in two because it is such a large state. There are so many teams.
Bonita and Murrieta Mesa first competed in the Sectional tournament. The Bearcats lost in the semifinals of the Division 2 bracket on May 20. The Rams lost in the second round of the Division 1 bracket on May 16. That was two weeks ago! (Or more)
Although Bonita and Murrieta Mesa already lost in the playoffs, they still qualified for the Regional tournament for Southern California in Division 1. Neither program is going to compete. They both decided to withdraw. Their games, which were scheduled for Tuesday, will be counted as a forfeit. Their opponents, La Habra and St. Paul, will advance automatically.
Travel ball overlaps with high school softball.
Bonita head coach Darren Baumunk told Fred Robledo of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that his team does not have enough players left on the roster to compete. It is assumed that Murrieta Mesa ran into the same issue.
In today’s day and age, the most elite high school athletes are better set up to advance their career through the travel circuit. To play against other all-star teams provide college coaches with a better understanding of an athlete’s talent than when they play against the regular high school students who are just looking for an after-school activity. Travel coaches are typically more connected than the high school gym teacher. There is more long-term value in travel softball than true high school softball.
Therefore, the Bearcats and Rams saw a majority of their rosters return to the travel circuit after their respective losses during the Sectional tournament. The first weekend of June is a big travel showcase. They wanted to get back with their travel teams to be ready for what is considered a more important tournament. They did not wait around for 14+ days to compete in the Regional tournament.
As a result, neither Bonita nor Murrieta Mesa have enough players to field a team for the remainder of the postseason. They forfeit.
According to multiple sources, both schools will now face sanctions from the California Interscholastic Federation. CIF Bylaw 600 prohibits high school student-athletes in California from competing on an “outside” team in the same sport during their high school season of sport. Bonita and Murrieta Mesa are now in violation of that rule. Punishment could stem from a postseason ban for next season and/or probation to a full revocation of CIF membership.