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MIAA FOOTBALL

Division 1 and 4A Super Bowls will not be played at Gillette

Six high school Super Bowls will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3, at Gillette Stadium.Barry Chin/Globe staff

FRANKLIN — The question of the day — which two divisions would not be playing their Super Bowl games at Gillette Stadium on Dec. 3 — was handled expeditiously, passionately, and emphatically.

Richard Pearson, associate executive director of the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association, made a motion Thursday morning that in fairness to all schools, the Division 1 and Division 4A bowls this year be moved away from Foxborough to alternate sites.

The MIAA Football Committee approved the proposal, 19-0.

Under the state’s new playoff realignment, champions will be crowned in eight divisions. The MIAA has a contract with the Patriots to host six games, all in one day, at Gillette Stadium.

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“I truly am proud of the committee,” Pearson said. “The perspective that was offered up is that we represent all schools.

“Equity is involved, because everyone would like the opportunity (to play at Gillette). So, if the committee wishes to explore and understand the equity perspective of these schools, that’s what I was offering.”

Pearson’s proposal wasn’t the only one passed unanimously Thursday.

A subcommittee chaired by St. John’s Prep athletic director Jim O’Leary unveiled a new system of determining divisional alignment that is based on more than just enrollment. With little pushback from the committee, the plan will go into effect for the 2017 season.

In addition to enrollment, there are now five variables that will determine a school’s placement in one of the eight divisions: vocational schools (down 3 divisions), coop (+1), private (+1), urban (-2), and roster size (81 or more players, for instance, equals a jump of two divisions). Schools will have until early December to appeal their placements.

While the variables and cooresponding values are subjective, the subcommittee believes the new system is far superior to what is currently in place.

“We have people who’ve been on this committee for a long time,” said O’Leary. “We looked back and saw the kinds of things that people appealed. Now, there’s less to appeal. We did really hard work to make sure our numbers were right.”

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Pearson noted that for the past three or four years, “we’ve had so many changes and nuances with our football format that there is probably relief we came to an agreement . . . I’m proud at the end of the day that they got it.”

The new alignment, he added, will be posted on the MIAA website in the next few days.

“There is a formula,” added Peter Shaughnessy, principal of Bishop Stang High School. “It’s not perfect but I think it does meet the eye test in terms of where schools actually belong.”

The new alignment will be set through 2020.

Conversely, the Super Bowl plan will be revisited after the season.

“I would recommend not developing a rotation beyond this year,” Pearson urged the committee. “Let’s use the background of this year’s discussion for next year.”

The Division 1 and Division 4A games will not be limited by the time constraints in play at Gillette Stadium, so 11-minute quarters, not 10, and a full allotment of timeouts will be used.

The committee has not finalized sites, but there are number of viable ones, with the mention of previous games being hosted at college venues such as Bentley, Curry, and Stonehill.

“I trust and support the decisions the committee has made,” said Charlie Stevenson, head coach of two-time defending Division 1 champion Xaverian, and a former committee member.

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“I’ve always said, ‘just get me to the game.’ I don’t care where we play.”

For students however, playing at Gillette can be a boon.

“It’s definitely more for the kids,” said Central Catholic coach Chuck Adamopoulos, whose squads lost to Xaverian in last year’s Division 1 game.

“For the student body, it’s an event. For me, after 35 years of coaching, (where we play) doesn’t bother me.”

Pearson anticipates critical feedback in response to moving the Division 1 game from the Gillette lineup, but he remains secure in the committee’s reasoning and decision.

“I would venture that people’s assumptions and perceptions would cause questions and pushback,” he said. “I think those are assumptions and perceptions that are not necessarily grounded. I’m sure when I said Division 1 and 4A, everyone had a pause.

“At the end of the day, I think this committee understood (the reasoning) and were appreciative of that.”

Another topic, overtime rules, generated a great deal of discussion in what was a three-hour meeting. Game official Dennis Donovan expressed concern on how the rule is currently worded, leading to inconsistency in how those rules are applied by respective conferences. The wording will be revisited and clarified after this season.


Owen Pence can be reached at owen.pence@globe.com.