In 2004, the LHSAA decided to pass a rule that schools (Evangel and John Curtis) would no longer be allowed to play up in classification and be forced back down to 1A and 2A. In an attempt to hurt the football factories, in actuality it gave them strength because players now basically had a guarantee to go to the Dome. Who wouldn't want that? The decision itself, as dumb as it was to send the 2004 4A and 5A champs to 1A and 2A, was not the demise. No, the demise was the timing of the decision which will go down as the worst timed decision of all time in LHSAA history.
Let's focus on Evangel, since 1993 to 2004 ECA went to the Dome 10 times on a historic rise from 1A to 5A, 4 undefeated 15-0 record seasons, and back to back to back to back to back consecutive all american quarterbacks. Unheard of!!!!! And it was, truly a special time but it all came at a cost. With such a fast rise, comes a great fall.
Evangel lived on the fence and bent every rule. They were recruiting kids left and right such as Eric Jefferson and becoming a monster. Egos got too big to the point till finally, implosion.
Former head coach Johnny Booty left and Evangel has never been the same since. Half the talent is now divided in Shreveport and Evangel, whose entire identity was in the great play of the Quarterback, since 2002, has never had another QB receive a power 5 division 1 scholarship.
So let me paint this picture, had the LHSAA just waited literally 1 more year for Evangel to implode, Evangel would have never won another state title since 2004.
If they would have just waited one more year, all those teams that Evangel beat, would have got their chance to really stick it to them. Paul Turners West Monroe team could have beat them by 50 just like every out of state team Evangel scheduled started doing.
If they would have just waited one more year, district teams such as Byrd, Airline, Captain Shreve, Ruston, would have all started to beat Evangel making it that much sweeter to take down the once former giant.
If they would have just waited one more year, they would not have pissed off the entire lower classifications by forcing them to play the great powers that be.
Instead Evangel, who only continued to win because they were playing in 1A and 2A became a problem even with just being a really good team without the specialness it once had.
Now the lower class never wants anything to do with all privates because of ECA, the higher class still hurt by what ECA did to them in the 90s and 00s wants nothing to do with them either and will vote on anything that keeps them out.
So now you have the entire state pissed because of one terribly timed and ic decision. That's why there is no solution, just chaos.
I bet you this, if there was no Evangel, we would still have the regular 5 classifications. Thats why I need not mention John Curtis in this breakdown, they weren't the major problem, it was Evangel who single handedly destroyed the LHSAA because of the LHSAA.