Coaches unhappy
over new structure

They are happy to add state-tourney
berths in Division II, but don’t like
that it hurts Division I

At this point, external forces are just that: outside and uncontrollable.

Kalaheo girls basketball coach Chico Furtado says that means understanding that he has no control over a situation that could impact many programs, including his own. But the longtime coach voiced concerns about recent changes that will affect his sport.

The Hawaii High School Athletic Association executive board voted Tuesday to apply a numerical formula ratio for the state tournament Division I and II format. That means softball and girls basketball will likely have eight entries in the D-I state tourney, while the D-II championships could increase from four to eight. The proposal was one of seven listed under the category, classification, but a more accurate definition would have been downsizing.

"For years, I've felt they deserve a state tournament of their own," Furtado said. "It's great. I've got no problem with Division II going up to eight.

"My only thing was that it shouldn't affect Division I. If D-II wants to be equitable, they should stand on their own two feet financially."

Since the Division II state tourney began in 2004, D-II games have been intertwined with D-I games in the scheduling. Still, HHSAA executive director Keith Amemiya, who stood firmly against the proposal, said reducing the D-I format from 12 to eight teams will cost the HHSAA more than $23,000.

The proposal was first passed at the Hawaii Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association conference last week in Lihue. If the expected numbers stay put, the D-I and D-II tourneys for softball and girls basketball will have eight entries apiece.

Next season, barring changes, there will be 30 D-I and 33 D-II girls basketball teams statewide.

Punahou, which won the Interscholastic League of Honolulu and state girls basketball titles last month, was clear in its reaction.

"Obviously, we're disappointed that (the executive board) didn't keep the Division I schools the same," Punahou athletic director Tom Holden said. "I'm an elementary school P.E. teacher, and I believe that the more participation you get, the better. The format we had assures that the top teams get in, but that's the vote by the body and that's what you go with."

Iolani, which placed second in the ILH and earned the league's second berth to the state girls hoops tourney, will not be as fortunate if it is runner-up again in '06.

"I hope they have a chance to get together again and try to reverse it to a 12-team format," Iolani coach Glenn Takara said. "I don't think there's much that I can do. It's up to the higher-ups. I think if D-I stayed the same and D-II increases, that's good."

Punahou and Iolani's league turned out to be the swing vote that floored a crucial amendment during the Tuesday board meeting. The amendment by Waiakea principal Patricia Nekoba would have limited the downsizing proposal to Division II only.

The ILH voted against the amendment, all but assuring the proposal's passage. Board members include one principal and an executive secretary from each of the state's five leagues.

Individual schools had their say at HIADA, where other proposals to keep the Division I number at 12 were shot down. Still, there are some athletic directors who aren't sure if the new proposal is a good idea.

"If that amendment to keep Division I at 12 teams had been at HIADA, Punahou would've supported that, definitely," Holden said. "There's nobody to say why Division I (format) should've been changed."

Furtado, who has also coached boys for two decades, has a unique viewpoint. He's been a longtime counselor at Maryknoll, one of the smaller schools in the ILH. The Spartans played in Division I in recent years, barely missing a state berth last month.

Starting with the coming school year, however, Maryknoll will drop down to D-II in girls basketball. That means the ILH will lose significant weight in the existing numerical formula and will probably wind up with only one entry in the D-I state tourney next season.

The same goes for the Maui Interscholastic League. The Big Island Interscholastic Federation, with six D-I participants for girls hoops, has an edge on the ILH and MIL, and will likely retain its two state berths.

Furtado believes smaller schools that play Division I in their leagues could face scrutiny.

"My feeling is that leagues are going to pressure teams to stay in D-I," he said. "But now, the politics of this is biting the ILH in the okole."

The possibility of changing divisions doesn't apply to the OIA, where teams are in the middle of a two-year cycle and cannot change until next year.

OIA executive director Dwight Toyama, who submitted the proposal, cited budget concerns. By shrinking the D-I tourney to eight teams, the length could shorten from four days to three.

He also would like to see the state tourney move back to school sites for the first two days before playing a final day at the Stan Sheriff Center. Currently, all four days of the tournament are played at the SSC.

"All this time, the concern was to play in a good venue," Furtado said. "At the school gyms, we share the locker room with the judo guys."

Kalaheo was ranked among the top five all season long in the Star-Bulletin girls basketball poll. A loss in the league playoffs sent the Lady Mustangs into consolation play, where they placed fifth and earned the league's last state-tourney berth. That fifth berth won't exist next season.

The OIA, with nearly half of the state's 30 teams playing Division I girls basketball next season, is still in good shape with four of the likely eight state berths. But for other leagues, losing a berth and having just one representative in the D-I championships is a tough pill to swallow.

Another concern is seeding. With eight entries instead of 12, there will be no first-round bye, which makes the process simpler in some aspects. However, it is possible that OIA teams will be paired up on Day 1.

"There's more pressure on the seeding committee now, and I don't know how many of them see all of the teams before the state tournament," Furtado said. "The Big Island has become more of a player now."

Konawaena won last year's state crown and was runner-up this year. Honokaa finished third at states this season.

In the case of Division II, there would be an open berth available. Based on HHSAA history with ratios, the MIL and BIIF would have a playoff game for the remaining berth.

Crunching the track: Another of the 19 proposals that were passed by the executive board is one that adjusts the dates of the state track and field meet to consecutive days.

Last month, the meet was held on Thursday and Saturday. The new dates will be on Friday and Saturday.

"I don't think it's in the best interest of the kids. It will alter the coaches' strategies," said Jeff Meister, the ILH's track coordinator. "I understand the financial implications."

Eliminating an extra day of travel and boarding is a significant savings for teams traveling from the neighbor islands.

Another key aspect is supervision of 20, even 30 athletes once a team is eliminated in the trial round. Shortening the time frame relieves some of that pressure.

However, long-distance runners will face a much shorter rest time. Racing in the 1,500- and 3,000-meter events in the span of 24 hours will certainly be taxing.

During the HHSAA's board meeting in the spring, the ILH track and field officials' concerns regarding safety were addressed briefly. Because the national federation recommends no more than four events per individual athlete, the ILH falls in line during league competition. The HHSAA kept the maximum number of events at six per athlete because of the Thursday-Saturday format.

Now, however, the format has changed.

"I don't want to speculate, but I think the officials will express their concerns in writing again to the HHSAA," Meister said. "They don't run the tournament, but they certainly have an input, and we want the best officials we can get."

In the end, Meister believes the bigger teams will prosper.

"I think this will help the big schools because they're deeper. They can go to more bodies," he said.

Hoops moves

The girls basketball breakdown, including the move of Kapaa, Kauai, Waimea and Maryknoll to Division II, looks like this:

Division I
Teams: 30 teams statewide. State tournament berths: 8
» The OIA has 14 teams, with a ratio of .467, or 3.73 berths. Rounds off to four berths.
» The BIIF has six teams, with a ratio of .200, or 1.6 berths. Rounds off to two berths.
» The ILH and MIL have five teams each, with a ratio of .167, or 1.33 berths. Rounds off to one berth.

Division II
Teams: 33 teams statewide. State tournament berths: 8
» The OIA has nine teams, with a ratio of .273, or 2.18 berths. Rounds off to two berths.
» The ILH has nine teams*, with a ratio of .273, or 2.18 berths. Rounds off to two berths.
» The MIL has six teams, with a ratio of .182, or 1.45 berths. Rounds off to one berth.
» The BIIF has six teams, with a ratio of .182, or 1.45 berths. Rounds off to one berth.
» The KIF has three teams, with a ratio of .091, or .73 berths. Rounds off to one berth.

* Note: The ILH will likely have 12 Division II teams, but only nine are state-tournament eligible.