The University at Albany will serve as a host site for the first time for boys’ state semifinal lacrosse games from 2017-19 following approval by the New York State Public High School Athletic Assoc iation’s Executive Committee Friday.
UAlbany and Adelphi University will host East Region semifinal games, while the executive committee also approved St. John Fisher College and Cicero-North Syracuse High School as sites for the West Region semifinals.
St. John Fisher will host the state title games beginning in 2017, as well, after their three-year run concludes next month at Vestal High School.
“Getting to the final four in any sport is a hard thing to do,” Niskayuna boys’ lacrosse coach Mike Vorgang said. “If you’re fortunate enough to get there and it’s a home game, it should be very exciting.”
All of the approved locations were voted on by the 22-member executive committee after bids were presented.
“Our championships have value to communities,” NYSPHSAA Executive Director Robert Zayas said. “With our new bid process, we’re seeing more bids, and more competitive bids.”
Zayas said which classes will play at which semifinal sites will be determined at a later date.
Vorgang’s varsity teams have gone 3-5 in East semifinal games at locations such as Hofstra University, Marist College and Middletown High School. His 2015 team beat Syosset in the state semis at Middletown and then became Section II’s first state champ with a win against West Genesee.
Shenendehowa is 0-5 in state semifinals, making its last appearance in 2013.
“The fact that they’re spreading it around is fantastic,” Vorgang said.
The three East and three West state semifinal games have in the past been played at two locations back-to-back-to-back. Each semifinal grouping will have two different sites beginning in 2017 because the tournament is expanding to four classes that spring, thus creating doubleheaders.
“I knew they would have to do something,” Vorgang said. “You couldn’t put another game in on that day.”
The executive committee approved another three-year run by SUNY Cortland to host the NYSPHSAA girls’ lacrosse semifinals and championships, and approved the girls’ lacrosse classifications for four classes: Class A (1,075 and up, 78 schools); Class B (790-1,074, 77 schools); Class C (475-789, 78 schools); Class D (474 and below, 78 schools).
The boys’ classification lacrosse numbers were discussed and will be voted on when the committee gets together again July 26-28.
Another item approved was the endorsement of USA Football’s Head Up Tackling program.
“It’s a program that teaches proper tackling technique,”
Zayas said. “We need to continue to be proactive in an effort to minimize sports injuries.”
Ice hockey classification cut-off numbers, beginning with the 2016-17 season, will change by 100 following the executive committee’s approval. Division 1 teams will now be schools 1,000 and above, while Division 2 will be comprised of teams with an enrollment of 999 and below. The change will create a balance of 59 Division 1 programs and 60 Division 2 programs.
Also approved was language involved in the single soccer official rule. As a result of liability concerns, the New York State Soccer Officials Association requested the addition of the following language for the use of a single official: “It is permissible to conduct a soccer game with a single official, provided both teams agree to a single referee before the game begins.” The language is similar to language used in the NCAA Rule Book to accommodate for a single soccer official.
Categories: High School Sports
