Leading off today: Half a loaf may be better than none, but the shelves are all but certain to be bare is in some places around New York for the upcoming basketball season.
That's the fallout from the decision on Day 2's key agenda item at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Central Committee meetings.
A Section 3 proposal to restore two basketball games to the current 18-game varsity schedule -- which tied New York with four other states for the shortest regular season in the country -- for NYSPHSAA schools was taken off the table Wednesday in Lake Placid. Instead, the committee will follow California's model and let individual sections decide for themselves whether they want to add a 19th game to the 2014-15 schedule.
Given the amount of opposition proponents of adding games have faced since the 20-game schedule was reduced to 18, it's likely several will reject the 19th game at sectional athletic council meetings later this summer and in the early fall.
"I have to go back to the section and see where they go with it," Bob Thabet, executive director of Section 9, told the Times Herald-Record. "My opinion is that I would be surprised if they support it. Back when the cuts were made, schools supported them because they were going through a lot of financial trouble. They are still recovering from that."
Wayne Bertrand, executive director of Section 2, told The Recorder the section will allow its schools to play a 19th game. "The membership has long maintained interest in restoring games," he said.
Longer NYC grid season: The PSAL has added a 10th regular-season game to its football schedule, opting to shorten the 17-day wait between its playoff semifinals and championship game to accommodate the move.
Also, the PSAL has cut the field for its championship division postseason from 16 to 12 teams, The Advance reported, meaning the top four seeds will draw first-round byes. The 2014 PSAL final is scheduled for Dec. 9 at Yankee Stadium.
The PSAL season begins with a rematch of the 2013 championship game as Tottenville will visit Lincoln on Sept. 5.
Speaking of scheduling, the CHSFL is allowing its teams to play two non-league games ahead of the league regular season rather than the usual one. The league schedule has been brought back to seven games after a one-time increase to eight in 2013.
CHSFL athletic directors were informed of the change in January, which made it difficult for schools to line up a second non-league game.
"Most of the time, the only thing you can find are the exceedingly strong teams with availability," Monsignor Farrell coach Jimmy Bradley told The Advance.
On the move: Maple Hill AD and girls basketball coach Mark Bubniak has accepted the position of athletic director at Averill Park. Bubniak, Maple Hill's AD since 2009 and a
