HANSON, MA. – NOVEMBER 6: Hingham celebrates after scoring during a high school girls soccer game against Whitman-Hanson on November 6, 2020 in Hanson, Massachusetts. (Staff photo by Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald)
The concept of margin of victory factored into the new ranking system adopted by the MIAA for the statewide tournament format beginning in the fall is sure to be a hot topic, and although the football committee of the MIAA made no formal recommendations at Tuesday morning’s meeting, some members intervened, expressing opposition.
The tournament management committee voted last month to implement a scoring system created by former Boston Herald high school sports editor Jim Clark for seeding purposes that contains a margin of victory. When concerns were raised about the idea, the TMC agreed to let individual sports committees recommend what that margin of victory would be.
Canton athletic director and men’s soccer coach Danny Erickson raised objections, as did Chicopee AD Sean Mackin.
“Our Canton administration is preparing a letter to the board that we will send this week, imploring them not to use margin of victory in any ranking formula in high school sports,” Erickson said. “My recommendation as vice president would be that we say there should be no margin of victory in high school athletics, period. That would be my personal opinion. But we obviously have to meet in committee and vote on this.
If the committee was asked for a certain number of goals for margin of victory in calculating grades, Erickson suggested the committee could recommend a goal, which would basically eliminate any margin of victory factor.
New changes for Fall II, which include allowing sliding tackles if playing the ball and shoulder-to-shoulder contact on 50-50 balls, were discussed. A motion was passed to propose an amendment to move the ball to the perimeter of the box to the spot closest to where the foul occurred for an indirect kick on header infractions. inside the area.
The committee also clarified mask rules for Fall II. Previously, players were allowed to lower their masks when safely in an open space; masks will be required at all times during Fall II.
Some have wondered why throw-ins remained in the changes instead of throw-ins when basketball is allowed to hit the ball this winter. Erickson said the amendments subcommittee decided the difference between the sports is that touching the ball is an essential part of the game in basketball and not football. Kicking language has been changed for Fall II to allow kicks below the waist rather than just on the ground.
The Fall I card report was also reviewed by the committee, deciding to contact Barnstable regarding the boys team receiving 11 cards this season. Erickson said an effort should be made to remind schools that the cards carry over to the following year.
