Mega Marmonte Starts Tonight

(CBS) - CIF Re-Leaguing meetings took place in Long Beach.  The big news, Oaks Christian and St. Bonaventure were voted into the Marmonte League for football only.  In an instant, the Marmonte League expanded into a 10-team mega league.  Once, league officials worked out the parameters, it was decided each team would play one game out of league before enduring a grueling 9-game league schedule. 
 
The schedule was released with the bang.  One of the games in during the opening week of league play: Oaks Christian vs. St. Bonaventure.  As new league foes, no longer would the public be denied of witnessing these to private school powers meet on the field.  That week is here.  Tonight the 10-team, Mega-Marmonte League kicks off.  There are four games on schedule tonight.  Westlake headlines Opening Night, as they begin their title defense by hosting Thousand Oaks.  Tomorrow's dessert: Oaks Christian travels to No. 8 St. Bonaventure.
 
The Seraphs sent shockwaves through the prep football world with its 32-7 demolishing of Long Beach Poly last week.  This is the same Jackrabbit team that had aspirations of a National Title and now must regroup to even have a chance at a State bid after getting embarrassed at home. 

One of the heroes, junior QB Marc Evans, making his first start for the Seraphs. What a debut, 17/25, 234 yds, and a TD against the Jackrabbits. If there was a statement to be made, St. Bonnies definitely sent it last Friday night.
 
Oaks Christian, on the other hand, was idle last week.  But this isn't the Oaks we've been accustomed to seeing over the past few years.  It appears, by Oaks standards, this may be one of the worst teams they've fielded in quite some time.  The Lions have lost two in a row dating back to last season's Northwest Final lost at Serra.  You usually like to come back rejuvenated after a bye week, but the Lions will enter tomorrow night's contest battered and bruised.  TE Dillon van der Wal suffered a leg injury in the first half of the Lions' season opening loss to Alemany.  WR Jordan Payton injured his ankle earlier this week in practice.  Van der Wal is out.  Payton, I'm told, is not expected to play. 
 
Is it what the public wanted? Yes.  Is it how they wanted it? Probably not.  You want both teams to be at full strength especially this early in the season.  It continues the debate, how will a talented, but thin Oaks team deal with the rigorous of playing big time football programs week in and week out.  Healthy or not, there's a lot on the line tomorrow night. 

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