The Ohio High School Football Coaches Association has stepped up in response to issues that have confronted their sport in the past year.

Among the items addressed at their recent year-end meeting was expanding the Ohio North-South Classic to two games that will be held on Saturday, April 27, at Welcome Stadium. The games will be divided into Divisions I-III and IV-VI.

The North-South games have been played at Columbus since 2001.

Pennsylvania pulled out of the Big 33 series with Ohio. Now, the OHSFCA hopes to finalize a series with Michigan that would begin in 2014 at the University of Toledo. In 2015 the game could possibly be played at Michigan where Kettering native Brady Hoke is the head coach. He reportedly would like the games anchored there when not played in Ohio.

The Ohio High School Athletic Association has turned to the OHSFCA for help in determining a schedule to play a seventh state football championship game next season. The coaches suggested:

• D-VII on Thursday, three games each on Friday and Saturday.

• Three games on Friday and Saturday, D-I on Sunday.

• Two games Friday, three games on Saturday and two on Sunday.

The games will be played at Massillon and Canton one more year before moving to Columbus and Ohio Stadium.

Also addressed was the possibility of a group of private schools leaving the OHSAA should a vote by school principals in the spring pass to have separate state tournaments for public and private schools. If that happens, the coaches’ group likely would recommend that the OHSAA not award Harbin computer points to member schools that play a non-association team.

Finally, the coaches are forming a plan to introduce 10 hours of “spring ball,” which would not include helmets or pads. Also, a state 7-on-7 Lineman Challenge will be held on Saturday, June 22 during the OHSFCA Hall of Fame weekend. A site has not been determined.

All the OHSFCA information was released by JJHuddle.com.

College connection: Michigan State sophomore guard Travis Trice (Wayne) has returned to his role as a main sub. He missed five games after suffering a concussion and broken nose in the Spartans’ season opener against UConn.

In his first game back he scored 12 points and was 4-of-7 in 3-pointers in a blowout of Arkansas-Pine Bluff. Trice, who wears a clear face mask to protect his nose, is averaging 16.8 minutes and 7.6 points. He’s also 10-of-19 in treys.

“There’s one more guy we got now headed in the right direction,” coach Tom Izzo said of Trice to mlive.com.

Spartans teammate Adreian Payne (Jefferson) is averaging 8.1 points and 7.5 rebounds.

• Cincinnati State sophomore Cameron Vaughn (Madison) leads the Surge in scoring (16.0) and ranks sixth nationally in NJCAA Division II rebounding (14.5).

Famed athletes: Fairmont will add four to its athletic hall of fame: Chris Rolfe (2001 grad), Kiki Eby (’84), Jo Ann Kurz (East, 1973) and Tom Adams (East, ’72). They will be introduced at halftime of a Jan. 25 home basketball game and inducted at 1 p.m. the next day at the school’s Recital Hall.