UIL Releases Tentative District Re-Alignments for 2022-24
New Faces, New Places
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
EAST TEXAS – The University Interscholastic League (UIL)released the 2022-23 and 2023-24 tentative football, basketball and volleyball district assignments on the morning of Feb. 3. For some area teams, there will be some big changes as schools who have not typically faced one another in district play will soon square off in the athletic arena.
The remaining district alignments for sporting events will be released no later than March 2022, with the academic alignments to follow.
The district assignments will not be considered final until after the UIL District Assignment Appeals Committee meets on Feb. 23.
According to the UIL, “When all appeals are completed, the District Assignment Appeals Committee shall approve the assignments to districts. Until this approval, contracts for contests by participant schools are not effective.”
So, without further ado, here is what the UIL has come up with for the next two years.
Starting with football, the Oakwood Panthers have been placed in Class 1A DII District 9. Their six-man district opponents will be: Apple Springs; Ladonia Fannindel; and Trinidad.
The Grapeland Sandies will remain at the Class 2A DI level following the 2022 realignment and will have a vastly different slate of district opponents from the ones they faced the last two years. The Sandies have been placed in District 11-2A DI and will be joined by: Garrison; Joaquin; San Augustine; Shelbyville; Timpson; and West Sabine.
The Cayuga Wildcats will reside in Region II District 7-2A DI for the next two years. They will be joined by: Axtell; Italy; Itasca; Kerens; Malakoff Cross Roads; and Rio Vista.
The Frankston Indians remained in Class 2A and have been assigned to District 10-2A DI. They will be joined by: Beckville; Big Sandy; Gladewater Union Grove; Harleton; Hawkins; and Ore City.
The Lovelady Lions remained as a Class 2A DII school and the Lions were placed in District 12-2A DII. They will also face a very different district schedule as they will be joined by: Colmesneil; Deweyville; Evadale; Hull-Daisetta; and Sabine Pass
Moving to the Class 3A DI level, the Crockett Bulldogs will see some old and some new foes in District 9-3A DI. The Bulldogs will be joined in their new district by: Coldspring-Oakhurst; Diboll; Huntington; Shepherd; Westwood; and Woodville.
The Elkhart Elks dropped down from Class 3A DI to DII and have been assigned to Region IV District 13-3A DII. The Elks will be joined in the district by: Buffalo; Clifton; Florence; Lexington; and Rogers.
The Palestine Wildcats are the only Class 4A team in the area and they have been placed in District 9-4A DI along with: Athens; Henderson; Jacksonville; Kilgore; Lindale; and Tyler Chapel Hill.
While the boys are on the gridiron, the girls will be at the net for a little volleyball action. The Class 1A area schools are broken up into two districts. In Region III, District 22-1A will feature: Avalon; Coolidge; Oakwood; and Trinidad.
In Region IV, District 25-1A will feature: Apple Springs; Kennard; Laird Hill Leverett’s Chapel; and Neches.
At the Class 2A level, the remaining Houston County teams will be grouped together in District 23-2A. The district will consist of: Colmesneil; Corrigan-Camden; Grapeland; Groveton; Latexo; and Lovelady.
District 21-2A will feature: Alto; Cayuga; Frankston; Kerens; and Malakoff Cross Roads.
The area 3A teams are also scattered throughout two districts. District 20-3A will be comprised of: Buffalo; Elkhart; Fairfield; Franklin; Groesbeck; Mexia; Teague; and Westwood.
The Crockett Lady Bulldogs have been assigned to District 23-3A and will be joined by: Anderson-Shiro;
Cleveland Tarkington; Coldspring-Oakhurst; New Waverly; Onalaska; Shepherd; and Trinity.
Rounding out the area volleyball alignments, the Palestine Lady Cats will compete in District 18-4A, where they will contend against: Bullard; Hudson; Jacksonville; Madisonville; and Rusk.
The 2022-2023 Official District Alignment for Basketball was also released on Thursday. The Class 1A level shows the smallest area schools competing in Region IV, District 26-1A and District 27-1A.
The schools in District 26-1A are: Avalon; Bynum; Coolidge; Milford; Oakwood; Penelope; and Trinidad.
In District 27-1A, the schools are: Apple Springs; Groveton-Centerville; Kennard; Laneville; Martinsville; Neches; Slocum; and Wells.
Moving to the Class 2A level, area schools have been assigned to Districts 19-2A and 20-2A. In District 19-2A, the schools are: Cayuga; Frankston; Kerens; LaPoynor; Malakoff Cross Roads; and Martin’s Mill.
In District 20-2A, the schools are: Centerville; Grapeland; Groveton; Latexo; Leon; and Lovelady.
At the 3A level, area schools were placed in Districts 20-3A and District 23-3A. In District 20-3A the schools are: Buffalo; Elkhart; Fairfield; Franklin; Groesbeck; Mexia; Teague; and Westwood.
The Crockett Bulldogs have been placed in District 23-3A, along with: Anderson-Shiro; Cleveland-Tarkington; Coldspring-Oakhurst; New Waverly; Onalaska; Shepherd; and Trinity.
The Palestine Wildcats and Lady Cats will compete in District 18-4A. They will face: Bullard; Hudson; Jacksonville; Madisonville; and Rusk.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
