Select school principals confident football playoff split won't occur

Jerit Roser, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune, February 21, 2013 3:29 p.m.

Officials from Jesuit and other local schools are concerned with how their football is affected by recent changes. - (Michael DeMocker, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune)

Select school principals feel confident as ever in their effort to stop the LHSAA's split select and nonselect football playoffs voted for last month.

The principals addressed the Association's Executive Committee with related concerns and ideas Thursday morning.

About 20 minutes into the meeting, Karr Principal John Hiser questioned whether the new by-law was constitutional, an assertion that quickly gained support and the bulk of the remaining focus.

"It was time extremely well-spent," Jesuit Principal Michael Giambelluca said. "The bottom line is there is a uniform belief after this meeting that this proposal is unconstitutional by the LHSAA's own constitution, so we're very confident that what happened back at the convention, while it was unfortunate, will be resolved, and this association will remain one association, which is what it needs to be."

Principals then met privately to further discuss their options "outside the association," including potential legal and legislative avenues.

"Oh, there are things that are definitely moving that I'm certainly just hearing about for the first time," Giambelluca added. "And on pretty much all fronts, many things are happening to pretty much bring it about that what happened at the convention will not stand."

The hope, all sides of the issue say, is that those fronts won't become necessary.

Shaw Principal Rev. Louis Konopelski asked select school be treated "equitably" to nonselect schools, including an equal number of state championships if placed in separate brackets.

Part of that rationale stemmed from concerns with the disparity in school sizes ? and thus talent pools and roster depths ? in the proposed two-division format.

For instance, Miller-McCoy (336 students) would compete against some of the state's largest schools, such as Byrd (2,237 students) and Jesuit (1,123 boys, doubled to 2,246 for classification determination).

Support for Konopelski's ideas led the meeting's early goings until Hiser's question clearly switched the group's focus.

"For me, I was thinking about should there be two (divisions), should there be three, and all those kind of specifics they wanted us thinking about," Newman Principal T.J. Locke said. "But I was convinced by the room, as soon as they pointed out (article 8.7.4) in the constitution, that oh my goodness, we were out of order at the convention, and they should have an attorney that counsels them that way. It seems obvious."

The association's constitution states "football schools shall be divided into five equal or nearly equal classes," which select school principals said Thursday would void the newly adopted postseason split as unconstitutional.

LHSAA attorney Brad Lewis responded that the by-law could be interpreted as constitutional based on the fact teams would continue to play their regular season in five classifications because the constitution does not specifically mention the postseason.

Select school principals laughed at that defense.

The question will require further investigation and deliberation, Executive Committee members said.

"I thought everybody made great points," Ecole Classique Principal David Federico said. "Was it constitutional? That's a good question, and it's something we have to look at as an Executive Committee. I think what most of the principals want is fairness and equality. It doesn't matter how we do it. If we're going to split the playoffs, that's OK as long as it's the same for everybody, so hopefully we can come to a consensus that does what would be the best for the kids."

Select school principals raised a variety of other similar questions regarding the fairness of a potential split.

For instance, Hiser juxtaposed Rapides Parish nonselect schools' parish-wide attendance zone with that of some Orleans Parish select schools.

The LHSAA will continue soliciting feedback from member principals while examining whether the by-law contradicts its constitution.

The Executive Committee will also revisit the issue at its spring meeting March 20.

"I think it would behoove us, being as its something we heard so many times today, that we go back and make sure that everything that we've done is correct," Terrebonne Principal Graham Douglas said. "We're going to go into executive session, look at the constitution, look at the playoff seedings and look at the division of the schools. We'll look at everything ? and I think we'll do what's right for the association. I know we will."

Select school principals feel that decision should and will be one in favor of their cause.

"I think that's the theme right here is that, 'You passed a by-law that's unconstitutional,' because (the constitution) says specifically in football, it must be five (classifications), so the executive committee has to rule it unconstitutional," Locke said. "It seems that simple. It'll be interesting to see what they do, but if the story gains momentum that they passed a by-law that's unconstitutional, it's a no-brainer. The executive committee can just say, 'Sorry. We were out of order.'"

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Jerit Roser can be reached at Jroser@nola.com?or 504.826.3405.?

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Source: http://highschoolsports.nola.com/news/article/2703486972082849330/select-school-principals-confident-football-playoff-split-wont-occur/

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