HAPUNA BEACH, Hawai'i — A proposal to expand the football state tournament fields to eight teams each was defeated at yesterday's Hawai'i Interscholastic Athletic Directors Association general assembly, barely 36 hours after it was approved by a committee vote.

The Division I and DII tournament fields will remain at six teams each, as they have been for the past three seasons.

The Division I tournament featured eight teams in its first five years, but it was reduced to six teams in January 2004 by the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association's executive board, which cited lopsided first-round scores as the main reason.

That same reason was brought up in yesterday's meeting of ADs from 68 schools from across the state at the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel.

"A lot of those (first-round) games were 'mercy rule' (running clock after a 35-point lead in the second half)," said Farrington athletic director Harold Tanaka, who is the O'ahu Interscholastic Association's football coordinator.

It also was noted yesterday that the Big Island Interscholastic Federation, which might have received a second Division I berth under the proposal, has yet to win a DI game since the tournament started in 1999.

The proposal, submitted by the Maui Interscholastic League, sought to eliminate the first-round byes that two teams currently receive under the six-team format.

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

The original proposal also featured the Interscholastic League of Honolulu receiving a second Division I state tournament berth with the expanded field, which many have been hoping for. But the proposal was amended to use the existing state formula to determine berths, and under the formula, the ILH still would receive only one berth in DI.

The proposal passed as amended by a 27-2 vote in committee, but was defeated 52-35 (including proxy votes) in yesterday's general assembly.

The final proposal up for vote turned out to be the one with the closest margin.

The proposal, submitted by the MIL, sought to reduce the amount of events a track and field athlete can compete in during the state championship meet from six to four, which would follow the guideline set forth by the National Federation of State High School Associations.

It passed a committee vote, 15-13, on Thursday night, but was defeated, 45-42, yesterday.

Kalaheo athletic director Lew Fuddy noted that, "We tell our athletes to be the best they can be, but if we limit them to four events, that might not be their best." Fuddy also noted that there have been Hawai'i athletes who have won gold medals in five events at one state meet.

Hana athletic director Rich Young said an athlete competing in more than four events increases the risk for injury, but Wai'anae athletic director Glenn Tokunaga noted that the National Federation rule helps protect athletes in Mainland states where trials and finals are held on the same day.

Hawai'i's championship meet holds trials and finals on separate days.

In another relatively close vote, a proposal to keep cheerleading as a winter sport was defeated, 47-35 (with two abstentions). The state championships were held in January this past season, about six weeks later than originally planned because of a lack of available hotel rooms and flights on Honolulu Marathon weekend.

A proposal submitted by the BIIF sought to keep that January date, also citing safety concerns regarding practice time that is limited during the fall "sideline" cheering season.

The proposal was defeated, 11-15-2, in a committee vote Thursday night, but a "minority report" was requested, bringing it back to the general assembly floor yesterday.

In other action taken yesterday, the final day of the four-day conference: