AIA to expand the Open state playoffs for soccer, small-school basketball

The Arizona Interscholastic Association isn't just keeping the Open Division playoff for football next year, it's being expanded in other areas.

Starting in the 2024-25 school year, there will be an Open Division playoff for boys and girls soccer in the winter season. And there will be Small School Open Division boys and girls basketball tournaments.

Last year, the AIA began a boys and girls big-schools, 32-team Open playoff in basketball among the best in 6A, 5A and 4A with Perry winning boys and Desert Vista the girls state titles.

AIA Executive Director David Hines discussed the expansion for the next school year with The Arizona Republic during media day for the big-school state football championships in the final week of November at the AIA headquarters.

Hines said the small-schools boys and girls basketball Open Division tournaments in the 2024-25 school year will begin with 16 teams. There will be an Open final four with the other 12 going back to their conference tournaments, he said.

"Once they saw what the coaches did last year for the big schools, they went, 'Wait a minute, that's a pretty good idea,'" Hines said.

The soccer Open is expected to be 32 teams like the big-schools boys basketball Open.

"Soccer is the one sport where you might think you know who is going to win, but there are a lot of 1-0, penalty-kick games," Hines said. "That will be kind of fun."

Gilbert boys soccer coach Ben Holzer said the Open is good for a few non-6A teams at the top, but he doesn't think it's going to change who the last four soccer teams standing are.

"It may help get a few more teams that don’t deserve to be in get a spot in before they get beat," he said. "But at the end of the day, the cream rises to the top."

Glendale Cactus coach Tim Schicky, whose team plays in 4A, said he likes the new format.

"I do think there is a decent amount of parity from the upper echelon of top teams," he said. "But it also gives the opportunity for a Cinderella team to make a run.

"If dropped to the conference tournament, then it could give the team a boost of confidence if they are successful in that tournament."

Tucson Salpointe Catholic's boys soccer team is among those in 4A that could challenge for an Open title. The Lancers have won four of the past five 4A titles.

Could 3A Valley Christian boys win the Open title this year?

The 32-team big-school Open boys and girls basketball playoff allows teams that lose in the first two rounds to drop back into their respective conference tournaments in 6A, 5A and 4A.

Last year, Gilbert Highland beat Phoenix Brophy Prep in double overtime for the 6A title after both teams exited the early round of the Open. Gilbert Campo Verde, knocked out of the Open, ended up winning its first 5A boys basketball title and Peoria won the 4A crown after getting knocked out of the Open.

An argument could be made this season that Chandler Valley Christian, led by guard Luke Shaw, should be granted an exception to play in the big-schools Open, even though it is in 3A. That's how good this team is. They are the only 3A team among The Republic's Super 10, which ranks the top teams in Arizona, regardless of conference.

"Plenty to play for without the Open," Valley Christian boys basketball coach Greg Haagsma said in an email. "Winning a 3A title is pretty special."

Scottsdale Christian is going back to 2A starting next school year after moving up to 3A last year for basketball.

"SCA has always felt that it can compete at the higher levels (3A-plus) than our enrollment (roughly 220 students)," Scottsdale Christian boys basketball coach John Anderson said in an email. "This is one of the main reasons why we decided to petition up to the 3A conference a year ago.

"However, with the addition of the small school Open Division set to begin next year, this allows us to stay at our actual enrollment (2A), while having the chance to compete with the 3A schools at the end of the season, if we are capable of qualifying for the Open."

Gilbert San Tan Charter's boys basketball has a powerful team in 2A. Coach Kyli Crooms said he loves the idea for a small-schools Open but he wishes it was "the real thing" by mixing them in with 4A through 6A.

"By no means am I saying the small schools would win it all or even make the final four, but I believe schools like Valley Christian and ourselves could contend with all of the big schools," Crooms said in an email. "With that being said, we will take advantage of any opportunity we get to play for an Open Division title rather it’s 1-3A or 1-6A."

Arizona Lutheran basketball coach Doug Meyer said that he believes there is a big gap between good 1A teams and good 3A teams, so "that means it is almost a lock that a 3A school will win the Open."

"That's OK as long as the structure allows good 1A and 2A teams to still win a title at their level," he said. "I always think about a school that has a once-in-a-generation team that could bring a state title to their town or community. It would be a shame to have that school lose out on a state title chance."

'Open playoffs treat the symptoms'

Tempe Marcos de Niza soccer coach Bobby Davis said he's not a fan of the Open for any sport, including football. He was outspoken concerning the subject in his remarks to The Republic in an email.

"Open playoffs treat the symptoms, not the disease," he wrote. "If there are schools who are routinely so much better than everyone else, regardless of their enrollment, the solution is to get to the bottom of how a school in southern Scottsdale with an enrollment of 1,500 routinely outperforms schools twice its size.

"The answer is not superior coaching. The answer is that kids are going to school well outside of their natural boundaries. The worst part is that it's not even like these coaches are working the recruiting trail and doing well in the living room. That all went down years and years ago, and it allowed them the unfair advantage they still possess now."

Arizona's Open Enrollment law allows students to attend public schools outside their local boundaries, which has led to an annual flurry of high school athlete transfers in the state. AIA rules, however, place restrictions on how soon a transfer student can participate in a sport.

Davis' criticism didn't stop there.

"Additionally, the Open tournament leaves kids who win 4A and 5A championships in legitimate fashion feeling like they are not the real champions. A real solution to this would be to allow teams to petition up to higher conferences. If a 4A school wants to play 6A soccer, let them. The current solution does nothing but cheapen state championships for the kids and keeps the rich getting richer."

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at richard.obert@arizonarepublic.com or 602-316-8827. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azc_obert

This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AIA expanding Open playoffs for soccer, small-schools basketball in 2024-25