A little tougher Playoff complications
August 30, 2010 10:46 PM
Last year, the Cibola girls golf team qualified for the Class 5A-II state tournament. A return visit to state will be much more complicated.
The Arizona Interscholastic Association realigned individual sports for the 2010-11 school year, with the biggest change coming in golf. Qualification is now based on a formula that is achieved in matches throughout the year. There are no more automatic berths into the playoffs.
Raiders girls coach Scott Kramper said he had mixed feelings about the new system.
“I like the fact the games played throughout the season mean more,” Kramper said. “At the same rate, I can't really comment on too much until I see how it plays out and if it benefits schools far out of Phoenix. I would argue that with most sports, sometimes it seems as if there are qualifications that don't factor schools as far out as Yuma, and not just Yuma. But that's what it is and we have to meet the challenge. We have no excuses for not making state. That's the job we have to do and if we can take care of ourselves, we should do pretty well.”
All four area schools will compete in Division I, the largest of the new classifications, in both boys and girls golf. To qualify, a golfer must hit the qualifying score five times. Also, the score must be hit on at least two separate courses, and a golfer can only hit the score on his or her home course a maximum of three times. Only two qualifications from duals count.
As for what the qualifying score is, it depends on what the course being played is rated. For Division I girls, individual qualifying is the course rating plus 12. Girls team qualification is the course rating times four, plus 52. For Division I boys, individual qualifying is the course rating plus four. Team qualifying is the course rating times four, plus 10.
“I think depending on the caliber or skill level of a team, it could be unfair for many schools because it's all based on the rating of the golf course,” said Kofa boys coach Roger Ramirez. “Desert Hills is a 38, but it's not the easiest in the world. There are little quirks that come up and bite you. For really well-skilled players it's not that big of an issue. If you take the average player, it makes it fairly tough. It's unfair to up and coming talent and might dampen their spirits for the future.”
Ramirez's boys team didn't qualify for state last year, but the girls team did. The Kings were one of two teams to qualify for state last year, the other being the Raiders.
Four players return from the Cibola club, led by sophomores Yesong Han and Kayla Fisher, who had the two lowest Cibola scores at the state tournament last year as the team finished 13 in a field of 14.
When Cibola and Kofa meet in the region tournament, Kramper said he's a little disappointed there's not any qualification aspect to it.
“I don't like taking regions out of it,” Kramper said. “It think it's important.”
Yuma High girls coach Liz Huyck said she likes the new system.
“I'm glad you need to qualify because in the past some teams have made it that maybe shouldn't have been there,” Huyck said. “It will only be the few that deserve, that earn, the right to get there. I think it will be fair.”
The Arizona Interscholastic Association realigned individual sports for the 2010-11 school year, with the biggest change coming in golf. Qualification is now based on a formula that is achieved in matches throughout the year. There are no more automatic berths into the playoffs.
Raiders girls coach Scott Kramper said he had mixed feelings about the new system.
“I like the fact the games played throughout the season mean more,” Kramper said. “At the same rate, I can't really comment on too much until I see how it plays out and if it benefits schools far out of Phoenix. I would argue that with most sports, sometimes it seems as if there are qualifications that don't factor schools as far out as Yuma, and not just Yuma. But that's what it is and we have to meet the challenge. We have no excuses for not making state. That's the job we have to do and if we can take care of ourselves, we should do pretty well.”
All four area schools will compete in Division I, the largest of the new classifications, in both boys and girls golf. To qualify, a golfer must hit the qualifying score five times. Also, the score must be hit on at least two separate courses, and a golfer can only hit the score on his or her home course a maximum of three times. Only two qualifications from duals count.
As for what the qualifying score is, it depends on what the course being played is rated. For Division I girls, individual qualifying is the course rating plus 12. Girls team qualification is the course rating times four, plus 52. For Division I boys, individual qualifying is the course rating plus four. Team qualifying is the course rating times four, plus 10.
“I think depending on the caliber or skill level of a team, it could be unfair for many schools because it's all based on the rating of the golf course,” said Kofa boys coach Roger Ramirez. “Desert Hills is a 38, but it's not the easiest in the world. There are little quirks that come up and bite you. For really well-skilled players it's not that big of an issue. If you take the average player, it makes it fairly tough. It's unfair to up and coming talent and might dampen their spirits for the future.”
Ramirez's boys team didn't qualify for state last year, but the girls team did. The Kings were one of two teams to qualify for state last year, the other being the Raiders.
Four players return from the Cibola club, led by sophomores Yesong Han and Kayla Fisher, who had the two lowest Cibola scores at the state tournament last year as the team finished 13 in a field of 14.
When Cibola and Kofa meet in the region tournament, Kramper said he's a little disappointed there's not any qualification aspect to it.
“I don't like taking regions out of it,” Kramper said. “It think it's important.”
Yuma High girls coach Liz Huyck said she likes the new system.
“I'm glad you need to qualify because in the past some teams have made it that maybe shouldn't have been there,” Huyck said. “It will only be the few that deserve, that earn, the right to get there. I think it will be fair.”
