UIL Realignment is the most popular parlor game in the state of Texas, perhaps no more so than in the Greater Austin area. As Texas’ newest “big city,” Austin’s explosive growth has resulted in some of the wildest whiplash-inducing classification swings in the state.
Austin’s 6A contingent has been primarily centered on District 25 and 26-6A in recent years and that largely remains the same this time around. District 25-6A remains anchored by the five Round Rock ISD schools – Round Rock, Stony Point, McNeil, Cedar Ridge and Westwood -- along with Austin Vandegrift and Cedar Park Vista Ridge. Manor also remains in the district for a second straight cycle while Hutto -- part of the district in 2020-22 – returns to form an extremely tough 9-team district.
Nine teams had been the norm for a District 26-6A dominated by perennial football powers Westlake and Lake Travis. Dripping Springs’ emergence left the larger Austin ISD schools – Austin High, Anderson, Bowie and Akins – along with Del Valle and Buda Johnson fighting for the final spot in multiple sports. With Anderson dropping down to 5A this cycle, however, and Johnson sliding south into District 29-6A to join schools between Austin and San Antonio like San Marcos, Cibolo Steele and Schertz Clemens, District 26-6A has shrunk to just seven teams.
With everyone in Austin remaining as part of Region IV and District 27-6A and 28-6A being comprised solely of San Antonio schools, the Austin-San Antonio rivalry will only intensify as the Capital City (25/26) and the River City (27/28) teams will clash in Area Round playoffs.
The shifting demographics caused the largest tectonic shifts in Conference 5A. Leander ISD schools Cedar Park, Rouse, Glenn and Leander, along with Georgetown and Georgetown East View anchor District 8-5A-1, joined somewhat randomly by newer schools Lake Belton and Killeen Chaparral. The big news there is the move to Region 2, meaning they’ll immediately head north to the DFW area for the Area Round and beyond.
On the other side of town, Pflugerville Weiss joins Austin Anderson in moving back down to 5A. Together, they’ll join the two 5A Hays CISD schools Hays and Lehman, Cedar Creek, Pflugerville Hendrickson, Lockhart, College Station and A&M Consolidated in a sprawling 12-5A-1. That Region 3 assignment points them all in the Houston direction for later in the playoffs.
The 5A schools along I-35 between Austin and SA -- Smithson Valley, New Braunfels and Seguin -- will join Boerne Champion and a smattering of San Antonio schools in District 13-5A-1 while Northside Jay and several newer southside San Antonio teams partner with Laredo-area schools in District 14-5A-1.
Liberty Hill joins the mid-size AISD schools – Crockett, LASA, McCallum and Navarro – plus Bastrop, Elgin and the two smaller PfISD schools Pflugerville and Pflugerville Connally in a tough District 11-5A-2.
It’s all much neater in 5A Basketball. All four PfISD schools join both Georgetown ISD schools and Elgin in District 23-5A; all six AISD 5A teams join both Bastrop ISD teams in 24-5A; and, the four 5A Leander ISD schools join Liberty Hill, Lockhart and Hays CISD’s Lehman and Hays in 25-5A.
Austin ISD schools Eastside, Johnson (LBJ), Northeast and Travis have moved down to 4A where they should all be much more competitive. They’ll join Austin Achieve, Manor New Tech and Taylor in
District 13-4A-1. Lago Vista, meanwhile, hangs on in 13-5A-2 for football and joins the AISD schools and New Tech in 25-4A for basketball.
Meanwhile, Taylor, Salado, Burnet and Lampasas go back in time to the last decade. Those longtime 4A rivals are back together again, anchoring 24-4A basketball where they’ll be joined by Georgetown Gateway Prep, Jarrell and Marble Falls.
The watercooler debates and online arguing about which districts work and which ones don’t; which are fair and which are gerrymandered beyond belief are just beginning. In just under eight months, the arguments move to the fields and the gymnasiums for the next two years.
REACTIONS
Hutto heads to 25-6A for the next 2 years. Hutto joins some familiar opponents in Round Rock, Leander, and Manor ISD Schools. The Hippos will look forward to closer drives in 25-6A compared to the last 2 years. This is a very competitive district, but I feel the Hippos fit in with the good competition. “There are some classy coaches and teams in 25-6A. All of the ADs in the district are hard-working, lead with integrity, and are a pleasure to work alongside,” said Brad LaPlante, Hutto ISD Athletic Director.
“Overall we are excited about where we landed in 5A Division I and 5A Division II for football and for our non-football sports. We will not be traveling near as far as we have been the last two years for either.Post season play in football Region 3 will be some travel, but when you are in the post season that typically isn’t a concern,” said James McEachern, Pflugerville ISD Athletic Director.
“We are excited about our new district. We'll have a lot less travel and more fans in the stands on Friday nights. Our new district will be tough and very athletic.”
- Kent Walker, Liberty Hill Athletic Coordinator, Head Football Coach.
“We have a very strong district. There will be no weeks off. Quality teams from top to bottom.”
- James Keller, Manor Athletic Coordinator, Head Football Coach
“The new district looks competitive and close by. I like the idea of playing schools closer as they get the communities more involved and create some rivalries and true Friday Night Lights. By removing some state powers, our district is much more competitive each week.”
- Michael Wall, East View Head Football Coach, Campus Coordinator