Realignment Makes Life Tougher for Absegami Baseball and Softball Teams

On paper, life got tougher for the Absegami High School baseball and softball programs after the Cape-Atlantic League athletic directors voted to realign the conferences and the divisions for the 2012 season.

According to the Absegami coaches, the league is trying to make all the divisions and conferences as fair as possible, and that school enrollment and strength of programs were taken in consideration.

However, that means that Absegami is in the strongest division.

Both Braves programs were already members of the CAL American I divisions, which was already considered the most competitive division.

The baseball team stays in the division along with Egg Harbor Township and South Jersey power Millville, but adds Hammonton and St. Augustine, which is also a South Jersey power.

"I think the idea behind it is fair and equitable, but what they are doing to my knowledge is basing it on the last two years," Absegami baseball coach Brian Wastell said. "They are basing it on what kids no longer in the program have done.

"In baseball, especially in public schools, the strength is based on a class. If a good class comes through, you can have a good two- or three-year run. Then there may be a drop off a little bit."

The American Division II conference includes Atlantic City, Mainland, Oakcrest, Vineland and Holy Spirit, which made the leap up from the National Conference.

Ocean City drops down to the National.

Wastell didn't think anything had to change in his conference.

"I don't have an answer for them, either," Wastell said. "I liked our conference, the way it developed into a competitive conference."

On the softball side, Hammonton and Oakcrest move up to the American Division I with Absegami, Millville and Vineland.

The five programs have been perennially the best in the conference over the past decade.

The American Division II includes Atlantic City, EHT, Mainland, and Holy Spirit and St. Joseph, which both made jump up from the National.

"I know what the intent was and in that sense it is good," Absegami softball coach Pat Esemplare said. "I think now you are going to have division champions in both the American and National when they are not even the second-best team in the conference, not to slight anybody. The best teams are in my division and the next five are in the other division. I'm not a big fan of that."

Other changes include:

- Cedar Creek will play in the National Division II in both sports.

-  National I Softball includes Buena, Lower, Middle, Ocean City, Sacred Heart and Wildwood Catholic