Football: There will be no St. Bonny-Oaks Christian game in 2009

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Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure have failed to agree on playing in a nonleague game in 2009, which will create the scenario next fall of forcing section commissioners to once again figure out which team deserves to play in a state bowl game.

Oaks Christian went out of its way trying to convince the Seraphs to play next season, but St. Bonaventure failed to reach agreement.

‘We’ve given them every opportunity to play us the last three years,’ Oaks Christian Athletic Director Jan Hethcock said Monday.

Oaks Christian has finalized its five nonleague games and upgraded its schedule slightly. It will play Mission Hills Alemany in a zero week game, followed by games against Pasadena Muir, Sammamish (Wash.) Skyline, Venice and Long Beach Jordan. Skyline, which has won 28 consecutive games and back-to-back state championships (3A in 2007, 4A in 2008), is led by quarterback Jake Heaps, the Gatorade player of the year in Washington this past season.

Oaks Christian, a winner of six consecutive Southern Section titles. will have one of its strongest teams ever, including five players who project as Pacific 10-quality recruits. St. Bonaventure, which has won the Division III bowl game the last two seasons, has nonleague games scheduled against Long Beach Poly and Bishop Amat.

-- Eric Sondheimer