Socal Shocker: Bishop Montgomery High President Bails Amid Football Scandal In Torrance

LA-Area High School Rocked by Resignation and Scandal

Yo, the South Bay is buzzing with some serious drama, and it’s not the latest Hollywood blockbuster. Bishop Montgomery High School in Torrance - a quiet spot just a stone’s throw from the beach - is making headlines for all the wrong reasons. On Wednesday, school president Patrick Lee threw in the towel, stepping down just nine days after the Knights’ football program forfeited their entire season over a wild illegal transfers mess.

Veronica Zozaya, Regional Superintendent for the Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, dropped the news in a letter to school families, as reported by High School On SI. She kept the deets vague, not spilling why Lee bounced or if he even had a choice, but sent some good vibes with a prayer for “God’s divine providence” to guide him and his fam. Interim leadership plans? They’re coming soon, fam - stay tuned.

Illegal Transfers and a Shady Booster Spill the Tea

Now, let’s get to the juicy part of this SoCal saga. The scandal kicked off when five transfer students were ruled ineligible to play at the start of the season. Word on the street was already hot about the number of new faces rolling into Bishop Montgomery this summer, and then - boom - a notorious prep sports bagman named Brett Steigh admitted to footing the bill for these kids to join the Knights.

Steigh, a local businessman with a gambling rep, didn’t just confess; he claimed he had the green light from none other than Patrick Lee himself. But Lee fired back in the LA Times, calling it “an outright lie” and swearing he’s never even met the guy. Meanwhile, Steigh seemed to predict this whole mess on the “Fattal Factor” podcast, saying the Archdiocese would step in and heads would roll - and, well, here we are.

“I knew this was coming - the Archdiocese always calls the shots, and Bishop Montgomery’s just gonna fall in line,” Steigh reportedly said, per High School On SI.

A History of Trouble and More Drama on the Horizon

This ain’t Steigh’s first rodeo in the LA high school sports scene, and wherever he goes, chaos seems to follow like paparazzi on the Sunset Strip. Back at Narbonne High School - his alma mater - Steigh’s involvement led to postseason bans and a vacated 2018 state title. Then, at St. Bernard, things got so messy with IRS and FBI probes that the school straight-up shut down its football program from 2021 to 2023.

What’s next for Bishop Montgomery? If history’s any clue, this story’s got more twists than a Mulholland Drive joyride. The Torrance community (just a quick cruise south of LAX, for those not in the know) is bracing for whatever fallout comes next, and trust, we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled for the latest scoop.

Got the inside dirt on this scandal? Hit us up with the 411 - we’re all ears for the next big reveal in this SoCal high school showdown.