Reductions in state tournament participation moved one step closer to reality yesterday, as committees at the Hawai'i Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association conference voted to cut back on the numbers of teams and athletes earning berths in several sports.

The approved proposals advanced to this morning's general assembly vote at the Ala Moana Hotel, where they can become official recommendations to the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association's executive board Tuesday.

Among yesterday's approved proposals:

• Limiting team state tournament fields to 33 percent of the state's total number of teams per division;

• Reducing state tournament participation in boys and girls golf by 20 percent each;

• Reducing state tournament participation in wrestling by 20 percent;

• Expanding the football state tournament fields from six teams to eight.

At least some of the proposed reductions were based on financial concerns, as the Department of Education has already mandated a 50 percent budget cut for athletics in supplies/equipment and transportation for the 2009-2010 school year, in addition to a proposed additional 5 percent cut approved by the Board of Education yesterday. The O'ahu Interscholastic Association, whose 29 member schools are all public, partially subsidizes state tournament travel.

The OIA is the state's largest league and submitted proposals to cut state tournament participation numbers by 30 percent almost across the board.

But the Big Island Interscholastic Federation submitted a compromise proposal that called for allowing 33 percent of the teams competing statewide to advance to a state tournament. Using this past year's numbers, such a proposal would reduce the state tournament fields in girls soccer, Division II baseball, DII boys soccer and DII softball from 12 teams to eight.

State tournament fields for boys and girls basketball, volleyball, DI baseball and DI boys soccer would remain at 12 teams.

"It worried me when I saw (the OIA) wanting to cut everything to eight teams," said Gary Oertal, the Christian Liberty athletic director who authored the BIIF's proposal. "I think this provides the flexibility to allow for larger or smaller tournaments based on the statewide numbers."

The proposal passed overwhelmingly in committee, with OIA members jumping on board.

"I think we're OK with a 12-team tournament if the numbers warrant it," said Kahuku AD Joe Whitford. "We were willing to compromise and see how it goes."

The proposal for expansion of the football state tournaments came from the Maui Interscholastic League, which wants to eliminate the first-round bye for the top two seeds.

"Football is a revenue-producing sport," said Punahou football coach and associate athletic director Kale Ane. "The competition would be very good, and I would bet we could make more money."

Read his blog on high school sports at http://preptalk.honadvblogs.com.