FHSAA will reduce classes, add power rankings

Board of directors votes 12-3 to decrease number of state championship classifications for 5 sports

GAINESVILLE — The more the merrier is no longer the mantra for the Florida High School Athletic Association.

After months of discussions and debate the association’s board of directors voted 12-3 on Monday to approve a shake-up that reduces the number of state championship classifications for five sports. The move marks the first time the association, which has governed Florida high school sports since 1920, has scaled back classifications in any bracket sport.

The sweeping revision for the 2019-20 and 2020-21 school years cuts classes from nine to seven for boys and girls basketball, baseball, girls volleyball and softball. Boys and girls soccer will have classes, up from five.

FHSAA staffers said throughout the process that expanding to nine classes for the 2016-17 school year proved to be a mistake that led to more playoff blowouts while reducing postseason revenue.

The new plan also injects computerized MaxPreps power rankings into the playoff picture and that was easily the hottest topic for debate on Monday. Board members wanted answers on how MaxPreps, a national database of high school six scores, schedules and stats, compiles its rankings and expressed fears that any margin of victory component could encourage teams to abandon sportsmanship and look to run up lopsided scores to enhance their power rating.

Gerry Valerio, a MaxPreps representative, fielded questions but said he was not permitted to disclose details of how the proprietary system works. He did say the California-based company has adjusted its formula for other states it partners with and could do the same for Florida.

“I would hope the board will trust the staff to work with MaxPreps. We’ll work with them to make this right,” FHSAA administrator Jamie Rohrer said prior to the vote.

The plan as approved is drastically different from the FHSAA’s original “competitive balance” proposal, which would have used MaxPreps ratings rather than enrollment counts to place teams into classifications in hopes of achieving better parity. Atop that