Changes for District 52 Superbowls

For at least the last 24 years (my time on the Peninsula) the Superbowl tournaments have been single-elimination, one-and-done style tournaments. But the District 52 board of managers have been trying to come up with a way to ensure more games are played.

“The kids want to play,” said District 52 administrator Jono Gibbs. “It’s been the last two years that we’ve discussed doing something because we can’t do a full double-elimination [bracket].”

Gibbs — who has been involved with District 52 Little League for at least the last 15 years, with the last six being on the board of managers and the last three as the District Administrator — said there was a lot of pomp and circumstance leading up to the Superbowl tournaments, and then half the field was eliminated after the first day of play.

“The teams get all geared up, get new uniforms, practice for a couple of weeks ... and then it’s over,” Gibbs said. “It just seemed like it was not enough for all the effort put in.”

This year will be different as District 52 is changing the format. Fourteen minors teams and 12 majors teams will all play a guaranteed two games in what is being called “pool play.” The top four teams in each division will then move into a single-elimination bracket, with two semifinal games and a championship game.

That is in line with a traditional double-elimination bracket in which teams are guaranteed two games.

Additionally, the next four team in the standings will play in a “B” bracket. That means more than half of the teams in the each division will play at least three tournament games.

There are bound to be ties after the two pool games, so tiebreakers will be initiated. Head-to-head in the first criteria, but the second in runs allowed. Organizers want to make sure the best teams move into bracket play.

Moving to this format also eliminates another concern Gibbs said he has heard over the years: parents not wanting to play on Father’s Day Sunday. This format alleviates that because game will be played Friday and Saturday, with Father’s Day being a day off, before bracket games begin on Monday.

So — the Superbowl tournaments begin with pool play Friday night, June 13, at various ballparks around the Peninsula.

“Friday will be a little hectic,” Gibbs said.

Saturday games will be played at two host sites, plus secondary sites: for the majors’ tournament, San Carlos is the main host site, with Belmont Sports Complex being the second site. In the minors’, Foster City is the host site, with more games being played on Menlo-Atherton Little League’s home field at Holbrook Palmer Park.

Sunday is an off day before majors play resumes Monday, June 16, with the semifinal games. The minors semifinal games are scheduled for Tuesday, June 17. All final games for both A and B tournament brackets will be Wednesday, June 18. Both the majors title games will be played at San Carlos’ Arguello Park at 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. The minors finals are at Foster City’s Sea Cloud Park at 5 and 5:30 p.m.

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And there is another change to the District 52 Little League all-star schedule with the addition of a Senior Division all-star tournament , for ages 14 and 15, for the first time in years.

“We haven’t had that (tournament) since, I don’t know, at least 15 years,” Gibbs said. “I don’t remember the last senior tournament we had.”

A Senior Division District 52 All-Star champion will be crowned with two teams playing a best-of-three series.

It is the continuance of trend that has seen more involvement of older players staying with Little League past the Majors Division. The options for those players has been mostly whittled down to playing either Babe Ruth or going the travel ball route, and apparently more and more parents and players see Little League’s Intermediate, Junior and Senior divisions as viable options.

Gibbs said there has been a big increase in Junior Division teams throughout District 52. What used to be just a handful of teams has blossomed over the last several years.

“The first year (of Juniors Division) we had six regular-season teams,” Gibbs said. “Now it’s 26.

“Juniors has gotten a lot more popular.”

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As for the rest of the District 52 Little League standard all-star tournaments, most begin Saturday, June 21. The 9-10 All-Star tournament is hosted by San Mateo American at Trinta Park; the 10-11 bracket is at Hillsbough; the majors tournament — which is the age group that plays for a spot in the Little League World Series in South Williamsports, Pennsylvania — is being hosted by Palo Alto; Redwood City will host the Intermediate Division beginning June 14.

District 52 will be the host for the majors division sectional tournament this year and will most likely be played at the home of the District 52 majors all-star champions.

Nathan Mollat is in his 24th year covering high school sports in San Mateo County for the San Mateo Daily Journal. He can be reached by email: nathan@smdailyjournal.com.