Administrators uphold football playoff designations

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Eagle Rock and the 32 other football teams looking to qualify for the 2007 City Section Invitational playoffs can rest easy as none of them will be involuntarily shifted to the stronger City division — at least not this year.

The section’s Interscholastic Athletic Committee, made up of administrators and athletic directors, decided during its Monday meeting to stay with the requests made by the schools in June, when 22 teams said they wanted to be considered for the 16 City playoff spots and 33 for the 16 Invitational spots.

Eagle Rock, which has won the last two Invitational championships, was thought to be under consideration to be moved into the City division.

Not everyone is happy with the current format.

South East Principal Jesus Angulo said during the meeting, ‘no team should be able to win back-to-back Invitational championships’ and not move up.

Fairfax Athletic Director Judi Edwards added that coaches just looking to win a championship anywhere, ‘find it easier to move down than to try and beat a Birmingham or Venice.’

But Eagle Rock Coach Jerry Chou said in an earlier interview: ‘We have about 900 boys [out of an estimated student population of 1,800]. It’s not like we just reload every year.’

City Section spokesman John Aguirre said the committee also needed to consider that having too few teams compete in the City playoffs could diminish the qualifications of the eventual City champion. ‘Birmingham, if it wins out, has a chance to play in the State bowl game,’ he said. ‘But it won’t help Birmingham if there are only 12 teams [in the City division].’

The IAC said the matter will be sent to a committee for further study and recommendation.

- Mike Terry