HMB High’s promotion to stronger football division is a mixed blessing

In the wake of a big year, Half Moon Bay High School has been transfered to the stronger of the Penininsula Athletic League’s two divisions. The County Times describes the head coach as "miffed".

The move doesn’t sit well with Half Moon Bay. Head coach Matt Ballard had wanted his team to stay in the Ocean Division and had a couple of pretty compelling reasons to back him up.

"We had a well-laid-out argument (for staying in the Ocean Division)," Ballard said. "The first thing is that we graduate 22 players and will have only six returning starters. Our frosh-soph team finished the season with 14 players on its roster and had a 1-7-2 record.

"So if you’re looking at the coming years, as you’re supposed to do in a decision like this, moving up to the Bay Division is going to be a real hardship on us. We presented all this, but no one cared. If you win a CCS title, no one feels sorry for you, I guess."