Uncertainty with Select title games speaks to reunification of LHSAA championships

While select school state championships are set for next weekend, the final dates and times are close to being finalized but the official word on where and when they will play will not be determined until Monday.

The Division II state championship game featuring No. 2 De La Salle taking on No. 1 St. Thomas More will be played in Lafayette Friday night at 7 p.m. at St. Thomas More. De La Salle voted to play championship games in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome but was one of just a few select schools to vote in that fashion.

The Division III title game between No. 1 Lafayette Christian and No. 2 St. Charles Catholic will be played in Lafayette as well.

While the two schools have stated that they will play Saturday evening at 6 p.m. at Cajun Field,
the LHSAA will not underwrite the event at Cajun Field, either the rental cost or the insurance.

LHSAA Executive Director Eddie Bonine said that he has been told that the Lafayette Kiwanis Club is incurring all the cost and if that is the case, the school can play there, if approved by UL-Lafayette. That is expected to be the case so look for the game to go off as scheduled at Cajun Field.

While Bonine would not comment, several sources tell CrescentCitySports.com that Division IV is now strongly considering playing its championship game between No. 5 Ouachita Christian and No. 7 Catholic of Pointe Coupee in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome at noon on Friday, Dec. 13, prior to the first non-select championship game.

Both schools originally voted to play in the Dome, according to Bonine. That means the schools would have a week off prior to the title game.

While Bonine acknowledged that Rummel and Catholic can play at Tulane Friday night, he was clear about the LHSAA position on that contest.

Bonine says he has not heard a word from Tulane about Division I playing at Yulman Stadium. The Division I title game between unbeaten No. 1 Archbishop Rummel and unbeaten No. 2 Catholic of Baton Rouge is set by the schools for 7 p.m. Friday night.

“I have not spoken to one person from Tulane,” Bonine said. “We are not underwriting the cost of the event. Our participating schools understand this.”

Louisiana Select Association Chief Executive Officer J.P. Kelly confirmed that the Division I game will be at Yulman Stadium.

“The four teams that made it to the semifinals agreed to play at Yulman Stadium,” Kelly said. “It is a fantastic facility and great for the kids. We just need to shore up the contract. Jay Roth, as the athletic director of the No. 1 seed at Rummel, is responsible for playing the event. We will make it official Monday. The insurance issue is one we are sure we can get taken care of.”

Roth confirmed that the game will be at Tulane and will be done right.

“We’re going to spend money to make sure this is first class for everyone,” Roth said. “We are assuming the cost. It is Rummel’s responsibility to put the game on. We want to make this the very best experience for the young men on both teams, for media and for fans.”

Bonine said he sent out a select school form where the schools have to tell the LHSAA how many tickets they need and all the information necessary. The form also went out to all the host sites and host schools early this morning. All of the information needs to be filled out and returned to the LHSAA by no later than Monday at noon.

“At that point, we’re able to see who’s hosting where, the number of tickets they are going to get,” Bonine said. “When all of the questions are answered and I sign off on it, they have to come to the office and pick up trophies and tickets for them to host the event. That’s kind of where we are so until we have those forms sent back, I don’t know yet where anyone is playing, officially.”

With the ball of confusion surrounding the championships, Bonine was adamant about what he wants to see happen at the annual LHSAA convention Jan. 29-31, 2020 in Baton Rouge.

“I’m going to do the best Eddie Bonine show that I can put on to convince everybody we need to be back together with some stipulations,” Bonine said. “Let me enforce the new handbook that we put together. We’re putting a patent on it. We’re doing it the right way. Just give us a chance, give us a chance. We’ll make some movement and do some things to make it work.”

If the vote does not go the way of reuniting, Bonine said he would not give up the fight.

“My second plea is if we are going to split completely, the proposals are what they are,” Bonine said. “It’s going to me up to me and my staff and people I can convince to go out and talk about how we have to bring this thing back together. It’s not good for kids. We need to do this. Trust me as your executive director.”

While principals have the final say, Bonine made it clear where his primary concern lies.

“I think I’ve been around long enough to know that we are in business for the kids, not select or non-select, principals, superintendents or anybody else,” Bonine said. “I am the business for kids and they are getting cheated. We need to do it right and get past the other stuff. That’s going to be my speech from now until the convention in January. We’ll see what happens.”

“I feel strongly that I hope all of this allows us all to get back together,” Kelly said. “That is the ultimate goal for the kids and all of our schools.”

“We have always wanted to be together as one again as part of the LHSAA,” Roth said. “That has been and remains the ultimate goal. I know Mr. Bonine is trying hard to make it happen and we applaud his efforts and hope he is successful.”