Posted at 12:43 p.m., Wednesday, June 20, 2001

ILH to restructure for football

Advertiser Staff

The private-school Interscholastic League of Honolulu today approved a radical restructuring that would divide the league's six football-playing members into two three-team divisions.

The change comes on the heels of Damien Memorial High School's intention to forfeit both its games against powerhouse St. Louis because of safety concerns.

St. Louis, the 15-time ILH champion, beat Damien 49-7 and 84-0 last season.

Under the new proposal approved by ILH principals, St. Louis, Kamehameha and Punahou would make up one division and Iolani School, Damien and conglomerate team Pac-Five would make up the other.

Teams would play two games each against teams in their division and one each against teams in the other division for a total of seven league games.

It is the same proposal offered earlier to Damien, which apparently rejected.

Damien athletic director Herb Lloyd said at the time that the plan still would have the Monarchs playing St. Louis, a situation Damien officials wanted to avoid.

But ILH officials said today that Damien could still forfeit its game with St. Louis. But under this format, it would be only one game and not two.

It was not known if this restructuring was permanent.

The plan was developed by the ILH athletic directors at their workshop last week at Punahou.