Sports News

Sports fans in Hillsboro aren’t giving the three-class system proposed by the state athletic directors association much of a chance of making it to the gym on time, let alone getting to the three state tournaments the NDIAAA wants to see staged and played.
Scheduled to begin during the 2009-2010 school year, the three classes planned for basketball and volleyball are designed to give all schools the opportunity to play in a state tournament.
Which they have now, say detractors to the NDIAAA plan that will be addressed again at an April meeting of the state association. The plan, if still on the table as the year progresses, will be put to a vote of all schools in October.
The three-class system has been proposed four times since 1963. Each time it has been soundly rejected. The last vote came in 2004, when the three-class plan was defeated 120-49.
Hillsboro superintendent Mike Bitz is with the crowd not making bets the three-class plan will succeed.
“I’d be surprised if it even comes to a vote.”
Bitz questions if the state’s TV networks will give blanket coverage to three state tournaments, one of the motivating factors in embracing three classes, especially in basketball. However, opponents of the three-class system are afraid the popular state Class B basketball tournament will suffer in attendance and statewide popularity.
Ed Beyer, coach of Hillsboro’s four state championships in boys basketball, also doesn’t think the plan will be on the court long.
“It’s been shot down pretty bad every other time.”
However, Beyer said, this plan has a better chance than the four previous proposals.
Kevin Coles, Hillsboro’s high school principal, asks, “Where’s the disparity? I don’t think there’s any greater disparity in enrollment numbers now than there was 20 years ago when Epping played Hillsboro.”
In fact, he said, we have fewer schools now.
And they still want a three-class system? Coles questioned.
“If it’s not broke, why fix it?”
Coles appreciates the “time and thought” the athletic directors association board members have invested in the latest proposal.
“They’ve deliberated weeks, months over this. Still, it’s going to be a hard sell.”
But we should at least look at it, he added.
Rich Gehrke, Burro sports booster, questions where the contention is coming from.
“Who’s saying they can’t compete?” Schools in the Red River Valley aren’t saying that, he knows.
The state’s two-class system, Gehrke argues, “gives the Eppings of the world a chance at greatness.”
No matter what system is proposed, not every team will be able to play at state, Gehrke continued.
“The system we have now seems to be working. I just don’t see the need to change it.”
Businessman Tom Olsen doesn’t think the three classes will hurt the turnout of fans at state, but he also doesn’t think the proposal will pass a vote of the schools.
Druggist Randy Habek is convinced the state Class B tournament “will be ruined” if the three-class system is incorporated by the state.
“We will have lost the mystique of the small school playing the large school.”
The honor of being a state champion will be diminished by more schools playing in more state tournaments.
Elliot Rotvold, Hillsboro’s boys basketball coach, is not in favor of the three-class plan.
“We have fewer teams (100 less than 20 years ago) so why water down the best event in the state.”
“It might be the best proposal yet,” said Randy Habek, “but I’d hate to see it implemented.’