Trinity League
The Trinity League is a high school athletic conference in Southern California, part of the CIF Southern Section. The League is regarded as one of the most competitive high school football leagues in the United States. For the fall 2023 season, High School Football America rated it the toughest league in the nation, with the top two nationally ranked teams and five out of the six ranked the top 300.[1] In 2021, three of the six programs had been ranked in the top 10 in the country, with five in the top 200.[2]
Members
The league currently includes seven high schools, six in Orange County and one in Los Angeles County. Orange Lutheran, which joined in 2006, is the first member which is not a Catholic school.
| School | City | Founded | Enrollment | Nickname |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JSerra Catholic High School | San Juan Capistrano, California | 2003 | 1,150 | Lions |
| Mater Dei High School | Santa Ana, California | 1950 | 2,100 | Monarchs |
Orange Lutheran High School
|
Orange, California | 1973 | 1,322 | Lancers |
| Rosary Academy | Fullerton, CA
|
1965 | 461 | Royals |
Santa Margarita High School
|
Rancho Santa Margarita, California | 1987 | 1,700 | Eagles |
| Servite High School | Anaheim, California | 1958 | 920 | Friars |
| St. John Bosco High School | Bellflower, California | 1940 | 820 | Braves |
History
Angelus League
The Trinity League is the latest iteration of what was originally known as the Angelus League, founded in 1961 to match Catholic high schools—the Angelus is a Catholic devotion. The founding members were Servite (Anaheim), Mater Dei (Santa Ana), St. Paul (Santa Fe Springs), Cantwell (Montebello), and Salesian (Los Angeles). Cantwell and Salesian soon dropped out of the league, due to its competitiveness, and were replaced by St. John Bosco (Bellflower) and Verbum Dei (Los Angeles).
From the outset, the league was marked by intense football rivalries, notably between Mater Dei, Servite, and St. Paul.[3] Some games drew crowds in excess of 10,000 people, and violence was not uncommon.[3] The intensity increased even further in 1967, when St. John Bosco and Verbum Dei dropped out and were replaced by Bishop Amat (La Puente) and Pius X (Downey). Along with St. Anthony (Long Beach), the iconic members of the Angelus League were now set.
Things shifted again in the late 1970s. St. Anthony dropped in 1977 and was replaced by Bishop Montgomery (Torrance). Pius X dropped in 1980, then Bishop Montgomery in 1981. In 1982, Pius X returned and a new member, Serra (Gardena) joined. Serra dropped in 1984 and was replaced by Bishop Montgomery again. In 1986 Pius X was gone and replaced by St. Bernard, which only lasted two years, dropping in 1988.
The 1980s saw the league produce future NFLers like Ed Luther (St. Paul), John Sciarra (Bishop Amat), Paul McDonald (Bishop Amat), Turk Schonert (Servite), Derek Brown (Servite), and Steve Beuerlein, who led Servite to the first of five consecutive CIF championships. Todd Marinovich also played for Mater Dei for two years, before transferring to Capistrano Valley.[3] Major boys' basketball rivalries also emerged in the 1980s, with Mater Dei becoming a powerhouse and Bishop Montgomery capturing multiple California State Championships. Girls' sports were introduced, replacing the former Sunrise League, with St. Joseph's (Lakewood) and Rosary (Fullerton) joining the league.
Breakup
In 1989 Bishop Montgomery and founding member St. Paul dropped and were replaced by Loyola High School and St. John Bosco.[3] Santa Margarita, which had opened its doors in 1987, joined the in 1990, but this would mark the beginning of the end for the Angelus League.
As the only member in South Orange County, Santa Margarita faced longer distances to travel for away games than any other school, and their principal sought to get them admitted to a more local public school league.[4] The public high schools strongly opposed the move, observing that their recruitment was limited to their school district, whereas the private schools had no geographic restrictions on recruitment. Nevertheless, the push to "regionalize" Catholic school sports won out, and the Angelus League was disbanded at the end of the 1991–92 school year. Angelus League teams had won 30 Southern Section championships in its 31 years, including 11 in football.[3]
Starting fall 1992, Bishop Amat, St. John Bosco, and Loyola entered the Del Rey League, joining other Catholic schools in Los Angeles County. The others members were dispersed among public school leagues in Orange County: Santa Margarita to the Sea View League, Servite and Rosary the Sunset League before moving to the Golden West League, and Mater Dei the South Coast League.[5]
Serra League
In 1999, the league was re-formed as a football-only league called the Serra League (named for Catholic missionary Junípero Serra), with Servite, Mater Dei, St. John Bosco, and Santa Margarita at its core. In 2001, the Southern Section council approved Bishop Amat and Loyola to join the league, in essence reconstituting the old Angelus League.[6]
This lasted until 2006, when Loyola and Bishop Amat were moved to the Mission League and were replaced by Orange Lutheran and JSerra. The post-realignment conference was renamed the Trinity League.
Reconfiguration
In 2008, Rosary Academy became the only all-girls school in the conference. St. Margaret's Episcopal School joined the league as a lacrosse affiliate in 2005, winning the Trinity League title from 2007-2013 before its departure in 2015.
In May 2023, high school athletic directors in Orange County and neighboring areas approved a controversial realignment for 2024–25 that would create football-only leagues, based on each school's recent performance as rated by the website CalPreps.com.[7] The Trinity League was exempted from the system in the final proposal submitted to CIF-SS. As part of the realignment, however, Rosary Academy was set to leave the Trinity League to join the new Pacific Coast Conference, leaving the Trinity League at 4 schools for girls.[7]
Champions
Each current member has won at least one CIF-SS championship, Mater Dei (8), Servite (4), and St. John Bosco (2) having won more than one. Each school has also won at least one State championship, Mater Dei (2) and St. John Bosco (2) having won more than one.
Football
The Trinity League is one of the most competitive high school football leagues in the country. St. John Bosco was declared winner of the 2022 and 2019 High School Football America National Championship, and Mater Dei were national champions in 1994, 1996, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021, and 2023.[2] From 2016 to 2021, these two schools alone sent 130 players to NCAA Division I football programs, and their rivalry and recruiting efforts have been compared to the D1 level.[8]
The league was named the toughest in the nation by MaxPreps in 2019, and the second toughest in 2013 and 2010.[9][10] MaxPreps also named Mater Dei, St. John Bosco, and Servite as the teams with the second, third, and fifth toughest schedules in the nation for the 2022 season.[11]
| Year | Team | Record |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Mater Dei | 5-0-0 |
| 2022 | St. John Bosco | 4-1-0 |
| 2021 | Mater Dei | 5-0-0 |
| 2020 | Mater Dei | 5-0-0 |
| 2019 | St. John Bosco | 5–0–0 |
| 2018 | Mater Dei | 5–0–0 |
| 2017 | Mater Dei | 5–0–0 |
| 2016 | Mater Dei | 5–0–0 |
| 2015 | St. John Bosco | 5–0–0 |
| 2014 | St. John Bosco | 5–0–0 |
| 2013 | St. John Bosco | 5–0–0 |
| 2012 | St. John Bosco | 5–0–0 |
| 2011 | Servite | 5–0–0 |
| 2010 | Servite | 5–0–0 |
| 2009 | Servite | 5–0–0 |
| 2008 | Servite/Mater Dei | 4–1–0 |
| 2007 | Servite | 4–1–0 |
| 2006 | Orange Lutheran | 4–1–0 |
Notable athletic alumni
JSerra
- offensive lineman for the Seattle Seahawks
- Austin Hedges (2011), current MLB catcher for the San Diego Padres
- 2017 Major League Baseball Draft, currently with Minnesota Twins
- Dante Pettis (2014), current NFL wide receiver for the Chicago Bears
- Chase Strumpf (2016), a second baseman in the Chicago Cubs organization
- Davis Wendzel (2016), a third baseman in the Texas Rangers organization
- Avery Williams (2016), NFL running back for the Atlanta Falcons
Mater Dei
- Matt Barkley (2009), NFL quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers
- Washington Redskins
- Charlotte Hornets, and Los Angeles Clippers
- Danny Espinosa (2005), current MLB second baseman for the Washington Nationals[12]
- guard for the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers
- Tiki Ghosn (1995), defensive back on the undefeated National Championship team in 1995; professional mixed martial arts fighter, at one time competing in Strikeforce MMA, the WEC, and the Ultimate Fighting Championship[13]
- Matt Grootegoed (2000), former NFL linebacker for the Detroit Lions and Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Vince Hizon (1988), American-born former Philippine Basketball Association player
- Center for the Indianapolis Colts
- John Huarte (1960), Heisman Trophy winner (1964) at Notre Dame and former NFL quarterback for the Bears, Chiefs, Eagles, Patriots, and Jets
- Chris Jackson (1988), former NFL Wide receiver for the Dolphins, Packers, Titans, Seahawks, & Buccaneers
- Stanley Johnson (2014), No. 1 F/G recruit commits to play at Arizona Wildcats.
- forward for Villanova University
- Matt Leinart (2001), Heisman Trophy winner (2004) and former NFL quarterback[14]
- Bobby Meacham (1978), current MLB First-Base Coach for the Houston Astros and former shortstop for the New York Yankees[15]
- University of Connecticut Huskies
- Los Angeles Galaxy
- Sergio Santos (2002), current MLB relief pitcher for the Toronto Blue Jays
- Miles Simon (1994), current NCAA basketball analyst for ESPN and former NBA guard for the Orlando Magic
- D. J. Strawberry (2003), former NBA point guard for the Phoenix Suns
- Matt Treanor (1994), current MLB catcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers
- forward for the UCLA Bruins
- Travis Wear (2009), former NCAA Basketball forward for the UCLA Bruins
- Larry Williams, NFL player
- USC Trojans
- Greg Woepse silver medalist at the 1979 Pan Am Games in the pole vault
- JT Daniels (2017) Current Starting Quarterback for the Georgia Bulldogs after transferring from the USC Trojans
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (2017) Current Wide Receiver for the Detroit Lions
Servite
- Steve Beuerlein (1983), Former Notre Dame and NFL quarterback.[16]
- Derek Brown (1989), NFL running back[17]
- Steve Buechele (1979), MLB third baseman.[18]
- Patrick Cantlay (2010), golfer
- Sean Estrada (2003), University of Pennsylvania, San Francisco 49ers Offensive lineman.[19]
- Cody Fajardo (2010), quarterback at the University of Nevada
- Ben Francisco (1999), MLB outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies
- Chris Galippo (2007), Middle Linebacker at University of Southern California and US Army Bowl MVP
- Ryan Garko (1999), MLB first baseman for the Seattle Mariners
- A. J. Gass (1993), former CFL player.[20]
- Dennis Sean Houlton (1997), MLB pitcher[21]
- Cole Irvin (2012), MLB pitcher for the Oakland Athletics
- Frank Kalil (1977), NFL & USFL center
- Ryan Kalil (2003), Offensive lineman at the University of Southern California starting center for the Carolina Panthers.[22]
- Matt Kalil (2008), offensive tackle at USC and member of the Minnesota Vikings[23]
- Blaine Nye (1964), former NFL offensive lineman, and economics consultant.[16]
- Chris Pontius, (2005) soccer player, D.C. United midfielder
- Marc Rzepczynski (2003), Major League Baseball pitcher
- Turk Schonert (1975), former Stanford and NFL quarterback, former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator[24]
- Matt Slater (2003), NFL wide receiver for the New England Patriots
- Kurt Vollers (1997), former NFL tackle[25]
- Matt Willis (2002), NFL Wide receiver for the Denver Broncos
- Mike Witt (1978), MLB pitcher, pitched perfect game September 30, 1984.[26]
St. John Bosco
- Josh Rosen (2014), former UCLA and current Miami Dolphins quarterback
- Australian National Basketball League[27]
- James Cotton (1992), former NBA player with the Seattle SuperSonics[28]
- Joe Cowan (2003), holds numerous school records in track and field as well as football; played for the UCLA Bruins' football program.
- UCLA Bruins;[29]signed but released by the New Orleans Saints
- Tim DeRuyter (1981), American football coach
- Nomar Garciaparra (1991), former MLB player with the Boston Red Sox, Chicago Cubs, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Oakland Athletics; most famous for his tenure with Boston Red Sox as a member of the "Holy Trinity of Shortstop", along with Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez.[30]
- Pepperdine
- Todd Husak (1996), former Stanford University and NFL quarterback[31]
- Dennis Lamp (1971), former MLB pitcher for the Chicago Cubs (1977–80), Chicago White Sox (1981–83), Toronto Blue Jays (1984–86), Oakland Athletics (1987), Boston Red Sox (1988–91) and Pittsburgh Pirates.[32]
- Evan Longoria (2003), San Francisco Giants third baseman.[33]
- Leon McFadden (2009), Cleveland Browns cornerback
- Keith Price (2009), starting quarterback for the Washington Huskies football team[34]
- MLB pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals during the 2001–2002 season. He is noted for being one of only 18 pitchers in MLB history since 1900 to throw a no-hitter during their rookie season[33]
Santa Margarita Catholic
- Griffin Canning, pitcher for the Los Angeles Angels
- Gavin Escobar, National Football League tight end for the Dallas Cowboys
- Kris Farris, football player[35]
- Erika Figge, member of the United States women's national water polo team, 2007 Pan American Games Gold medalist[36]
- Brian Finneran, former National Football League wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons[37]
- Beau Hossler, Amateur golfer, finished 29th at 2012 U.S. Open[38]
- Michael Hoyos, Argentine soccer player
- Jared Hughes, MLB pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates[35]
- Katie McLaughlin, swimmer
- Carson Palmer, two-time Pro Bowl National Football League quarterback formerly played for Arizona Cardinals, 2002 Heisman Trophy winner[39]
- Doug Reinhardt, American League baseball player and television personality.
- Edmonton Eskimos[40]
- Chris Rix, starting quarterback for the Florida State Seminoles (2001–2004), now broadcast announcer for Fox Sports
- Amy Rodriguez, member of the United States women's national soccer team, 2008 Summer Olympics Gold medalist[41]
- Jason Stiles– American football player
- Klay Thompson, 4x NBA champion, 5 all-star game appearances, 5x all pro for the Golden State Warriors[35]
- Mychel Thompson, former player for the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA)
- Trayce Thompson, baseball player[42]
- left tackle
Orange Lutheran
- Cole Winn, pitcher in the Texas Rangers organization. Top prospect and picked #15 overall.
- Garrett Mitchell, outfielder and top prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. Picked in 1st round in 2020.
- Derrek Chan, NY Red Bulls II Goalkeeper
- Stanley Berryhill III, wide receiver for the Atlanta Falcons
- Jason Martin, outfielder for the Texas Rangers, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Los Angeles Dodgers
- Gabe York, shooting guard for the Indiana Pacers. Played 4 years at the University of Arizona
- Gerrit Cole, pitcher for the New York Yankees, and previously the Pittsburgh Pirates and Houston Astros. Regarded Former #1 overall pick.
- Brandon Maurer, former MLB pitcher for the Seattle Mariners, San Diego Padres, and the Kansas City Royals
- Austin Pettis, former wide receiver for the St. Louis Rams and Boise State
- Aaron Corp, former top recruit of USC; finished college career at Richmond. Signed to practice squads for Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Dolphins
- Andrew Thurman, former second round pick of the Houston Astros. Spent time in the Astros, Braves, and Dodgers organizations over his MLB career
- Hannes Daube, member of the Men's USA Water Polo team, competed in the 2020 Summer Olympics
- Amber Neben, cyclist for the US Cycling Team, competed in the 2008, 2012, 2016, and 2020 Summer Olympics
- Mikey Romero, first round MLB Draft Pick to the Boston Red Sox, brother to Sierra and Sydney Romero (professional softball players)[43]
References
- ^ Fisher, Jeff (July 7, 2023), "Toughest high school football conferences/districts/leagues/regions heading into 2023", High School Football America, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ a b "California's Trinity League Ranked Toughest in America in 2021", NFL Play Football, May 24, 2022
- ^ a b c d e Foster, Chris (May 20, 1992), "Gone but Not Forgotten: Angelus League, Disbanding After 31 Years, Has More Than Its Share of Memories", Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2023-02-03
- ^ Fryer, Steve (November 20, 1990), "All for one. Santa Margarita has winning formula", Orange County Register
- ^ White, Lonnie (October 15, 1991), "Angelus League Going Out in Blaze of Glory", Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2023-02-03
- ^ Bolch, Ben (October 19, 2001), "Angelus League to Re-Form Next Year", Los Angeles Times, retrieved 2023-02-03
- ^ a b Fryer, Steve (May 15, 2023), "Major changes to Orange County sports leagues get backing of principals", Orange County Register, retrieved 2023-08-08
- ^ Witz, Billy (November 14, 2021), "California's High School Football Powerhouses Feed the College Game", The New York Times, retrieved 2023-03-14
- ^ "Top 10 toughest football leagues in America". October 1, 2010.
- ^ "Top 10 toughest high school football leagues in the nation", MaxPreps, CBS Sports, October 10, 2013, retrieved 2023-03-14
- ^ Poff, Zack (August 3, 2022), High school football: Top 10 toughest schedules for 2022 season, retrieved 2023-03-14
- ^ "Danny Espinosa Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ "Tiki Ghosn - Official UFC® Profile". www.ufc.com. 14 September 2018. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
- ^ Ben Bolch, Leinart Chosen State Player of Year, Los Angeles Times, December 5, 2000. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ "Bob Meacham Stats". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved December 3, 2012.
- ^ Orange County Register.
Servite's Steve Beuerlein is ...", "Others have included Blaine Nye, a 1964 graduate of Servite, who played on three Dallas teams
- Long Beach Press-Telegram. 1997-08-25.
New Orleans running back Derek Brown, a former Servite star
- ^ Smith, Sarah (1985-07-31). "Steve Buechele of Servite High Is Trying to Replace a Legend at Third Base for Texas, So It's No Wonder He Finds Himself in a Hot Spot". Sports. Los Angeles Times (Orange County ed.). p. 1. Retrieved 2008-04-15.[dead link]
- ^ "Official Site of the San Francisco 49ers – TE Roster". Archived from the original on 2008-01-21. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
- ^ Hamilton, Tom (1992-10-03). "A.J. Gass Powers Servite Past Edison, 28-6". Los Angeles Times Orange County Edition. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
- ^ Zupke, Curtis (2007-07-16). "Dodgers display rare power – Kent, Kemp both homer and the team bangs out 10 hits". The Orange County Register. Retrieved 2008-04-15.
- ^ "Ryan Kalil". NFL.com. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
- ^ "Servite High School". Archived from the original on 2008-03-15. Retrieved 2008-04-15. Servite High School website
- ^ "Turk Schonert: Offensive Coordinator". Buffalo Bills. Archived from the original on 2009-03-07. Retrieved 2009-03-17.
- ^ Terry, Mike (1996-10-11). "Live and Learn; Servite's Volelrs Hopes to Teach Mater Dei a Lesson This Time". Los Angeles Times. p. 8.
- ^ Terry, Mike (1997-08-10). "Former Angel Finds Baseball Salvation at Dana Hills; High school: Pitching coach Mike Witt enjoys teaching Dolphin players more about the game". Los Angeles Times.
Witt was a standout baseball and basketball player at Servite High in 1975–78
- ^ "Hawks snare star Carfino". The Daily Reporter. 10 April 1980. Retrieved 29 April 2010.
- ^ "James Wesley Cotton". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "Patrick Cowan". UCLA Bruins. Archived from the original on August 6, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "Nomar Garciaparra". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "Todd Husak". Stanford Cardinal. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ "Dennis Lamp". Baseball Almanac. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ a b The Baseball Cube statistics Accessed March 31, 2009
- ^ "17 Keith Price". CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on October 28, 2012. Retrieved November 18, 2012.
- ^ a b c Ritchie, Erika L. (September 8, 2012). "Quarter-century of achievement". The Orange County Register. p. Local 3.
- ^ "Erika Figge - 2005 Women's Water Polo Roster - University of Southern California". usctrojans.com. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
- ^ "Brian Finneran". NFL.com. Retrieved 2018-09-28.
- ^ Jim Seimas, "Teen Hossler earns way into our hearts at U.S. Open", Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 18, 2012.
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- ^ "Edmonton Eskimos". Archived from the original on 2009-07-08. Retrieved 2009-06-24., Mark Restelli bio
- ^ [1] Amy Rodriguez bio
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