Football playoff proposal gets tabled until Sept. 22

The Tournament Management Committee voted, 10--4, to table the discussion on the Football Committee's proposal of a new playoff system yesterday in Franklin.

Bob Norton, principal of Woburn High and a member of the Football Committee, was supposed to give a presentation in favor the proposal, but he could not attend.

"Everyone needs to be here," said Jim Davis, athletic director at Belmont High. "This is a significant issue."

Some TMC members believed a vote should have taken place.

"I think we should have made a decision today," said TMC chairwoman Kathleen McSweeney, the principal at Gateway Regional. "It is a realignment year and we did our homework on the matter. By making a decision, we would not be in limbo."

The goal of the proposed new system is to include more teams in the playoffs and give more student-athletes the opportunity to play in a Super Bowl.

Only 28 of 191 teams qualified for the postseason last year.

Under the proposal, each of the seven divisions would send eight teams to the playoffs.

The biggest obstacle of the proposed system is it would add another week of football to the schedule.

"I don't believe we should extend the season," said Jim Antonelli, principal of Westford Academy and associate chair of the TMC. "The kids would have to play multiple full-contact games in a short period of time. Also, football has the longest season of the fall sports at 111 days. The other sports are only in the 80s. This is a health and safety issue and I am philosophically against it."

Members of the Football Committee will have to wait until Sept. 22 to hear TMC's verdict.

The TMC also tabled the ruling on a new playoff system for Central Massachusetts.

Field hockey
Cape Ann: Kelly Burke scored three goals and Georgetown rolled to a 5-0 win over Ipswich. Tracey Sinkowizc added the other two goals.

Patriot: Emily Waterfield scored twice and Brenda McAlear and Kelsea Daggett combined to make eight saves in leading Pembroke to a 4-0 win over Hull.

South Coast: Andrea Crowley scored twice in a two-minute span and Bourne rallied past Case, 2-1, for its first conference win in five years. Braylan Wenzel added nine saves.

Girls' volleyball
Nonleague: Amy Lepley had eight kills and three blocks and outside hitter Jackie Atkinson contributed four kills and seven aces as Bishop Feehan swept Durfee.

Boys' soccer
Bay State: Freshman Michael McFarland scored the lone goal and Scott Murphy stopped seven shots as Dedham edged Weymouth, 1-0, the Marauders' first win over Weymouth in their 12 years in the conference.

Boston City: Celso Depina netted a goal and two assists in the first half and Boston International went on to down Charlestown, 5-2.

EIL: Brothers Jorge and Javier Carabias teamed up for three goals in Portsmouth-Abbey's 3-1 win over Lexington Christian. Chris Webber made 15 saves.

Boys' cross-country
MVC: Stephen Warhome finished in 18 minutes 31 seconds, boosting Lowell to an easy win over Lawrence, 19-43.

Amelia Rayno contributed to this report.