Harkness Blasts City Section’s Playoff Format

Calling the current two-division playoff system in football and basketball a “charade” and a “facade,” City Section Commissioner Hal Harkness vowed Thursday to work to scrap the divisions unless they more closely approximate a 50-50 split of the section’s 49 schools.

There are 16 teams in the 4-A Division and 33 in the 3-A Division in football and basketball. In most other sports, particularly baseball, the number of teams in each division is nearly equal. Divisions are based on strength of program rather than on enrollment.

“Either the divisions have to be of equal size, or we should do away with the divisions,” Harkness said. “That’s something I’m going to champion for the next two years for the next realignment cycle so we don’t continue this charade.”

For the second consecutive year, all 16 boys’ basketball teams competing in four 4-A leagues will advance to the playoffs that begin Feb. 16.

Last season, under a sweeping City releaguing plan, the top three teams in each league were scheduled to advance to the playoffs, with the four league champions earning byes. The football playoffs follow that plan.

But before those basketball playoffs began, Harkness reluctantly allowed the four last-place teams to compete in the playoffs to eliminate the byes. The same format will be followed this season.

“It’s an absolute joke with so few teams in a division,” he said. “It’s an insult because it’s not a legitimate championship. We’ll either run real divisions with quality and depth or just remove the facade.”

That stance might elicit objections from schools whose basketball and football programs have struggled, but Harkness has at least one ally in Dorsey football co-Coach Paul Knox, president of the Los Angeles Coaches Assn.

“I don’t think there are enough schools to warrant any divisions,” he said. “It’s not a good situation to have teams with losing records playing the No. 1 seed and call that a playoff game. Instead of people trying to play down into the 3-A, they should try to improve their program and become a legitimate champion.”