HAPUNA BEACH, Hawai'i — The Interscholastic League of Honolulu yesterday withdrew its proposal to guarantee two berths each for Hawai'i's four biggest leagues in most 12-team state tournaments, mainly because other developments should result in the ILH receiving two Division I berths anyway and the sentiment from other leagues seemed to be in favor of keeping the existing formula.

Another proposal to create a Division II baseball state tournament was unanimously approved Thursday night by a Hawai'i Interscholastic Athletic Directors' Association conference committee at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, and it is expected to sail through voting by the HIADA general assembly this morning and the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association's executive board on Tuesday.

That means the ILH likely will receive a second Division I state berth in baseball, since its league will have seven DI teams and its representation according to the state tournament formula goes up with many teams from other leagues now sliding down to DII.

State tournament berths are determined by a formula that calculates the number of teams in each league and correlates that to the number of teams participating statewide. The ILH received only one baseball state berth last season, despite having won the past six state championships.

The ILH also likely will be assured of two Division I state berths in softball and girls basketball, since its own classification committee came up with a new enrollment-based criteria last month resulting in Sacred Hearts, St. Francis and Maryknoll becoming DI schools.

Under the new ILH criteria, each school can use a Division II waiver for one girls and one boys sport over one school year. For example, 'Iolani now is classified Division I by enrollment, but plans to use its boys waiver for football, so it will remain DII in that sport, as will Pac-Five and Damien.

Sacred Hearts will use its waiver for volleyball, and St. Francis will stay at Division II in basketball.

In other HIADA action, a proposal to create eight-team football state tournaments was approved by committee Thursday night, but faces hurdles in earning enough votes from today's general assembly.

The Division I football state tournament had an eight-team field from 1999 through 2003.

But the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association's executive board voted in January 2004 to reduce the field to six teams, citing lopsided first-round scores, among other factors.

Reducing the field to six, however, meant two teams earned first-round byes. The Maui Interscholastic League, which submitted this latest proposal, cited the byes as a competitive advantage and seeks the eight-team field as a way to eliminate that advantage.

"Competitive balance is restored," the proposal reads. "All teams are on the same playing terms with no bye."

However, several members of the 2004 HHSAA executive board are still active and expected to be at this morning's general assembly. Any action taken in committee must be approved by the general assembly before advancing to the HHSAA executive board for final approval.

Reach Wes Nakama at wnakama@honoluluadvertiser.com.