HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
ADs to vote on expanding state football playoffs
HAPUNA » The state football championships will go back to the past if athletic directors have their way.
At the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association conference yesterday, a committee approved a proposal that would expand the current format from six teams to eight in Division I and II state football tournaments.
"The key thing is that the MIL wanted eight (teams) somehow," Hawaii Prep athletic director Steve Perry said. "I think it was unanimous. Just eliminating the byes was key."
When the state tournament began for football in 1999, there was only one division of eight teams. That number was lowered to six when Division II entered the picture and allowed the top two seeds to have first-round byes.
Yesterday's proposal, offered up by the Maui Interscholastic League, originally called for each of the four Division I leagues -- the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, Interscholastic League of Honolulu, Oahu Interscholastic Association and MIL -- to each receive two automatic state-tournament berths. However, an amendment eliminated the automatic berths.
The current use of the ratio formula, which rewards larger leagues with more berths, was implemented to the proposal. The assembly of HIADA will vote on the measure tomorrow morning.
For alumni and fans who want to see at least two ILH teams play in the state tourney, hope is practically gone. However, not everyone in the ILH supported the notion of two state berths. Only three teams play Division I football in the ILH.
"I'm not for it anyhow. That's not right for the OIA," longtime Iolani athletic director Carl Schroers said. "If you only have three (teams), you should get only one berth."
The prospect of just one ILH representative in the state D-I football tourney didn't bother Keith Amemiya.
"I'm fine with it whatever way it goes," said the executive director of the Hawaii High School Athletic Association.
All measures that are approved by HIADA will move up to the HHSAA executive board for vote. The board will meet on Tuesday.
Though he did not have voting rights, BIIF executive secretary Ken Yamase was satisfied with the issue so far.
"The BIIF believes in abiding by the formula," he said.
Imanaka: I wasn't informed of firing
Darold Imanaka confirmed this week that he was not informed of his firing as girls basketball coach by Kalani High School. Imanaka was actually informed by media of the school's decision to hire a new coach.
Imanaka's Lady Falcons reached the semifinals of the Oahu Interscholastic Association playoffs and qualified for the Division I state tournament. Kalani went 25-6 and finished fifth in the Star-Bulletin Girls Basketball Top 10.
Earlier in the week, Kalani announced that George Weeks was hired as the new coach. The school maintains that Imanaka did not follow protocol in the rehiring process.
"Our stance -- the school's stance is simply that he didn't apply for the position," athletic director Gregory Van Cantfort said, adding that the school has no other comment.
Attorney Eric Seitz was livid about the situation involving his new client, Imanaka.
"The controversy arose. We knew Greg was going to find an excuse to fire Darold. He's probably the most successful (girls basketball) coach in 45 years at Kalani. To fire him is insanity," Seitz said.
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Another similar measure, a 12-team format written by the ILH, was turned down.
The conference will reconvene this morning, again at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.
More key measures:
» Baseball and boys soccer could join the D-II party. In a groundbreaking decision, Group 2 -- one of four committees that represented the 68 voting members -- said yes to Division II state tournaments for baseball and boys soccer.
"I think it's good. Our league kind of realizes this is what we need," Mililani athletic director and OIA baseball coordinator Glenn Nitta said. "We'll see if it passes."
An onslaught of lopsided, 10-run rule TKO games, particularly in the OIA, made this proposal from the HHSAA timely.
Group 2 also advanced a proposal to expand state girls water polo tournament entries from eight to 12.
Both measures will be up for assembly vote tomorrow.
» A motion by the ILH to eliminate the dead periods of each sport -- the time of year when coaches are not allowed to work with their athletes -- was defeated. However, it is in minority report status, which means it will still be up for vote before the assembly tomorrow.
"If it's defeated, then that just makes it easier," said Farrington athletic director Harold Tanaka, who chaired the committee (Group 3). "The state (HHSAA) sets the policy."
» Group 2 also passed a proposal submitted by the HHSAA that could lower the maximum number of participants by a cheerleading squad to qualify for "medium-division" squad designation.
The current maximum allowed for a medium-division squad is 11 participants. The proposal calls for a maximum of 10.
» Breaks between mixed-crew races at the state paddling championships have been modified from 15 minutes to 10. The original proposal from the ILH asked for a reduction to 5 minutes.
» Group 2 began discussion about a proposal that clarifies language regarding the seeding and pairing procedure for state championship tournaments. Today, they will revisit the proposal, which includes new, more detailed language written by the OIA.
Confusion in outdated, pre-existing language was part of the reason for a blowup at the boys state championships in February that led to the suspension of coaches from Kealakehe.
» A proposal to keep the boys soccer tournament on Oahu exclusively was panned. Group 3 had no motion on the proposal, which means the tournament will continue to rotate to Maui every third year.