Leading off today: NYSPHSAA boys volleyball teams are finally getting their own state tournament beginning in November 2010.

   A vote at the New York State Public High School Athletic Association's Executive Committee meeting Friday night outside of Syracuse approved the tournament, contingent upon a minimum of six sections conducting full-fledged sectional tournaments in the fall. The Democrat and Chronicle reported today that Sections 1 and 9 will be joining Sections 2, 3, 5 and 6, which previously had conducted a regional championship.

   "We felt this was a likely progression," NYSPHSAA Nina Van Erk said. "It's going to be a great addition. The level of competition in the state is outstanding and the boys are very deserving of this championship."

   Cicero North-Syracuse will host the 2010 state tournament. The format remains to be determined.

   More from the meeting: Van Erk was a guest on the weekly Canandaigua National Bank High School Sports Show hosted by the Democrat and Chronicle's Jeff DiVeronica and ran down a few other developments from the Executive Committee meeting:

The NYSPHSAA continues just-in-case planning regarding the H1N1 virus ("swine flu") and possible effects on sectional and state tournaments. Among the decisions made is that schools forced to close for long periods of time due to outbreaks of illness will not be charged with forfeits for games that are wiped out and cannot be rescheduled due to time constraints.

Section 2, 4 and 6 had been the most vocal in their opposition in January to the shortening of sports seasons due to financial concerns. Though there was additional discussion last week, no votes to rescind the broad measure were brought to the floor.

A vote was taken on the issue of approval for a 10th game for football teams not qualifying for the state tournament. In a bit of a surprise (to me, anyway) permission was denied by a 16-6 margin.

   Back at bat for wood: New York City Councilman Jim Oddo has renewed his push to ban metal and composite bats from more levels of organized baseball.

   Whereas the first draft of the bill would have banned metal bats at all levels of baseball on New York City, Oddo has picked up support from influential City Councilman Louis Fidler by limiting the scope to just high school baseball.

   "Lou opposed the first bill," Oddo told The Advance. "He didn't believe Little Leaguers could generate dangerous bat speed. We still disagree on that, but his support was key to getting the bill passed."

   The PSAL and the CHSAA are in their second season of using wood bats, and there has been a trickle-down effect. The paper reports that the Staten Island United Federation is using wood for its three divisions: 13-14s, 15-16s and 17-18s, as are Staten Island's Babe Ruth League 14-15s and 15-16s divisions and the East Shore Little League's Senior division.

   "I wasn't against the original metal bats," Babe Ruth District Commissioner Matt MacKittrick said. "And, I was totally against the ban. It was like prohibition. But some of those metal bats were ridiculous -- 32-inch bats weighing 20-22 ounces."

   Stukes decides: There are too many days when I can't decide at 11 a.m. what I should have for lunch at noon. James Stukes appears to have no such problems when it comes to planning.

   The Rice basketball star, a NYSSWA second-team all-state selection in Class AA, decided earlier that he will attend prep school at South Kent in Connecticut next fall. And now he has made a college decision as well.

   The Rice forward has made a non-binding commitment to the University of Albany after an official visit and intends to enroll in September 2010, FiveBoroSports.com reported.

   "I wanted to get it over with,” Stukes told the site. "I just want to focus on getting better for next year. I feel relieved, stress-free. I don’t have to worry about anything."

   The 6-foot-5 Stukes averaged 13.3 points for Rice en route to the Federation Class AA championship.

   I've only seen brief glimpses of Stukes but I can say this much: If the Albany staff does get his signature on a letter of intent in November then they just stole themselves a kid who could start 110 games and scored 1,500 points for them by March 2014.