AURORA — Say goodbye to the 32-team bracket, Class 4A basketball. Say hello to a new state qualifying team, 5A baseball. And referees, your proposal didn’t pass, but stay tuned.
Many changes, most of them subtle, were instituted Thursday at the Colorado High School Activities Association’s board of control meeting.
The most hotly discussed topic was that of the 4A hoops tournament, which was modified to a 32-team field this season but will shift back to the previous 48-team arrangement (like 5A).
The selection committee was very frustrated with a true-seeded 32-team bracket, CHSAA assistant commissioner Bert Borgmann said. The committee felt it could do a better job of selecting and seeding into quadrants.
The move will take effect next season, which irked some because it marked a change within CHSAA’s two-year cycle. Those in favor of keeping the 32-team bracket made the argument of better competitive balance while keeping costs down, with 16 fewer teams traveling.
A motion to overthrow the move to 48 teams was favored by a vote of 32-28, but it needed a two-thirds majority to pass because the amendment was proposed from the floor.
In baseball, the fledgling 5A East Metro Athletic Conference will send five of its 10 teams to the postseason beginning next season (one more than this season). While it is more in line with the 50 percent ratio afforded to other leagues, it will add a 33rd team to the field.
This will move up the seeding selection a few days in order to fit in a pigtail game pitting the Nos. 32 and 33 seeds.
In addition, a proposal designed to offer referees more protection was shot down by a narrow margin of 35-32. The idea was to allow officials jurisdiction beyond the playing surface, affording them the same authority as players, coaches and spectators in areas such as the parking lot or school hallways.
“That’s a tough piece because there are a lot of nebulous items in there,” said Borgmann, who indicated a similar proposal might be adopted by the NCAA and eventually could trickle down. “I mean, how far away are we talking? After a baseball game in the parking lot, I get it. But what about in a gym two hours after a game?”
Several sports announced minor changes, including:
• An alpine skier losing a ski now will be permitted to retrieve the ski and finish the race to earn team points.
• Ice hockey announced the additions of Mountain Vista and Resurrection Christian.
• Lacrosse announced the additions of Telluride (boys and girls), Legend (boys) and the departure of both Mountain Range programs.
• Basketball announced the acceptance of a new 22-team district format in 1A.
• Track and field indicated an internal rejection of adding the javelin as an official event, citing facilities, coach competency and safety. Meets may still host the javelin as an exhibition event.
• A measure passed requiring all coaches who assume full responsibility of students to either be a certified teacher or administrator, or a coach registered with CHSAA.
