Three schools changing their classification within LHSAA

Enrollment numbers are shaking up local high school athletics for the next two years.
The LHSAA Executive Committee met on the campus of LSU on Wednesday to discuss the initial draft of proposed new districts for athletics for 2017-19. The proposed new districts are due to the enrollment numbers submitted by the Department of Education on October 1.
That will result in three of Evangeline Parish’s five high schools changing classification.
Mamou High is moving up to Class 3A from Class 2A. Mamou has 429 students which is only four off from the cutline between Classes 3A and 2A.
The LHSAA has proposed that Mamou play in District 5-3A with Church Point, Eunice, Iota, Northwest, Port Barre, Pine Prairie and Crowley who dropped down from Class 4A.
“When school started and we looked at our enrollment we knew that we had more students,” Mamou boys basketball coach and atheltic director John Jack said. “That said, we didn’t anticapte going up to 3A.”
Jack admitted that moving up in classification will present challenges to the school’s athletic teams.
“In football we have struggled the past few years just trying to get our teams competive,” Jack said. “If you are struggling in certain sports it can be more of a challenge moving up. We will have to make the most of it for the next two years.”
Ville Platte High meanwhile will be dropping down from Class 3A to Class 2A as its numbers fell to 415. The Bulldogs are slated to participate in a reshuffled District 5-2A which will feature Ascension Episcopal, Catholic High-New Iberia, Delcambre, Franklin, Jeanerette, Loreauville and West St. Mary.
“Moving up and down makes the competition more exciting because now you have to focus on new competitiors and possibly make changes or some type of adjustment to perform at that level to be successful,” VPHS girls basketball coach Dorothy Doulet said.
District 5-2A was the district that Sacred Heart called home but the Trojans, much like their city counterparts, will be dropping down in classification.
Sacred Heart’s enrollment dipped to 235 which is 21 below the cutoff line between Class 2A and 1A.
The LHSAA has proposed that Sacred Heart now be part of District 5-1A along with Basile, Catholic-Point Coupee, False River, North Central, St. Edmund, Westminster Christian, Slaughter Charter and Opelousas Catholic, who also is dropping down.
“I am very excited for the move,” Sacred Heart football coach and athletic director Josh Harper said. “I feel we can compete in 1A and being in 2A for the last two years has helped us and prepared us for 1A competition. We are battle tested.”
The LHSAA left the proposed districts on its website for schools to look over this weekend and then on Nov. 21 the Executive Committee will convene to hear any school’s appeals on the proposed districts. After that the districts will be finalized and placed on the agenda for the LHSAA General Assembly meeting to be held in January.