The IHSA announced in February that it would be making a sweeping change to the football playoffs in Classes 1A-6A by creating one 32-team playoff bracket rather than the current format of two 16-team brackets, divided by geographic region, typically north and south.

But the IHSA announced Tuesday at its monthly board of directors meeting that it would be reversing that decision, citing the recent increase in fuel prices for the change.

“In February, I was a proponent of the change in the seeding process for the IHSA Class 1A-6A football playoffs,” IHSA board president and Rockridge High School principal Katy Hasson said. “When taking into account the current fuel prices, and the fact that this change will create more travel for schools and fans, myself and several other board members were no longer comfortable implementing the change at this time.

“I do expect that when fuel prices return to a more manageable price level the Board will revisit this topic.”

According to fuel price website GasBuddy, the average price of gas in Illinois was roughly $3.60 a gallon in July and currently averages $5.60 a gallon in the state.

Classes 7A and 8A, the two largest football classes, will continue the 1-32 brackets as they have since 2015, as most of those schools reside in the Chicago area, whereas the smaller six classes see a more spread out playoff field.

With the exception of Bradley-Bourbonnais (Class 7A) and Milford-Cissna Park (Illinois 8-Man Football Association), all other area schools reside in Class 1A-6A.

The IHSA also approved its new assistant executive director, Dan Le.

Le most recently served as the director of athletics and activities at LaSalle-Peru High School, a position he took in 2019. Le spent the previous 10 years at Ottawa Township High School and was the 2021 recipient of the Illinois Athletic Director’s Association’s New Athletic Director of the Year Award and serves on the IADA’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee.

“I am humbled and honored to be joining the IHSA staff,” Le said. “This is an exciting opportunity to provide students across the state with memorable experiences through interscholastic athletics and activities.”