Independent School League to add boys lacrosse playoff

Starting in 2020, the ISL will determine its boys champion with a postseason for the first time in league history. (Dave Arnold)

Starting in the spring of 2020 — for the first time ever — the Independent School League will crown their boys lacrosse champion through tournament play.

The ISL previously only determined that honor via league record, with no tiebreaker among teams that had had the same record.

That has been replaced by a two-tiered playoff format, with one league champ and another winner for the second half of the 16-team league.

The bullet points involve an 11-game regular-season league schedule that rotates opponents and adds a weighted element toward competitive balance. Combined with playoff and rivalry games, the entire calendar begins and ends around the same time of year (late April, early May) as the previous 15-game slate.