Sectional tourneys closer to approval
No decision yet on state tourneys
The parameters are set for an MIAA-sanctioned spring tournament.
The MIAA Tournament Management Committee voted unanimously Monday to approve the subcommittee recommendations for a spring sectional tournament. The recommendations now head to the Sports Medicine Committee, COVID-19 Task Force, and Board of Directors for approval.
While an MIAA-approved state tournament is not completely off the table, the Board of Directors will have to take the matter up on their own when they convene Friday since the TMC’s recommendations call for sectional tournaments only.
“The decision to allow our spring athletes to take part in a sectional tournament is a tremendous step in the right direction and one that all student-athletes and coaches are thankful for,” Austin Prep assistant head of school and baseball coach Jonathan Pollard said. “We are very appreciative to all the administrators who have worked tirelessly in support of spring sports having a postseason.”
Following the vote on Feb. 24 to have a sectional tournament only instead of a state tournament, chairman Jim O’Leary created a subcommittee to come up with recommendations for how a spring tournament might work as Massachusetts continues to battle the COVID19 pandemic.
For starters, a tournament would be open — which means teams have freedom and flexibility to determine whether or not they want to participate. Unlike past years there are no minimum games that teams would have to play or record they have to achieve to qualify. All they must do is notify the MIAA by June 2 if they would like to compete.
For those intending to participate, the TMC requires teams to finish their regular season slate by June 15. Seeding would be determined June 16, with the tournament starting a few days later. Higher seeds would host, with sectional finals taking place around June 30. Teams that lose early in the tournament or do not wish to compete due to transportation issues or safety concerns stemming from the pandemic would still be permitted to play until the end of June.
There is no stated minimum number of teams needed for a tournament to be held. Wahconah athletic director Jared Shannon pointed out how Western Mass. has run sectional tournaments in the past with as few as four teams.
“There is no perfect onesize-fits-all approach to a tournament this year,” Westboro athletic director and TMC member Johanna DiCarlo said. “This is the subcommittee’s attempt at a sectional tournament while also providing flexibility to those districts still in unique situations.”
Wellesley athletic director John Brown, Hull athletic director Scott Paine, and St. Mary’s athletic director Jeff Newhall raised the issue of a state tournament, noting in most cases only two more games are required to complete a full state tournament.
“I have done a complete 180 on this,” Paine said. “Why should we be the ones dictating who schools can and can’t play? Why would we take the opportunity away from schools to play those last two games if they want to?”
A vote to reconsider the possibility of having a state tournament, however, never came to pass as numerous TMC members said the addition of two more games to the schedule would mean cutting into an already shortened regular season. While unlikely, the MIAA Board of Directors could override the TMC and slate a state tournament.
Some Board of Director members, including those who have been against a spring tournament, have said that if the TMC were to propose a sectional tournament recommendation, they would consider adding the two extra games to complete a state tournament. The Board would then go back to the TMC to set parameters for a state tournament.
The spring season is set to begin April 26.