These football teams benefited the least from UIL realignment
The Star-Telegram continues its “Spring Forward” series with a look at the top teams in Dallas-Fort Worth that will benefit the least from realignment.
Grand Prairie
The Gophers made history last season by making the playoffs for the first time since 1989. But it looks like they won’t be back for at least two seasons as they’ve been reclassified into the "District of Doom" with Mansfield, Lake Ridge, Summit, Waxahachie, South Grand Prairie, DeSoto and Cedar Hill.
Along with the Gophers, six other teams from this district made the playoffs in 2017. All eight teams combined to go 65-33.
Mansfield has won district titles the past two seasons. Summit and Waxahachie went to the regional round and Lake Ridge played in the state quarterfinals. DeSoto won a state title in 2016 and Cedar Hill is a three-time champion.
Grand Prairie’s new coach Tony Tademy, who spent seven seasons at TCU, replaces Gary Bartel.
FW Trimble Tech
The Bulldogs have had just two winning seasons since 2004, according to Max Preps. Now Tech moves up a class to 6A.
It usually takes times for teams to get accustomed to a new class so we'll have to see how long it takes the Bulldogs to gain their footing at the highest classification in the state. They're now in a District 4-6A with five Arlington schools, FW Paschal and North Crowley.
Justin Northwest
If you’ve kept up with our “Spring Forward” series, the Texans made it on Monday’s list of teams that will benefit the most from realignment. If it’s all about winning regular season games and district titles, it made sense. But how far can they make it in the playoffs? Northwest is in 4-5A Division II with six Fort Worth schools. Wyatt and Southwest are playoff teams, but the four others went a combined 9-31.
Not to mention they'll have to replace this U.S. Army All-American...
Princeton
Same goes for the Panthers, who moved up to 5A Division II. Princeton has been postseason bound every year since 2010. But can the Panthers continue the tradition in 7-5A Division II? Not only do they have to compete in a higher class, but they have to do so in a nine-team district with Denison, Denton Braswell, four Frisco schools, Lake Dallas and Lucas Lovejoy.
April 2- Top 4A teams
April 3- Top 5A teams
April 4- Top 6A teams
April 5- Top QBs
April 6 - Top RBs
April 9- Top WRs
April 10- Top OLs
April 11- Top DLs
April 12- Top LBs
April 13- Top DBs
April 16- Top Hires
April 17- Top 4A games
April 18- Top 5A games
April 19- Top 6A games
Tuesday- Top teams that will benefit from realignment
Check back on Thursday for way-too-early district champion predictions for local districts!
This story was originally published April 25, 2018 at 12:38 PM with the headline "These football teams benefited the least from UIL realignment."