ILH loses state spots
in baseball, softball
The Interscholastic League of Honolulu is losing state high school tournament berths in baseball, softball, girls basketball and water polo.
Expanding membership in the neighbor island leagues and classification are two reasons behind the change, according to data presented at yesterday's Hawaii High School Athletic Association board meeting at Kamehameha.
The most dramatic difference comes in Division I softball, where ILH state tournament representation drops from two teams to one team, while the Oahu Interscholastic Association's representation increases from five to six teams -- half of the 12-team field.
Tournament berths are given out in direct proportion to the number of schools each league has participating in the regular season.
In the past, the ILH received two state softball spots due to its fairly large league of eight teams.
But since classification became a reality last season, the ILH has only three Division I teams.
The league was able to get two berths last year, because the formula for choosing state participation was still based on the number of teams a league had participating in both Division I and II combined.
This summer, the HHSAA board voted to more accurately reflect the separation of Division I and Division II when determining state berths.
Even though the ILH is losing more chances at winning state championships, league executive director Don Botelho isn't distressed.
"That's the way the formula is, and we live by the formula," Botelho said. "Our teams decided to choose which division to play in and we're losing a berth because of it, but we can't complain."
ILH coaches and fans may have a different viewpoint. Over the years, league boosters have complained about the lack of state tournament berths given to the ILH, citing the high-level of competition, athleticism and achievement of its teams.
In baseball two years ago, the ILH had two state slots, while last season, it had one and the possibility of another, depending on the outcome of a play-in game against a Maui Interscholastic League team.
The ILH will be down to just one state baseball berth next season, due to the increasing amount of teams on Maui and the Big Island.
If the ILH had only one state spot last year, league runner-up Punahou never would have won the state championship.
In girls basketball, the league's representation falls from three to two teams, rendering its annual third-place tournament moot.
In addition, one of the league's girls water polo spots goes to Maui, which is running the sport for the first time.
Building on a foundation: The HHSAA voted unanimously yesterday to form the HHSAA Foundation, a separate entity that will be a fund-raising tool.
HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya thinks big things are ahead for the foundation, which will take about six months to set up.
"There have been some pretty big entities that want to help us out financially, but they prefer to give to a foundation," Amemiya said. "The fear (from potential sponsors) is that all of the money will go to operating expenses rather than to a specific event."
More leeway: When state tournament seeding committees sit down to decide which teams go in which bracket, they may end up having more of say.
Guidelines already in place will continue to be followed strictly, but the HHSAA board voted unanimously to give the seeding committees the authority to make changes as they see fit when the guidelines conflict.
Amemiya is lukewarm on the measure.
"I was hoping for more clarity, guidance and simplicity, but we'll see how this new provision works."
More gear: Hawaii high school softball players will be required to wear a facemask in conjunction with their batting helmets, starting in the 2005-06 season to fall in step with a new rule created by the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Possible switch: The board didn't take further action on the legality of a judo move called double knee seoinage.
The move was made legal in the summer, but because of correspondence to the HHSAA stating that the move is dangerous, the board has asked for presentations from experts on both sides of the argument at its next meeting.
The board will then choose whether or not to keep the move legal.
More money: The board also didn't take action on two proposals, but met in executive session to discuss the financial aspects.
One proposal is to increase state tournament adult ticket prices from $7 to $9 at Aloha Stadium, the Stan Sheriff Center, Les Murakami Stadium and Blaisdell Arena.
One of several rationales is the increasing cost to hold tournaments at those venues.
The other proposal is for the leagues to allow the HHSAA to keep all profits from the state Division I football tournament (it currently keeps 25 percent and gives 75 percent to the leagues) in exchange for having HHSAA membership and other fees waived for the leagues' various schools.
Golf changes: The board also unanimously passed a motion to move the 2005 boys and girls golf tournaments from Maui to either Oahu or Kauai and the 2006 boys and girls events from Oahu to Kapalua, Maui.
