Extra team to make playoffs in Class 4-A
By KRIS BAGLEY sports@leader-news.com

BOB GILLIS

Class 4-A will likely have deeper playoff brackets beginning in the 2008- 09 school year.

University Interscholastic League officials, the governing body of all Texas high school athletics, announced the addition of a fourth team to the postseason in all team sports in a press release Thursday.

Voted on by Class 4-A superintendents, the ballot results came in a 186- 38 margin for an added playoff team. Pending an approval by the Commissioner of Education, the change will take place Aug. 1.

El Campo's athletic director and head football coach, Bob Gillis, said he was in support of the decision.

One of the main reasons for Gillis' support is the elimination of a bye week. In past years under the threeteam system, the district champion received a bye for the first round of the playoffs in some sports. In a few instances, that week off was viewed as a disadvantage.

"I've always felt like it always needed to be an even number and not only in football," Gillis said. "It really had no effect, the three teams, in football. It was the other sports (like) basketball, baseball and the other team sports. It was a real disadvantage at times to win the district championship because sometimes, you were off for 11 days and couldn't find a game. This alleviates that because they're going to play immediately."

Adding four teams in football places an extra team in the Division I bracket. Instead of the largest school in the top three teams moving into the division, it will now be the largest two schools while the two smaller schools will play in Division II.

"At least now, in football, two district champions won't be matched up against each other in the first round, which has happened several times," Gillis said. "Chances are, if you're in division one, (seed) one plays (seed) two. So if you're second place, you've at least lost one game and you're not the champion. It at least evens that field out."

One argument against moving to the four-team system is that it waters down the playoff competition. Gillis recognized that concern, but said the value of a playoff win and a state championship are by no means any less with the extra team.

"Converse Judson was the fourth place team in District 26 5-A," Gillis said. "All four teams in that district made it to the regional finals, so two of those teams came out to the semifinals. Converse won and went to state. They were the fourth-place team and they played for the state championship.

"They got beat by Euless Trinity. If they had won the state championship, I assure you, (the banner) wouldn't say 'State Champion, Fourth-Place Team.' It would have said, 'State Champion.' No, it won't diminish a state championship."