NO. 3: Disputes engulf high school sports

— The long-running debate between public and private school athletics heated up again last spring, but in the end private schools remained in the game.

A proposal to have private schools that offer need-based financial aid compete against each other for state championships was voted down by members of the Arkansas Activities Association during itsannual meeting of the governing body Aug. 4 at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.

The proposal, which would have become effective immediately, needed a two-thirds majority from the approximately 300-member schools eligible to vote.

But Proposal 7 received only 44.9 percent of the vote.

The governing body overwhelmingly rejected a similar proposal in 2000.

This latest movement to separate public andprivate schools for postseason play was fueled by Shiloh Christian’s 1-4A Conference football victory (65-0) over Berryville in 2008.

Shiloh Christian, a Springdale private school, went on to win its fifth state championship in the past decade in 2008.

Shiloh Christian repeated as Class 4A state champion this fall, beating Lonoke 56-20 on Dec. 12 in what was supposed to be the final game of the 2009 season.

But the start of the Class 3A playoffs was delayed a week when Lamar received a court-ordered temporary injunction.

AAA Executive Director Lance Taylor announced Nov. 6 that Lamar would have to forfeit five 4-3A Conference victories this fall because of an ineligible player, a ruling that knocked the Warriors out of the playoffs.

The temporary injunction reinstated Lamar into the playoffs, but forced the AAA to move the Class 3A final from Dec. 12 to Dec. 18.

Lamar is seeking a permanent injunction in the case.

Sports, Pages 33 on 12/27/2009

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