LHSAA football playoffs stay with split format

The principals from around the state voted to keep the separation of select and non-select teams for the football playoffs after a proposal to end the split failed 208-93.
That vote didn’t shock me as I felt there were enough people who liked the way it all turned out this past season.
But the idea that a 1-9 or 0-10 team can earn a playoff spot didn’t seem to be an issue at the LHSAA convention.
There were 160 spots in nine different backets.
In the Non-Select Playoffs, there were seven first-round byes with 34 teams with losing records receiving berths including 0-10 East Iberville and 1-9 North Central.
In the Select Playoffs, 14 teams received first- round byes with 12 teams below .500, including 1-9 False River Academy.
There were several schools from both brackets who declined a playoff berth which affected the list of first-round byes.
I will give credit to the coaches and principals of teams that withdrew from playoff consideration as Crescent City (4-6), Mt. Hermon (0-10), Gueydan (0-9), Lusher (4-6), Tensas (0-9), Ridgewood (2-8), Ben Franklin (4-6), Grace King (2-7), Ecole Classique (0-6) and Haynes Academy (4-6) all declared their non-playoff status.
In other business at the convention, the opportunity for teams to move up to any class, granted that all sports at one school play in that class, passed 215-91.
Also, Class B and C teams will have a chance to field an 8-man football team - which could allow schools that are in Class 1-A only to play football to move back down in class.
Opening up the parish line as an attendance zone for athletics also passed which allows a student can choose any school in his parish in the ninth-grade as the “first choice,” but would sit a year for athletics if a move was made any year after that.
It also defines how students can move from a private to a public school or vice-versa.
Students of parents who are separated or living apart but have shared custody will be ruled eligible in the home parish zone of the parent listed as the domiciliary parent.
If custody has not been granted, a student would be eligible in the zone where the parents lived when they separated.
I am not sure how that will all play out in St. Landry Parish and if the majority-to-minority rule will change anything.
I don’t think there will be a rush of athletes moving from the north and south side to Eunice, but I guess we will wait and see what happens.
That decision could be amended at next year’s convention.
In baseball and softball, a rule change that no longer requires coaches on the baseline to wear helmets passed 171-123.
For baseball, an innings-pitched rule passed (219-80) so now pitchers may not throw more than 14 innings over five days and 10 innings over three days, nor can any pitcher with four or more innings in a single game pitch the following day.
Some coaches think the split will one day go beyond just the football playoffs, but that didn’t happen this convention.
Now with nine football state championship trophies to hand out, there is a better chance for new teams to earn a state title.
That could sway thoughts to other sports too.
But who knows what the future holds for the LHSAA?