Small-schools football playoff voted down

Advertiser Staff

A proposal for a state football tournament for small schools was narrowly defeated in a roll-call vote yesterday by the state's high school athletic directors.

Members of the Hawai'i Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association, meeting in Lihu'e, defeated the proposal, 37-34, but unanimously approved setting up a five-member committee to study the feasibility of so-called "Division II" tournaments in all sports.

The A.D.'s also took a stand against sexy tennis outfits. They voted 65-0 to outlaw uniforms with a bare or open midriff in state tournaments.

The rule applies to both girls and boys.

In other major action, the A.D.'s:

• Unanimously added judo as the state's 17th championship sport. The tournament will be held in the spring.
• Moved boys golf from the spring to the fall in a 36-27 vote that overrode a committee recommendation.
• Unanimously approved a committee to study pole vault safety. Concerns have been raised by three vaulting deaths on the Mainland this year.
• Changed the format of state volleyball tournaments to eliminate pool play and to use rally scoring, best-of-five matches, the libero position and let serves. Unlike college volleyball, scoring will be to 25 points for the first four games. Volleyball tournaments will follow the same single-elimination format as baseball, basketball, soccer and softball.

Each league will decide whether to use the new scoring and player rules in its own season.

Decisions made by the athletic directors do not become official until endorsed by the executive board of the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association. The board, whose voting members are a principal from each of the state's five leagues, will meet June 19 in Hilo.

Five honored: Five individuals received awards from the Hawai'i Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association. They were:

Outstanding coaches — Jeff Meister, Punahou, swimming and diving; Glenn Nitta, Mililani, baseball. Both have retired from coaching and are athletic directors.

Outstanding service (as an athletic administrator) — Charlene Quinones, Kaua'i High; Bill Von Arnswaldt, Kaiser. Von Arnswaldt retired this year.

Special service — Don Takaki, chairman of the board of Island Movers, sponsor of the state track and field championship meet.