Process to Select Playoff Teams Altered

In the aftermath of the controversy that marred the selection process for the football playoffs, the City Section has modified the process for all sports, except boys’ soccer.

Barbara Fiege, athletics commissioner for the section, said the Interscholastic Athletic Committee voted Monday to modify the first-year format. Effective immediately, only one team from each of the eight leagues is guaranteed a berth in the 16-team Championship Division playoffs (boys’ soccer has a 32-team tournament). If teams share titles, leagues must follow tiebreaking procedures to determine their No. 1 qualifier. Other teams are eligible for at-large berths in the Championship playoffs or inclusion in the Invitational Division playoffs.

Previously, all league champions, including teams that shared titles, were put in the Championship Division playoffs. Problems with the format arose in the fall when four of the eight league races in football ended in ties, including three-way ties in the Valley Mission and West Valley leagues.

Marine League runner-up San Pedro and Coliseum League runner-up Dorsey received the only at-large berths in the Championship Division.

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The Games committee of IAC presented a preliminary proposal Monday regarding the participation of schools in showcase events and tournaments.

The key points:

* Starting in the 2000-2001 school year, no school shall play games on legal holidays.

* Bus transportation for Saturday games will not be paid for by the school district without prior approval from the section’s athletics office.

* Schools scheduling out-of-state contests must receive approval from the commissioner and permission must be requested no less than 30 days before the event.

* No practice or tournament game shall cause a regularly scheduled league game to be moved once the City’s official schedule has been printed.

Fiege said IAC members will discuss the proposal with their constituencies. IAC could vote on the proposal at its March 13 meeting.