Scooter Chapman

$80,000 in the red vs. $37,000 in the black. Which is better?

 

Of course, being in the black is better and that’s why the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association kept the same format for girls and boys basketball state tournaments for next year when the spring assembly met in Renton.

 

They listened to the input of more than 1,000 fans and from basketball coaches right after the 2011 tournaments as there was much flak over travel, regionals, teams making it to the state title with a loss along the way — then decided just to tweak the current format.

 

There will be a 16-team tournament for all classifications, just not the four-day events, but there will be eight first-round games (regionals, if you prefer). Unlike last winter, first-round will be elimination and eight teams will move on to three-day events.

 

That will solve the problem of a team losing a first game, then being able to win the second day and advance to state. That’s what Clover Park did in the 2A boys event last time.

 

The boys and girls regionals (Feb. 24-25) will be on separate nights and that will enable fans to watch both boys and girls games if their school should qualify two teams.

 

It is not a perfect solution, but at least the WIAA did something. A lot of coaches and administrators still are favoring a different format as the first- and second-round regional games last year were at high schools and did not “feel” like a state tournament. Sequim and Port Angeles would agree.

No lacrosse
Even though lacrosse is fast becoming a popular spring sport for both boys and girls, WIAA voted against an amendment which would have sanctioned the sport for high schools. The vote was 35-0 against for boys, 33-2 against for girls. That sport will continue on a club basis.

■ Blowout — A new mercy rule will be in effect for football. A running clock will be started when a team is 40 points ahead instead of 45.

 

■ Volleyball — State volleyball tournaments for 2A, 3A and 4A return to the west side of the state. The 2A will be at Evergreen State College near Lacey, while the 3A and 4A will be at St. Martin’s College.

 

■ Go Bulldogs — North Mason has been to the 2A football playoffs the past three years and the Bulldogs will play in the Kickoff Classic at Qwest Field on Sept. 3 against WF West. It will be Blaine and Hazen at 9:30 a.m., Oroville and Darrington at noon, NM and West at 3 p.m., Coeur d’Alene (Idaho) against Moses Lake at 5:30 p.m. and Seattle Prep against Mercer Island at 8 p.m.

 

■ Prep playoffs —

Sequim and Port Angeles baseball and softball teams face tough roads to the state finals.

 

The baseball situation: Top three Olympic League teams into subdistrict playoff to decide top eight seeds to West Central District playoffs. At this time, Sequim might wind up playing a South Puget Sound League No. 3 team on May 6, then a game May 7 for seeds 5-8 to district. If PA finishes fourth or fifth, they face a loser-out game May 6, but with a chance for seeds 9-12 to district.

 

The fastpitch situation is the same, with Sequim and PA going as one or two from the league with a chance for top four seeds to district, but WCD might be tough for the Wolves and Riders as they have not faced very tough pitching in the Olympic League.

 

Columns by KONP 1450 AM sports announcer Scooter Chapman appear weekly in the Sequim Gazette. He can be reached via e-mail at scooter@olypen.com.