At the LHSAA convention held this past Friday there were four different proposals in the class 5A meeting to bring together select and non-select schools for playoffs. As this was a 5A proposal only and voted on only by 5A schools, it needed a simple majority to pass instead of the two thirds majority needed for a like proposal for all classes.
All four proposals failed to gain a majority.
The LHSAA football playoffs have been split since 2013 and baseball, softball and basketball have been split for six years.
Louisiana high school sports officials have had a pay raise approved by the principals at the LHSAA convention held last week. Officials in all sports except baseball will see a $10 raise per game while baseball officials will see a $4 raise per game. These raises will begin with the 2022-2023 school year. If you've been thinking of officiating high school sports, just so you are aware this brings a football official’s per game pay to $100 for a varsity game and $94 for a varsity baseball game.
In the meeting of all classes a proposal to expand the Division IV (smallest select schools) football playoffs to 24 teams from 16 teams passed. Also, the Division IV championship will be played in the Superdome as it was last season.
Also passed in the regular meeting was a proposal that beginning with the 2022-2023 school year for basketball the home team will be the higher seeded team in all rounds of the playoffs.
Another that passed is that in soccer, playoff brackets in Division II, III and IV will expand to 32 teams from the previous 24.
And in baseball, all non-select bi-district round playoff matchups will be a best of three format. Previously it has been a single game for this round.
Hank Tierney, who coached Ponchatoula to a 5A state runner up spot in December, has taken the head coaching position at Shaw. Tierney coached at Shaw previously for nineteen seasons, leading the Eagles to the state championship game four times, winning once. His semi-final win in 2021 with Ponchatoula gave him the 300th win of his career. No word as of yet on his replacement at Ponchatoula.
Former Amite quarterback Lester Ricard has been let go as head football coach at Scotlandville.
The Amite Warriors, the 2A football state champions, and the Sterlington Panthers, the 3A state champions will be playing each other this season and the next. This season will be in Sterlington with 2023 at Amite in week nine. Amite will be in class 3A this season so this could possibly be a playoff game or championship game preview.
The Franklinton Girls Softball Association is having signups on February 5, 12, 19 and 20 from 10 am to 1 pm at their fields on Boat Ramp Road for girls ages 4-18. For more information check out their Facebook page under the same name.
Congratulations to FHS Demons kicker and punter Cole Coletti for being named to the Louisianasportsline.com 4A All State team.
