City Asks Coaches to Devise Plan

The City Section Interscholastic Athletics Committee declined to vote Monday on a proposal to eliminate divisions in the football playoffs next fall, instead instructing coaches to devise a new plan.

Coaches must submit the alternative at the next IAC meeting May 21 with the understanding that the current system is unacceptable. Last year, only 16 of the section’s 49 schools competed in the 4-A Division, prompting IAC to consider a change in the system.

The one-division proposal has the backing of City Section Commissioner Hal Harkness and Dorsey co-Coach Paul Knox, the president of the Los Angeles Coaches’ Assn. They argue that the 4-A Division is too small to conduct a meaningful playoff.

The problem could be worse next fall. Under a recommendation by the City realignment committee, the Metro League of Fairfax, Hamilton, Manual Arts and Palisades would be dropped from 4-A to 3-A, leaving the 4-A with just 12 teams.

The decision to delay the vote is considered a victory by many 3-A coaches, who claim that the one-division system would disenfranchise programs from the playoffs. Monroe Coach Dave Lertzman represents that view. “We got what we wanted today. This at least gives us a chance to come up with something we like,” he said.

Coaches have tentatively scheduled a meeting for May 9 at Hamilton High. A group 3-A coaches discussed two alternatives at a meeting last week.

Under one proposal, a seeding committee would rank the City’s top 32 teams. The first 16 teams would play for the 4-A title, and the second 16 would comprise the 3-A bracket. In the second plan, the 12 league champions would make up the 4-A bracket, and the 12 runners-up would play for the 3-A title.