The Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association adopted a number of changes at last week’s Board of Control meeting.
Several key agenda items were approved, included seeding the top four teams at the boys hockey state tournament.
Boys hockey
Beginning in 2017-18, a two-year experiment will be implemented in which the top four teams at the boys hockey state tournament are seeded. Coaches will seed the top four teams with the remaining four teams being matched-up against the seeded teams by a random draw.
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Boys hockey will join boys volleyball as the only WIAA sports to reseed once teams have qualified for the state tournament.
Baseball
A recommendation from the association’s medical advisory committee regarding guidelines for baseball pitchers was passed.
It will regulate length of rest between outings, as well as institute a pitch-count limit of 100 - with an allowance that a pitcher can finish a batter if 100 is reached in the middle of an at-bat.
Pitchers reaching the maximum 100-pitch count in a game will require a three-day rest.
“I’m totally in favor of moving to a pitch count to set limits for high school pitchers,” SHS coach Don Dembroski said. “Counting innings was better than no limits at all, but the fact is, there is a big difference between a 12-pitch inning and 35-pitch inning, and the old rules didn’t account for that.
“I think the guidelines are especially important for us. We live in a climate where throwing conditions aren’t great in the beginning of our season, and the WIAA allowance of 26 games creates opportunities for kids to get overused.”
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Basketball
Five basketball recommendations received Board approval.
After a one-year experiment, 18-minute halves for basketball are becoming permanent, starting in 2016-17. That puts Wisconsin in line with Minnesota.
The Board also supported a recommendation for a one-year experiment that allows schools to use players in three halves per night in 2016-17. In addition, pre-game warm-up time for varsity games will be reduced from 20 minutes to 15 beginning next year.
The Board approved an amended recommendation that requires representatives of the entire grouping to meet as a group at basketball seed meetings.
Other basketball action provides Sectional 1 in Division 1 the opportunity to vote to determine its bracket design beginning in 2016-17. A majority vote would be required to split the group into two regional groupings.
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Wrestling
Two wrestling recommendations were also acted upon.
The first, which was also approved by the medical advisory committee reduces the required number of practices before the first match from 10 to eight if and when a later start date is implemented.
Second, assistant referees will now be used at the sectional level in Division 1 for second-place wrestleback matches and for Divisions 2 and 3 third-place matches.
In addition, the recommendation to move in compliance with the NFHS weight allowance received support by the Board.
The current one-half pound per day weight loss allowance will be replaced by the NFHS 1.5 percent weight-loss-per-week guidelines. The implementation of the change will occur in 2017-18.
