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Super 8 football vote an 'anti-Catholic movement' to Xaverian coach
TL;DR
The MIAA Football Committee has approved a new Super 8 playoff format for Massachusetts high school football, set to begin in 2027. Xaverian coach Al Fornaro opposes the change, citing concerns over its fairness and implications for Catholic schools.
Key points
- MIAA Football Committee approved Super 8 format
- Format includes Division 1A tournament and one extra regular season game
- Playoff field reduced from 16 to 8 teams starting in 2027
- Xaverian coach Al Fornaro opposes the proposal
- Concerns raised about fairness for Catholic schools
Mentioned in this story
MIAA
Xaverian
WESTWOOD – The Super 8 tournament format inched one step closer to high school football in Massachusetts on Thursday, and not all coaches view it as progress.
The MIAA Football Committee approved a new playoff format at Thursday's meeting that included a Division 1A tournament, colloquially the "Super 8," as well as adding one regular season game to the schedule and cutting the playoff field from 16 to eight teams to begin in 2027,.
Super 8 proposals for boys and girls hockey and baseball were fully approved by the Board of Directors on Wednesday. The football model still needs to pass the Tournament Management Committee, which next meets May 20, and the Board of Directors.
"I'm opposed right now. It's not in the best interests of everybody," said Xaverian football coach Al Fornaro, who has led the Hawks to three consecutive Division 1 state championships. "My question to the MIAA is, is there going to be a Division 3 and 4 together? Why Division 1 and 2? I think everybody knows why."
The proposal will put the top eight power ranked teams in both Division 1 and 2 into a separate state bracket. Catholic Conference teams occupied two of the top three seeds in last year's Division 1 bracket, and two met in the Super Bowl, and added the No. 1 seed in Division 2 in 2025.
"This is an anti-Catholic (Conference) movement to get us out of the tournament," Fornaro said. "I knew it was going to happen at some point, and we'll work with it. My fear always is, just from a Catholic (Conference) perspective is this: once they get that, what's to prevent them in a few years from saying, 'Now you have to have your own tournament.'"
Q&A
What is the Super 8 football format approved by the MIAA?
The Super 8 format includes a Division 1A tournament, adds one regular season game, and reduces the playoff field from 16 to eight teams starting in 2027.
Why does Xaverian coach Al Fornaro oppose the Super 8 proposal?
Coach Al Fornaro opposes the proposal because he believes it is not in the best interests of all teams and questions the exclusion of Divisions 3 and 4.
When will the Super 8 football format be implemented?
The Super 8 football format is set to be implemented in 2027.
What are the concerns regarding the Super 8 format's impact on Catholic schools?
Concerns include that the format may disproportionately affect Catholic Conference teams, which have historically performed well in the playoffs.
