UIL Appeal Process Completed

The UIL had completed it's appeal hearing regarding school districts desiring a change in districts or classification.

Approved:

1. Rule from 1A Division 2 to 11 1A Division 2 – 10 for basketball
2. Brackettville Brackett from 1A Division 1 to 27 1A Division 1 – 28 for basketball

 All other appeals regarding football and/or basketball were denied.

1. Lockhart from 4A – 27 to 4A – 26
2. Barksdale Nueces Canyon from 1A Division 1 to 27 1A Division 1 – 28 for basketball
3. Shallowater from 3A – 2 to 2A – 1 or 2
4. Ferris from 3A – 11 to 3A – 14
5. Irving North Hills Prep from 3A – 11 to 3A – 10
6. Paint Rock from 1A 6Man Div. 1 – 6 to 1A 6Man Div. 2 – 8 for football
7. Paint Rock from 1A Division 2 – 14 to 1A Division 2 – 29 or 15 for basketball
8. McKinney from 5A – 10 to 5A – 11
9. McKinney Boyd from 5A – 10 to 5A – 11
10. Amarillo Tascosa from 5A – 2 to 4A – 3
11. Pollok Central from 3A – 20 to 2A – 19 for basketball

With this process completed, all schools can finalize their football schedules and within a few weeks, the UIL will release all the other realignments. These include: cross-country, volleyball, swimming and diving, baseball, softball, soccer, spring meet (includes academics, golf, tennis), team tennis and wrestling.

UIL Appeals Hearing Today

Following the realignment that was released on Feb. 2, school districts had the opportunity to appeal their assignment involving football and/or basketball. Thirteen schools have appealed their assignment. The appeals hearing is going on today. Those schools and their desires are:

1. Rule from 1A Division 2 to 11 1A Division 2 – 10 for basketball
2. Lockhart from 4A – 27 to 4A – 26
3. Brackettville Brackett from 1A Division 1 to 27 1A Division 1 – 28 for basketball
4. Barksdale Nueces Canyon from 1A Division 1 to 27 1A Division 1 – 28 for basketball
5. Shallowater from 3A – 2 to 2A – 1 or 2
6. Ferris from 3A – 11 to 3A – 14
7. Irving North Hills Prep from 3A – 11 to 3A – 10
8. Paint Rock from 1A 6Man Div. 1 – 6 to 1A 6Man Div. 2 – 8 for football
9. Paint Rock from 1A Division 2 – 14 to 1A Division 2 – 29 or 15 for basketball
10. McKinney from 5A – 10 to 5A – 11
11. McKinney Boyd from 5A – 10 to 5A – 11
12. Amarillo Tascosa from 5A – 2 to 4A – 3
13. Pollok Central from 3A – 20 to 2A – 19 for basketball

In my opinion the following will have their appeals approved:

• Rule
• Lockhart
• Brackettville Brackett
• Barksdale Nueces Canyon
• Paint Rock's basketball appeal
• Pollok Central

I feel like that the following will have their appeals denied:

• Shallowater will be denied unless they can show an issue with their enrollment numbers. 
• Ferris as this would only leave 4 schools in 3A-11 for football
• Irving North Hills Prep is a basketball only school. Their appeal could hinge on Ferris' appeal outcome.
• Paint Rock's football appeal depends on if their enrollment is wrong unless they are using travel distances.
• McKinney and McKinney Boyd will probably be denied because it would only leave four teams in 5A-10
• Amarillo Tascosa is an interesting case since it's based on the extreme travel staying in 5A would cause. Approving the appeal would set a precedent about moving down based on travel so I don't see this being approved.

Districts to be Covered

Here's a list of the districts we'll be keeping track of this coming year.

5A Districts 1 and 2
4A Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4
3A Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
2A Division 1 Districts 1, 2, 3 and 4
2A Division 2 Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
1A Division 1 Districts 1, 2, 3, 4 and 14
1A Division 2 Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8
6-man Division 1 Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8
6-man Division 2 Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

After I have mapped these out, I may make some adjustments then I'll list all the teams that are included. Also, if there are any changes due to appeals made to the UIL, I'll make those adjustments also.

Here's the link for the UIL website and realignment information: UIL Realignment Information

UIL Realignment is close!!

Originally published 1-24-12

Thursday, Feb. 2 is the biennial UIL realignment. As always, there is lots of speculation as to who is moving up or down, what the new districts are going to be and what impact is it going to have on travel, rivalries and what other changes will the UIL put out there. I will be posting my thoughts on the impact of the realignment on the West Texas region next Thursday. I suspect that there will be major changes in 5A and 4A since it looks as if some of the 5A schools in Lubbock and Amarillo will be shifting down to 4A. If that happens, then there will probably be one 5A district and two 4A districts in the Panhandle/South Plains/Permian Basin region. I'll also be looking at the El Paso region but it looks like most of that will stay close to what it has been the last couple of years.
There's also been lots of discussion about what schools will be moving to 6-man football since their enrollments have declined to levels that make it hard to field and compete in 11-man football. I've also been following the prospects of some of the smaller districts shutting their doors or deciding not to field athletic teams due to their enrollments.
All of these questions will be answered on Feb. 2 at 9AM.
We'll look at the 'solution' that the UIL puts out for us next week!

Football 2011 is completed: The Champions!

Originally published 1-24-12

Congratulations to all the teams that competed in State Championships. Win or lose, you made it to the big game. For the losers, it's a tough loss but in years to come you will remember that you and your teammates made it to the big game!!
The 2011 Texas High School Championship games and results are:
5A Div I - Southlake Carroll 36, Fort Bend Hightower 29
5A Div II - Spring Dekaney 34, Cibolo Steele 14
4A Div I - Austin Lake Travis 22, Waco Midway 7
4A Div II - Aledo 49, Manvel 28
3A Div I - Tyler Chapel Hill 20, Alvarado 19
3A Div II - Wimberly 21, Argyle 14
2A Div I - Melissa 28, Hempstead 15
2A Div II - Refugio 36, Cisco 35
1A Div I - Mason 62, Stamford 40
1A Div II - Tenaha 52, Munday 28
6m Div I - Throckmorton 48, Borden County 36
6m Div II - Richland Springs 76, Motley County 28

Last Week of Texas High School Football

Originally published 12-12-11

The final round of the Texas High School Football playoffs conclude this week with nine games at Cowboy Stadium in Arlington. West Texas teams looking for a State Championship include Cisco, Stamford, Mason and Munday. This past weekend three championships were decided. In 3A-Division1, Tyler Chapel Hill outlasted Alvarado 20-19; in the 6-man Division 1 championship Throckmorton defeated Borden County 48-36; and Richland Springs claimed the 6-man Division 2 title defeating Motley County 76-28.
Class 5A:
Division I State Final
Southlake Carroll vs. FB Hightower, 4:00 p.m. Saturday, Cowboys Stadium
Division II State Final

Spring Dekaney vs. Cibolo Steele, 8:00 p.m. Saturday, Cowboys Stadium
Class 4A:
Division I State Final

Hewitt Midway vs. Lake Travis, 8:00 p.m. Friday, Cowboys Stadium
Division II State Final

Aledo vs. Manvel, noon Saturday, Cowboys Stadium
Class 3A:
Division II State Final

Argyle vs. Wimberley, 4:00 p.m. Friday, Cowboys Stadium
Class 2A:
Division I State Final

Melissa vs. Hempstead, 8:00 p.m. Thursday, Cowboys Stadium
Division II State Final

Cisco vs. Refugio, noon Friday, Cowboys Stadium
Class 1A:
Division I State Final

Stamford vs. Mason, noon Thursday, Cowboys Stadium
Division II State Final

Munday vs. Tenaha, 4:00 p.m. Thursday, Cowboys Stadium
Class 3A:
Division I State Champion
Tyler Chapel Hill 20, Alvarado 19
Six-man:
Division I State Champion
Throckmorton 48, Borden County 36
Division II State Champion

Richland Spring 76, Motley County 28

Next to last weekend of Texas HS Football this week

Originally published 12-4-11

High School football season in Texas is winding down. There are just two weekends of playoffs left. In fact, this weekend will see the first three champions crowned. West Texas football is represented by Borden County, Throckmorton and Motley County in the six-man championships.
Class 3A:
Division I State Final
Alvarado vs. Tyler Chapel Hill, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Cowboys Stadium
Six-man:
Division I State Final
Borden County vs. Throckmorton, 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Abilene
Division II State Final
Motley County vs. Richland Springs, 7:00 p.m. Saturday, Abilene
Other playoff games involving West Texas teams include:
Class 3A:
Division II State Semifinals
Monahans vs. Argyle, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Abilene Wylie
Class 2A:
Division I State Semifinals
Muleshoe vs. Melissa, 7:00 p.m. Friday, Sweetwater
Division II State Semifinals
Cisco vs. Corsicana Mildred, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Mansfield’s Newsom Stadium
Class 1A:
Division I State Semifinals
Stamford vs. Mart, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Brownwood
Garrison vs. Mason, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Waco’s Floyd Casey Stadium
Division II State Semifinals
Wellington vs. Munday, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Childress

West Texas High School Sports

Originally published 11-30-11
 
West Texas is home of some of the finest high school sports teams in the state. While it’s hard to cover every school and every sport, I want to concentrate on some of the highlights each week.
Football playoffs continue this week with the Regional Finals for Class 5A Division 1 & 2; Class 4A Division 1 & 2; Class 3A Division 2; Class 2A Division 1 & 2; Class 1A Division 1 & 2 and Semi-Finals for Class 3A Division 1 and 6-Man Division 1 & 2.
West Texas is represented by Abilene in 5A Division 2; Wichita Falls Rider in 4A Division 1; Shallowater and Monahans in 3A Division 2; Muleshoe and Eastland in 2A Division 1; Holliday, Cisco and Sonora in 2A Division 2; Stamford, Seymour and Mason in 1A Division 1; Springlake-Earth, Wellington, Munday and Windthorst in 1A Division 2; Valley, Borden County and Throckmorton in 6-Man Division 1 and Motley County, Sterling City, Newcastle and Richland Springs in 6-Man Division 2.
This week’s playoff games and locations:
5A Division 2 – Abilene vs. Mansfield Timberview, 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Denton’s Collins Complex
4A Division 1 – Hewitt Midway vs. WF Rider, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Mansfield’s Newsom Stadium
3A Division 2 – Shallowater vs. Monahans, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Midland’s Grande Communications Stadium
2A Division 1 – Muleshoe vs. Eastland, 7:00 p.m. Friday, Odessa’a Ratliff Stadium
2A Division 2 – Holliday vs. Cisco, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Springtown
2A Divison 2 – Sonora vs. Refugio, 7:30 p.m. Friday, San Antonio’s Heroes Stadium
1A Division 1 – Stamford vs. Seymour, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Breckenridge
1A Division 1 – Mason vs. Shiner, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Georgetown
1A Division 2 – Springlake-Earth vs. Wellington, 6:00 p.m. Friday, Amarillo’s Dick Bivins Stadium
1A Division 2 – Munday vs. Windthorst, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Wichita Falls
6M Division 1 – Valley vs. Borden County, 7:30 p.m. Friday, Frenship
6M Division 1 – Throckmorton vs. Abbott, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Springtown
6M Division 2 – Motley County vs. Sterling City, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Borden County
6M Division 2 – Newcastle vs. Richland Springs, 5:00 p.m. Friday, Tuscola