‘It always made the most sense.’ UIL shakes up Arlington district during realignment
For the past 10 years, Fort Worth Paschal and North Crowley have played with the five Arlington ISD schools (Arlington, Bowie, Lamar, Martin, Sam Houston).
Tough times on the football field as both Panther programs never reached the playoffs in that span. North Crowley’s last appearance came in 2008; Paschal’s in 1995.
But on Monday, both schools learned that for the first time since 2009, they will play in a non-Arlington district.
The UIL announced its new realignment for the 2020-22 seasons with a majority of the Dallas-Fort Worth area coaches gathered at Birdville Fine Arts Athletic Complex.
North Crowley and Paschal, which have been paired together for the past 20 years, will be in District 3-6A starting next school year. They’ll be joined with Euless Trinity, Boswell, Chisholm Trail, Haltom, LD Bell and Weatherford.
Boswell and Chisholm Trail are in Class 6A for the first time.
“It was a little bit of a shock,” Paschal head football coach Chris James said. “I personally didn’t think it was going to happen, but now that it did, it’s time to know the new guys we’ll be competing against. It should be fun.”
Paschal, which went 2-8, suffered losses to Arlington schools last season by 20, 59, 52, 52 and 42 points.
“I don’t think the district we’re going into is that much different. It will still be highly competitive,” James said. “You never know with UIL realignment, but I’m excited for our kids and community to have an opportunity to see some other schools during the next two years.”
The North Crowley boys basketball team has been one of the top programs in the state the past two decades.
Head coach Tommy Brakel agreed with James on the level of competition.
“At a basketball standpoint, it’s solid across the board and when you get into the girls sports, it’s going to be challenging with some of those schools,” he said. “But when you play in 6A Region 1, there’s no hiding from it. You always expect the unexpected with UIL realignment. What makes the most sense typically doesn’t happen. But there are a lot of schools with Fort Worth addresses so that makes sense this year.”
Next Door Neighbors
Arlington and Grand Prairie border each other, yet it’s been nearly 40 years since the two districts were aligned together.
The five Arlington schools move from 4-6A to 8-6A with Grand Prairie and South Grand Prairie.
Sam Houston coach Anthony Criss said that hasn’t happened since the early 1980s when he was in high school. And it’s been 10-12 years since Arlington ISD was in District 7 or 8.
“It came as a huge shock. We thought maybe the Mansfield schools, but it always made the most sense. We border each other. I’m like 6 miles from South Grand Prairie, 8 from Grand Prairie so it’s the perfect distance,” Criss said. “And it’s going to renew some neighborhood rivalries.”
Five of the seven schools were playoff teams last season.
“It’s going to be really interesting. Seven teams and four slots,” Criss said. “Every game will truly be important.”
“I thought North Crowley, Weatherford and Paschal only because that’s been our history the past 10 years. Maybe a slight chance Mansfield and Lake Ridge,” Arlington coach Scott Peach added. “The game changer was the Saginaw schools coming up. I think there were enough schools out west to make two districts without us. It’s a good district and will be very competitive.”
This story was originally published February 3, 2020 at 9:47 AM.
