A compromise was reached in the debate over how many divisions select/private schools would compete in during the high school football playoffs, with the Louisiana High School Athletic Association Executive Committee voting Thursday to divide the schools into four divisions.

When the LHSAA member schools voted in January, the proposal called for dividing the private schools into three divisions. Later, it was proposed that the select schools be divided into five classifications to match the LHSAA rule book.

Dividing select schools into five classes would have meant the five Class 4A schools would qualify for the Division II playoffs. In the compromise, those five schools will be paired with the 11 Class 3A schools in Division II.

Select Division I will be 5A schools, Division III 2A schools and Division IV 1A schools. Public/nonselect schools will compete in Class 5A-1A playoffs as usual.

The Executive Committee also voted to classify charter schools without select admission policies as nonselect schools. Defending Class 4A football champion Karr will therefore compete in the nonselect playoffs.

The other four champions from last season, Ouachita Christian (1A), John Curtis Christian (2A), Parkview Baptist (3A) and Archbishop Rummel (5A) will all move into the select playoffs next season.

(Associated Press)

Brett Duke