IS DIVISION IN DECLINE?

Byline: Daily News - Lee Barnathan

Cleveland High's baseball team might be the last to win a City Division championship at Dodger Stadium.

The City Intercollegiate Athletics Council is considering a proposal to eliminate the Division championship game at Dodger Stadium. IAC discussed the matter at its Thursday meeting.

The reason: The Division game, which currently features the 16 teams that did not qualify to play in the 16-team City Championship tournament, lacks the stature of its more prestigious cousin. Thus, it doesn't deserve to be played at such a premier site.

``It's causing concern,'' City administrator Jeff Halpern said. ``We're talking about having the City game (at Dodger Stadium) and having the Division game somewhere else.''

Nothing has been decided, Halpern said. But if the matter is passed at a future IAC meeting, it could lead to the elimination of other Division finals at top sites such as the Coliseum for football.

Or it could be the first step in the elimination of the Division level altogether. Instead, there would be one 32-team City tournament, which boys' soccer now has.