Anchorage Daily News

After 32 years of large schools dominating high school track and field, Alaska Schools Activities Association is giving the little guys a chance to bedazzle.

ASAA's board of directors voted to divide the state's track and field schools into two classifications for the 2008 season -- 1-2-3A for small schools, 4A for large schools.

And for the first time in track and field history, two state meets will be held simultaneously.

"Little schools don't have a chance anymore," said Mike Janecek, who coached the Palmer Moose for 16 years. "It's nice to have everyone together at the same time. But it's also closed the door on small schools ever winning state titles."

Every state title since 1975 -- the first year of track and field in Alaska -- has been awarded to a large school. The only small-school team that came close to winning a state title was the Nikiski girls, which finished runner-up to Soldotna in 1996.

The 1-2-3A classification is for schools with fewer than 400 students. Roughly two dozen 1-2-3A schools field track teams, said John Andrews, ASAA's director of special events, and only eight will qualify per event.

He said the change will give 1-2-3A athletes a realistic chance to win state titles.

The board's decision came down to participation numbers.

Track and field had 519 small-school athletes, ASAA said, but only 16 percent qualified for the state meet. On the other hand, large schools had 1,546 athletes and 23 percent went to state.

"This change will be beneficial for both classifications, enabling the best athletes to advance to state," said Andrews.

The 4A track and field state meet qualification rules will remain the same, he added. But the 1-2-3A qualifications will be different.

The winner of each regional meet will be an automatic qualifier, plus the next four best times/distances, Andrews said. And small school participants will only compete in the final heats against their own level instead of having preliminary heats.

For now, the meet will continue to be held over two days. All running finals -- except 3,200 meters -- will be on the second day for both classifications.

Lathrop High will be the first school to host both state track meets. It was awarded hosting rights through 2010.

Here's a rundown on other decisions from ASAA's board meeting:

• BOYS HOCKEY: Wasilla will host the state championship at the Menard Memorial Arena through 2010.

Last February's state tournament drew a record crowd in Wasilla. More than 1,600 fans attended the Dimond-South championship game.

"That's awesome," said Dimond head coach Dennis Sorenson. "They ran a real good show."

About 4,850 spectators -- four times the amount ASAA drew at the Big Dipper Arena in Fairbanks the previous year -- attended the three-day event. State playoffs were scheduled to be at the Dipper this year, but construction forced the switch to Wasilla.

• TENNIS: ASAA voted to authorize the first state tennis championships in the fall at The Alaska Clubs North and East.

Tennis only had invitational state tournaments in Anchorage until now. But tennis needed one more region competing in the sport to meet ASAA's four-region standard for a state tournament.

Kodiak (Region III) helped ASAA meet that requirement, adding tennis last year.

• SOCCER: Eagle River will host its first state championship starting next year with boys and girls soccer at Anchorage Football Stadium from 2008-09.

Juneau-Douglas will host the state tournament at Adair-Kennedy Park in 2010.

• WRESTLING: Mt. Edgecumbe will host the 1-2-3A state wrestling meet in December.

Daily News reporter Kevin Klott can be reached at kklott@adn.com or 257-4335.