Started By
Message

Louisiana High School - Select vs. Non-Select?

Posted on 11/20/25 at 6:36 am
Posted by Tdubs7
Member since Aug 2024
495 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 6:36 am
Question about the classifications. Moved away from Louisiana 25 years ago when we had 1-A thru AAAA. Why the split and how do you know who the true champion is in each class? If Karr, Curtis, Rummel, etc. were to win the select, how do you know if they're better than Destrehan, West Monroe, Hahnville, etc?
This post was edited on 11/20/25 at 6:38 am
Posted by SaintNation
West Monroe
Member since Dec 2008
1990 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 7:29 am to
John Curtis is the reason for the split and anyone who says anything different is lying. The blatant recruiting, living with coaches etc they were doing far exceeded anyone else and the public schools got pissed off.
Posted by STEVED00
Member since May 2007
23036 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 7:39 am to
All private schools recruit students. The govt is not paying the student’s tuition so they actually have to convince people to go there and someone has to pay for them to attend.

The charter schools are the ones with the biggest advantage. They can cherry pick and tuition is covered.

Imo JC’s biggest advantage (outside of really caring about sports and that pride is deeply entrenched through out the school) is their middle school. Those kids are leaning the JC offense starting in 4th grade. Come senior year those kids have been in the same system for almost a decade.
This post was edited on 11/20/25 at 8:13 am
Posted by TigerAlum93
Member since Sep 2010
3211 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 8:26 am to
It has led to very watered down state titles. Take 5A non-select. No private schools to compete against, many of the stronger 5A public schools like Acadiana and Carencro play in the select bracket, and now they mix in 4A schools in the 5A playoff bracket.
Posted by Cash
Vail
Member since Feb 2005
37567 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 9:55 am to
quote:

how do you know who the true champion is in each class?


The selects would win 9 out of 10 times over the non-selects.

quote:

If Karr, Curtis, Rummel, etc. were to win the select, how do you know if they're better than Destrehan, West Monroe, Hahnville, etc?


Karr would run the table.
Posted by YouKnowImRight
Parts Unknown
Member since Oct 2023
2810 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 10:03 am to
quote:


John Curtis is the reason for the split and anyone who says anything different is lying. The blatant recruiting, living with coaches etc they were doing far exceeded anyone else and the public schools got pissed off.


Evangel actually was the breaking point. Curtis stayed in 4A and let the 5A schools have their fun. Evangel started beating West Monroe and they just couldn't take it.
Posted by chalmetteowl
Chalmette
Member since Jan 2008
53469 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 10:06 am to
quote:

Curtis stayed in 4A


They said they did so for their girls programs but we all know those were winning state too
Posted by PP7 for heisman
New Orleans
Member since Feb 2011
8724 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 11:16 am to
quote:

Evangel actually was the breaking point. Curtis stayed in 4A and let the 5A schools have their fun. Evangel started beating West Monroe and they just couldn't take it.
nah the split happened years after Curtis/Evangel moved down.

Good ole Jess Curtis at Many (who essentially recruits as well) threw a fit about Curtis being in 2A and the initial split happened but it wasn’t as watered down, then the Willie Allen situation escalated things and it was full fledged split for a decade and now it seems like the playoffs have some juice back. Still nothing near pre split level but the combining of classifications at least makes it so there’s not like 10 teams in each bracket.
Posted by xBirdx
Member since Sep 2018
2157 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 11:30 am to
It’s the everybody gets a trophy generation…

Teams with like 4 wins making bball playoffs… half of some brackets get byes first round…it’s stupid
Posted by TigerintheNO
New Orleans
Member since Jan 2004
43974 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 11:39 am to
the better public schools teams moved to the select playoff bracket
Posted by lsu777
Lake Charles
Member since Jan 2004
36511 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 11:42 am to
quote:

nah the split happened years after Curtis/Evangel moved down.

Good ole Jess Curtis at Many (who essentially recruits as well) threw a fit about Curtis being in 2A and the initial split happened but it wasn’t as watered down, then the Willie Allen situation escalated things and it was full fledged split for a decade and now it seems like the playoffs have some juice back. Still nothing near pre split level but the combining of classifications at least makes it so there’s not like 10 teams in each bracket.



this...fricking this. after the "play in class" rule was passed the small schools pitched a fit. demanded action and that is how we got to where we are today

the most ironic part is...because Many is the only school in that parish that has football, any kid in the parish can go play there. they essentially pull players from the same number of boys as the bigger 5a schools do.

I fricking hate Many for that specific reason



Posted by AwesomeSauce
Das Boot
Member since May 2015
11155 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 11:48 am to
quote:

nah the split happened years after Curtis/Evangel moved down.

They were forced down by the 4A and 5A schools that didn't want to play them, so they sent them down to beat up on all of the 2A and 1A schools by not allowing schools to play up. The split happened because you had 4A and 5A schools who were cheating and didn't have the titles to show for it, or as many titles to show for it, so they sent teams they couldn't beat or at least would lose to more often than not and sent them to play against lower competition. Then you had 1A and 2A teams with generational teams that would lose by 40 in the quarters to Curtis and/or Evangel, so then the split happened.

I don't blame these small one stoplight town schools pushing for the split because the bigger programs gave them a problem they couldn't handle.
This post was edited on 11/20/25 at 11:49 am
Posted by Hangover Haven
Metry
Member since Oct 2013
31861 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 11:50 am to
All I can say is, Rummel won the last real 5A state championship when they beat Barbe in '12...
Posted by Marciano1
Marksville, LA
Member since Jun 2009
19743 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 12:09 pm to
It's stupid that Bunkie is in a district with other public schools like Marksville, Jena, etc but come playoff time, they have to go play badass private schools because they're 'magnet'.
Posted by Lester Earl
3rd Ward
Member since Nov 2003
287813 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 12:28 pm to
quote:

It has led to very watered down state titles


Yap. They mean nothing
Posted by STEVED00
Member since May 2007
23036 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 12:43 pm to
quote:

All I can say is, Rummel won the last real 5A state championship when they beat Barbe in '12...




Raidas to Da Dome!!
Posted by alterego55
baton rouge
Member since Apr 2016
1520 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 1:05 pm to
had to do split so catholic high could finally win a state championship in fb
Posted by alterego55
baton rouge
Member since Apr 2016
1520 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 1:05 pm to
had to do split so catholic high could finally win a state championship in fb
Posted by bubbz
Baton Rouge
Member since Mar 2006
23084 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 2:10 pm to
quote:

y TigerAlum93It has led to very watered down state titles. Take 5A non-select. No private schools to compete against, many of the stronger 5A public schools like Acadiana and Carencro play in the select bracket, and now they mix in 4A schools in the 5A playoff bracket.


This isn’t exactly accurate. They still have a lot of strong teams in 5A such as West Monroe, Neville, Ruston, Central, Destrehan, Zachary, Hahnville, etc. With that said, it’s certainly impacted the qualify of play in 5A, but they still have plenty of talent in non select.
Posted by red sox fan 13
Valley Park
Member since Aug 2018
18173 posts
Posted on 11/20/25 at 2:19 pm to
I’ll hear an argument for the lower divisions but there is no reason to still have the split at the 5A/D1 level
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 2Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram