Two-division setup means fewer games, new opportunities
| • | ILH creates two divisions for football |
| • | Parents' displeasure doesn't budge O'Donnell |
| • | What do you think of Damien's decision to forfeit games? Join our discussion |
By Wes Nakama
Advertiser Staff Writer
In the new Interscholastic League of Honolulu football format, less could mean more.
The format will feature a reduction in league games from 10 to seven, but it also gives teams the opportunity to play outside of the league on open dates.
That may provide for more diverse scheduling and broader exposure.
Kamehameha, Punahou and St. Louis are in one division, with Damien, Iolani and Pac-Five in the other. Teams will play others in their division twice, and teams in the opposite division once, for a total of seven games. However, only the final five games — a six-team round-robin round — will be used to determine the ILH champion.
Principals of the ILH's football-playing schools approved the plan yesterday in a "majority vote," according to ILH executive secretary Clay Benham. He said the plan initially was developed by league athletic directors during a three-day workshop at Punahou last week. It was offered to Damien on Monday as an alternative to the Monarchs' pledge to forfeit their two games against St. Louis this season, but Damien rejected it.
During yesterday's meeting at La Pietra, however, league principals voted to adopt it. Damien will be scheduled to play St. Louis once, but Benham said the Monarchs have been given the prerogative to forfeit the game if they wish.
He also said Damien will be allowed to wait until the week of the game before deciding whether to play.
Damien president Brother Gregory O'Donnell said that from Damien's point of view, the league's resolution is a good one. However, following a meeting with parents last night, he said the school will stick by its pledge to forfeit the game.
The new ILH format also allows its teams to schedule non-league games for their three bye dates — a common practice on the Mainland. This means possible games against teams from the Neighbor Islands or Mainland.
Under present rules, the 22-school OIA does not allow its football teams to play outside of its league during the regular season. OIA executive secretary Dwight Toyama said that even if they were allowed that right, there probably would be few takers.
"Our plate is full," Toyama said. "The state tournament has added three more weeks to our season, and that's why Kahuku played 16 games last year — more than UH. I think that's too much already."
Each OIA team will have a bye week during the regular season, but Toyama said it's too late to change the rule regarding playing on open dates.
"We had our last principals meeting last week, and they're not scheduled to meet again until August," Toyama said.
Big Island Interscholastic Federation executive secretary Roy Fujimoto said each team in his league also has one bye week, and they are allowed to use it however they wish.
"Because of the physical nature of football, I think most teams would prefer to mend," Fujimoto said. "But if they wanted to play, we'd leave it up to them."
Kaua'i Interscholastic Federation executive secretary Brent Mizutani could not be reached for comment and Maui Interscholastic League executive secretary Steve Kim was out of town.
Pac-Five coach Don Botelho said many Mainland teams have expressed interest in coming to Hawai'i in the past, but scheduling differences prevented some games from happening. The looser ILH schedule now may make more of those games possible.
Botelho added that since there are only seven ILH games, teams can use the bye weeks to make some money.
"Those games (on open dates) would be non-ILH, so it's another way of generating revenue," Botelho said.
Teams also will be allowed to use the open dates to play other ILH teams in "non-league" games, and Iolani and Punahou already have requested to play each other a second time on one of those dates. Botelho said it's also possible for Pac-Five to play Damien a third time.
