Editorially Speaking

For two years Winslow has been part of the North Region 3A Conference, with Ganado, Greyhills, Monument Valley, Pinon , Tuba City and Window Rock. The level of competition is so high that in several sports the people sent from our region to state finals are the people who win the state trophies. Winslow is competitive in all its sports and this year had someone competing in every weight class at the regional finals in wrestling.

Next year the region will be reorganized. Holbrook and Hopi High will join the region while Pinon will return to 2A status for the two-year period. Holbrook is traditionally on the Winslow schedule and Hopi has worked its way around the region in out-of-conference games and tournament play this year. If anything the level of competition next year will be even higher than this year's. Our athletes work hard and reach a high standard. They deserve the community's support. L.S. Scala

As Sam Sees It

The decision has been made and the Enchantment Region basketball tournaments will be held in Tuba City. Final answer! (for now?)

At any rate, the final four teams, which participate in this part of the tournaments, will already be assured of a berth in the Arizona State 3A Basketball Tournament that begins in Flagstaff on Feb. and continues in Phoenix at America West Arena.

The most important games of the tournaments may be played tonight (Feb. 7) or have been played on Tuesday. Those games will eliminate three Enchantment Region teams from the tournament and from any possibility of advancing to the state tournament. Especially in the case of the girls' teams, one of those eliminated could probably be among the five best 3A teams in the state.

The top two teams from regular season play will receive byes to the semi-final round and automatic berths in the state tournament. All of the rest must earn their berths in the regional semi-finals by winning one or two (depending on seeding) early round games. With the girls, this probably means that Monument Valley, Ganado or Window Rock will see their season end before the part of the tournament at Tuba City begins. Teams that probably couldn't get within 20 points of these girls will advance to the state tournament from another region. That is how good girls' basketball is in the Enchantment Region.

The fight for berths in the semi-finals for the boys could be just as competitive, if not more so, but the region is not as clearly superior to the rest of the state there.

The tournament had been scheduled for Tuba City since at least the beginning of the school year when schedules were printed and probably before. Tuba City officials had to have felt that they were unable to host the tournament and requested it be held in a different location as late as Jan. 11, less than a month before the event was to transpire.

Winslow Athletic Director Don Petranovich took on the task of preparing for the tournament on short notice and likely had most of the work done when the request to move it back to Tuba City came.

The Winslow Mail acted promptly to publicize the fact that the tournaments had been moved here. Many fans and some businesses probably adjusted their plans to accommodate holding the tournaments in Winslow.

While it is understandable that most schools would be happy to host a regional tournament which enjoys the fan support and popularity that the Enchantment Regions do, I do not agree with the athletic directors' decision to move it back to Tuba City. The administration there had at least six months and probably over a year to prepare for the event. They determined with less than a month left that they could not do so successfully. The time to have examined their capability to host the tournament was before they asked that the tournaments be moved. Second thoughts less than two weeks before the event should have been "regrets" and nothing else.

Sam Conner

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