‘It’s always the great reveal.’ Boswell, Richland, Grapevine excited after UIL realignment
The new UIL realignments have been receiving predominantly solid reviews, however some coaches in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have been upset with upcoming travel plans.
New districts covering football, volleyball and basketball for the 2020-22 school years were announced Monday morning, and were followed by a frenzy among coaches who then needed to fill out their non-district schedules.
Over 200 coaches and athletic directors from DFW attended the bi-annual event at the Birdville Fine Arts Athletic Complex.
Among the day’s highlights:
- Arlington ISD was realigned with Grand Prairie ISD for the first time in nearly 40 years.
- Grapevine was dropped to Class 5A Division 2 and realigned with Fort Worth ISD and Carrollton Creekview.
- Fort Worth Paschal and North Crowley moved out of the Arlington district for the first time since 2009.
- Lake Worth is headed west with three teams over an hour away.
“We thought it was a 50-50 chance we’d go Fort Worth or up to Frisco. If it was Fort Worth, we thought Aledo was going to be with us,” Grapevine head football coach Mike Alexander said. “I didn’t think they’d pull Aledo back to Region 2.”
The Mustangs are no stranger when it comes to FWISD. They were in the same district from 2014-17.
“The schools are close and it’s not a big stretch. They have some really dynamic athletes,” Alexander said. “The only negative is trying to find sub-varsity games. A lot of those schools don’t carry two freshman or two JV teams so we’ll have to find games for all our kids to play.”
Grapevine lucked out on travel, but Lake Worth was less fortunate.
The Bullfrogs current football district has them in the middle of Fort Worth and 30 minutes from Kennedale. But the UIL realigned the program with Gainesville, Burkburnett, Wichita Falls Hirschi, Springtown and Decatur in 4-5A D1.
“We’re disappointed in the direction we were sent. Our district currently borders two neighboring school districts,” coach Tracey Welch said. “Although we’re aligned into a good district, it’ll be hard for our parents and families to watch their kids play.”
Boswell and Chisholm Trail were bumped up to 6A for the first time and will be in District 3-6A with Euless Trinity, LD Bell, Haltom, Paschal, Weatherford and North Crowley.
“I had an idea, but it’s always the great reveal. Our area is growing so much. I think 6A is our way of life and I don’t think we’ll go back down,” Boswell coach John Abendschan said. “They put us in a competitive district. Good teams, playoff teams and the kids are excited for the challenge.”
Richland was dropped to 5A D1 and will join Burleson Centennial, Colleyville Heritage, Mansfield Legacy, Mansfield Summit, Midlothian, Birdville and Red Oak in 4-5A.
Summit also dropped while Centennial, Midlothian and Red Oak moved up from D2.
“The Mansfield schools and Red Oak coming north was a surprise, but we have good people we’ll play. There are a bunch of good teams,” Richland coach Ged Kates said.
The Rebels began last season 0-4 before coming back to finish second in district. They played for a district championship in the final week of the regular season.
During the current realignment, Richland was in the largest classification for the first time. The last time the Rebels were in 5A, they had their best season and went 21-5 during the previous realignment.
“We went toe-to-toe with teams as good as anyone,” Kates said. “I definitely think everyone is excited, 5A is where we belong. Now we just have to go out there and play.”
Other notable changes include:
District 7-6A: What’s known as the “District of Doom” shifted to Region 2 in 11-6A. Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Waxahachie, Mansfield and Lake Ridge get Waco, Waco Midway and the best team in the Metroplex the last two seasons, Duncanville.
Kennedale: The Wildcats stayed in 6-4A D1 with Benbrook, Carter-Riverside, Eastern Hills, Dunbar, Western Hills, Diamond Hill-Jarvis and Castleberry. All other sports were realigned in 10-4A with Ranchview, Fort Worth Harmony School, Irving Uplift North Hills Prep, Arlington Uplift Summit International and Dallas Uplift Williams Prep.
YMLA/YWLA: The athletic program was in 6A during the current realignment, which forced YMLA to drop football. The school will now be in 8-4A for all other sports with Benbrook, Carter-Riverside, EHHS, Dunbar, WHHS and DHJ.
This story was originally published February 4, 2020 at 1:41 PM.
