Heath’s team last year was probably their best team in school history. If someone says 2016 was, I get it, but ‘16 was 10-and-done whereas ‘21 made regional semi’s. The LCL-small is better with a good Heath program, I firmly believe — but it’s also not a very decorated program. Had a really good team in the final year of LCL v1, 1990.
Northridge? Come on. Johnnies are uncharacteristically down, yeah, but Lakewood and Utica never did diddly before (or even after) the Johnnies’ finals run.
Utica wanted to go KMAC. Got bilked. Lakewood is probably never going to get anything going.
Like, it’s pretty well-understood where the issues with football are with the LCL-small. They’re not new. The primary problem now is ~6 years of crappy and largely counterproductive crossovers (and schools not wanting to keep playing them) is stymying half of the programs on the small side. So, the LCL keeps kicking the tires yearly on “can we try to make a better model? If so, how?” where the only direct answer that can reach consensus is “can we gauge interest in new membership?”
The LCL has good leadership and a generally amiable, cohesive team of administrators. They consider multiple possibilities and weigh the pro’s/con’s. And really, they leave no stone unturned in the process. Unfortunately, it’s a step-by-step process that keeps stalling out when outside schools aren’t coming to the table. Where it’s really unfortunate for the LCL is their best laid plan to make everyone happy likely died before the school year started.