By Brian Argabright
The 830 Times
On the table were the possibilities that Del Rio High School would spend the next two years competing against either schools from San Antonio or West Texas.
Instead, the Texas University Interscholastic League decided to keep Del Rio right where it’s been since 2008.
Monday’s realignment announcement placed Del Rio High back in District 30-6A along with Eagle Pass High, Laredo Alexander, Laredo LBJ, Laredo United and Laredo United South. Joining those schools will be San Antonio Southwest and San Antonio Southwest Legacy which each moved up from Class 5A to 6A.
Del Rio has been lumped with Eagle Pass and Laredo schools since the 2008-2009 school year. Southwest returns to the district for the first time since 2017. The Dragons were in the same district as Del Rio from 2014 to 2017. Legacy last played Del Rio in 2021 and is 2-0 versus the Rams.
Gone from the district is Castroville Medina Valley. After spending two years at the Class 6A level, the Tigers are moving to District 14-5A, joining Eagle Pass C.C. Winn, Laredo Martin, Laredo Nixon, Northside Jay, San Antonio MacArthur, San Antonio Southside and South San Antonio.
UIL realignment takes place every two years. Schools are classified based on student enrollment. Districts are created based on a school’s classification and proximity to other schools of equal class size. However, with schools moving up and down in class based on enrollment, it can be difficult for UIL to create districts with teams as close to each other as possible.
Initial projections placed Del Rio in a district featuring other schools from San Antonio, similar to what the Rams and Queens played in from 1994 to 2008. There were other early projections that placed Del Rio in West Texas in a District 2-6A along with Midland High, Midland Lee, Odessa, Odessa Permian and San Angelo Central but only for football.
Even as late as Friday evening San Felipe Del Rio CISD administrators and coaches were still unsure where Del Rio High would wind up playing for the next two years. Aiding in the confusion was a rumor that Laredo United ISD would be grouped with teams from the Rio Grande Valley to create something of a super district along the Southwest Texas border.
Instead, Del Rio will remain in its familiar surroundings.
“I am extremely excited about the outcome of this realignment,” San Felipe Del Rio CISD Athletic Director Frenchey McCrea Jr. said Monday morning. “It provides a competitive, exciting district with familiar teams that we have continued to compete against throughout the years.”
BRACKETTVILLE AND COMSTOCK
For football, Brackett High remains in District 2A, Division II along with Center Point, D’Hanis, Junction, La Pryor and Sabinal, but the group will be joined by Harper.
For other sports, Brackett moves to 29-2A. Joining them will be returning schools La Pryor, Sabinal and San Antonio Stacey. Center Point, Harper and Johnson City LBJ will comprise the remainder of the schools in the district.
Comstock is currently in District 31-1A in regards to basketball, volleyball, cross-country and track and field. Along with the Panthers and Lady Panthers currently are D’Hanis, Knippa, Leakey, Medina, Nueces Canyon, Rocksprings and Utopia. Following realignment, Comstock will remain in 31-1A along with the other seven current schools.
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Contact the author at drnhsports@gmail.com
