A bad adult decision causes heartbreak at Bartlett

Here we go again.

Yes, we have been hit with yet another case of a collective group of adults making a decision against IHSA rules, and in the end it's a group of soccer playing girls who are taking the hit.

In brief, Conant led Bartlett 1-0 at halftime of Tuesday night's Class 3A sectional semifinal at Millennium Field when the bad weather moved in.

All parties involved - coaches, officials and administrators - huddled to decide what to do.

According to Bartlett athletic director Dan Kallenbach, listed on the IHSA Web site as the tournament manager, he cited the IHSA rule from the postseason terms and conditions that simply states if weather forces a game to be called off after one half has been played, it's an official game. Kind of like the five-inning rule in baseball and softball. Get it? There's a cutoff point.

But the officials and coaches, according to Kallenbach, wanted to come back and play the second half Wednesday and Kallenbach says he was overruled by head official Joe Bean of Libertyville, who did not return a message to the Daily Herald on Wednesday.

Bean, though, did speak with IHSA assistant executive secretary Beth Sauser, who administers girls soccer for the state, and he sent an e-mail to Kallenbach and Sauser saying, "I will take full responsibility."

Well, that wasn't enough for Sauser, or further appeals to IHSA Executive Director Marty Hickman, to change things. The rule stands and Conant was declared the 1-0 winner.

"The head official knew the rule," Sauser said Wednesday, adding that this is also a National Federation rule, not just an IHSA guideline. "I believe he was trying to be nice to everyone but everyone should have known the rule before the conversation even started. It's unfortunate, no doubt, but everyone's been dealing with the inclement weather the whole spring. It's a shame. It was the official's belief they could (complete the game Wednesday) but the officials, coaches and administrators should have known this rule."

"I cited the rule several times in discussions and I was overruled by (Bean)," Kallenbach said. "It's unfortunate for the kids. We tried. It's unfortunate (Bean) made the decision he did."

Bartlett coach Heather Thomas was, understandably, in tears Wednesday afternoon.

"The worst part is that a decision by one person getting paid to know the rules now affects 21 kids, six of them seniors," Thomas said. "Those kids will never get this game back. It's tough."

And don't think Conant coach Jason Franco was basking in the news his team had won the game. To his credit, he was upset Wednesday as well.

"I feel terrible about the whole outcome," Franco told Daily Herald correspondent Mike Garofola. "When we heard the IHSA ruling I asked our AD to help overturn it but it didn't happen. It's a hollow victory. You can't take any pleasure in that. I feel bad for Heather and the Bartlett team. Now we just have to move on and play Geneva."

It's worthless to point fingers here. Could the IHSA have relented and accepted Bean's decision and let the teams play? Sure they could have, but the precedent that would have set is something they could never take back. So don't blame the IHSA for this one.

The on-site adults should have known better - all of them. It's a simple rule. It should have been enforced on the spot Tuesday night.

At least that way, the Bartlett girls wouldn't have been given what turned out to be false hope of having another chance.

jradtke@dailyherald.com