Sondheimer: Ganesha baseball team is playing with fire and might get burned

Ganesha High’s baseball team qualified for the Southern Section Division 2 championship against Loyola, but reports indicate some players and possibly the head coach may not attend due to a baseball camp in Mississippi. The situation raises concerns about violating commitments to the California Interscholastic Federation playoffs after agreeing to participate. Other teams have faced consequences for similar mid-playoff withdrawals, including YULA and Shalhavet being banned from this year’s playoffs and placed on probation for leaving to attend a Jewish baseball tournament in Ohio. The Southern Section can impose penalties ranging from postseason bans to removing a school from CIF membership. CIF executive director Ron Nocetti said the CIF supports decisions made by the Southern Section in this matter.

"Ganesha High's baseball team qualified to play in the Southern Section Division 2 championship game on Saturday against Loyola in Rancho Cucamonga, but the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reported that several players and possibly their head coach might not show up if they participate in a baseball camp in Mississippi. Bring it on. No more playing around. Let everyone know the expectations of being part of the California Interscholastic Federation. When you agree to play in the playoffs, you can't just decide to leave without notice."

"Teams and players have dreamed of playing in a championship game. Then one team wants to make a mockery of the final, Ganesha, by using backups. The YULA and Shalhavet baseball teams were banned from participating in this year's Southern Section playoffs and placed on probation for pulling out in the middle of the 2025 playoffs to participate in a Jewish baseball tournament in Ohio. The Southern Section has many options on how to proceed if Ganesha goes through with its decision to violate its commitment to the playoffs, from a postseason ban to removing the school from CIF membership."

"In Northern California when a tennis team decided to send its JV team for the regional playoffs, sanctions were imposed. The same penalties might be applied by the Southern Section if it happens in the section championship game. Ron Nocetti, the executive director of the CIF, said Friday, "We were made aware of this and any decision the Southern Section makes in this matter we support.""

Read at Los Angeles Times