Move-up proposal gets look
Shiloh Christian has requested to move to a higher athletic classification in past years.
Finally, the ultrasuccessful Class 4A private school in Springdale could get its wish.
Arkansas Activities Association Executive Director Lance Taylor said a proposal to allow privateschools to play up beginning in the 2012-2014 classification cycle will be voted on during the annual meeting of the governing body Aug. 3in Little Rock.
Taylor said the proposal will need a two-thirds majority to pass from the governing body, which is comprised of approximately 300 AAA-member high schools across the state.
Under current AAA rules, Taylor said, only Class 1A schools can petition to move to Class 2A.
Taylor said the proposal was drafted after several meetings between a committee formed last year to study athletic issues between public and private schools.
Shiloh was at the center of a well-documented rift last year between public and private schools after beating Berryville 65-0 in a 2008 conference football game.
A subsequent proposal to have public and private schools compete for separate state championships was voted down by the AAA membership last summer.
Taylor said Shiloh and two private schools in Pulaski County, Class 4A Pulaski Academy and Class 5A Central Arkansas Christian, have indicated a desire to play up in the 2012-2014 cycle.
Taylor said the proposalrequires private schools to play up in all sports, and any move is contingent on a public school willing to move down in classification.
Arkansas’ seven classifications are determined by enrollment.
Based on enrollment figures the AAA used to classify schools for the 2010-2012 cycle, Shiloh remains the smallest Class 4A school in the state with 192 students in grades 9-11.
In attempt to level the playing field, all private schools with a student enrollment of more than 80 in grades 9-11 are moved up one class from their natural enrollment.
Shiloh continues to flourish athletically despite its enrollment.
The Saints have won three classification all-sports titles in rankings compiled over the past decade by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and six state championships in football since 1998.
Shiloh’s 2009 Class 4A state championship football team was ranked 24th nationally by USA Today.
The school captured its first baseball state championship this spring.
Josh Floyd, Shiloh’s football coach and athletic director, said he isn’t sure what direction the school will go, but requesting to play up is a potential option.
“The only reason we would do it is if it would help some of our situations,”Floyd said. “But with our enrollment being what it is, and there’s a lot of restrictions on kids coming to your school now … I don’t know. It’s definitely something we’ve talked about before and brought up to the AAA.”
Conway’s new AD
Steve Daniels, an assistant principal the past five years at Conway High School, is the district’s new athletic director.
Daniels, 52, replaces Buzz Bolding, who is retiring June 30.
A 1975 graduate of North Little Rock Ole Main, Daniels came to Conway in 1991 as an assistant football coach under Kenny Smith.
“When Coach Bolding said he was going to retire, I knew right then I wanted to pursue that,” Daniels said. “I was excited about the opportunity to get back into being around coaches and athletics. I just appreciate Kenny Smith giving me the opportunity to come to Conway.”UALR to UA
Caleb Hanson, one of the state’s top distance runners as a senior last year at Fort Smith Southside, has transferred from UALR to Arkansas, Southside Coach Steve Peoples said.
Hanson signed with UALR after helping Southside win the Class 7A state championship last year.
Hanson won the 1,600 at the 7A state meet (4:22.60) and recorded bests as a senior of 1:58.03 in the 800, 4:17.28 in the 1,600 and 9:35.89 in the 3,200.
Peoples said former Southside jumper Micah Washington plans to enroll at Arkansas during the 2010-2011 school year.
Washington, who won Meet of Champs titles in the high jump (6 feet, 10 inches) and triple jump (47-3.75) as a senior, originally signed with Arkansas but is attending a junior college in Missouri, Peoples said.
NLR additions
Senior cornerback Gabriel West, who helped Stuttgart finish 9-4 and advance to the Class 4A playoff quarterfinals last fall, has transferred to North Little Rock.
Coach Brad Bolding said West will play free safety for the Charging Wildcats.
Bolding said Ryan Edins, a 6-5 junior quarterback, has enrolled at North Little Rock after playing last season at Central Arkansas Christian.
Senior offensive tackle Ashton McWilliams, 6-6, 275 pounds, moved back to Texas during the spring semester but could return to North Little Rock this summer, Bolding said.
Bolding said he considers McWilliams a top college prospect.
Sports, Pages 31 on 06/06/2010