Biggest Storylines for Monday’s UIL Realignment in the Concho Valley

SAN ANGELO, TX — The UIL will release its biennial realignment at 9 a.m. Monday, which will affect schools across Texas as they find out their district for the next two school years.

Here are the biggest storylines facing schools in the Concho Valley (though you never know what curveball can get thrown our way).

It's also worth noting that a team's district in football often won't match its district in other sports. This preview will focus solely on football:

San Angelo Central’s Uncertain Future in District 2-6A

With Wolfforth Frenship’s enrollment dropping it to Class 5A, there has to be a change in District 2-6A.

Either the district will be comprised of the remaining five schools — Central, Odessa Permian, Odessa High, Midland Legacy and Midland High — or some addition or subtraction is about to happen.

Central is the obvious odd team out if someone is going to go.

Worst-case scenario, the Bobcats get sent to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex or Central Texas, increasing everyone’s travel and placing them with unfamiliar schools.

The best-case scenario is Central stays right where it is with its traditional rivals from the Permian Basin, even if a five-team district with four playoff spots takes a lot of drama out of the district race.

There's also the possibility the five remaining 2-6A teams stay together, and some far-flung 6As like Weatherford and Aledo are added to the mix.

Frenship Memorial was only 21 students below the Class 6A cutoff of 2,215, so Memorial could potentially fill that sixth spot in the district during the next realignment.

But for now, Central has to brace for some craziness that could be headed its way.

San Angelo Lake View’s District Conundrum

Lake View has already been on a bit of an island in Class 4A Division I with a four-team district for the last several years.

With Big Spring and Pecos dropping to 4A D-II, Lake View now has only Andrews left from last year's District 3-4A D-I, so a big change is on the horizon.

The three nearest 4A D-I schools to Lake View are Andrews, Midland Greenwood and Stephenville, so that could be a possibility, or perhaps a three-team district with Andrews and Greenwood could be in play.

No other scenario is ideal. Lake View could get shipped north with Panhandle schools like Canyon, Pampa and Plainview, or the Chiefs and Maidens could get moved to a Hill Country district with teams like Kerrville Tivy and Fredericksburg.

It seems unlikely Lake View would be sent all the way to El Paso.

Whatever happens, there are simply no easy solutions for Lake View in this realignment.

Wall’s Move to Class 3A Division I

Right after winning the 3A Division II state title, Wall is now moving up to 3A D-I.

Where the Hawks land will make a big impact for everyone involved.

The most likely scenario has Wall being placed with area schools like San Angelo TLCA, Clyde, Sweetwater and Jim Ned.

However, there’s also the possibility Wall could go north and west with teams such as Brownfield, Denver City, Kermit and Lamesa.

From a bigger-picture perspective, longtime 3A D-II power Gunter is also moving up to 3A D-I, so another Wall-Gunter playoff showdown could be in the cards.

Grape Creek the Last 3A Division II Team

With Wall moving up and Brady dropping down, the Grape Creek Eagles are the only 3A Division II school left in the Concho Valley.

Grape Creek may not be facing significant changes, however.

The Eagles have three district rivals from the last realignment — Coahoma, Merkel and Stanton — still in 3A Division II, and it seems likely they'll remain with them while possibly adding Crane.

Losing the defending state champion from its district, Wall, isn't going to break Grape Creek's heart, making a district title and improved playoff seeding a much-better possibility.

Brady’s Drop to 2A Division I

Brady saw a sizable drop in enrollment that has it going down to 2A D-I, which could mean a return with its traditional rivals.

Brady spent the last two years in 5-3A D-II with Clifton, Dublin, Early, Eastland and Tolar.

Brady could now be back in a more Concho Valley-centered district in Region I with teams like Ballinger, Christoval, Sonora, Ozona and Reagan County. 

The Bulldogs could also possibly go north with Abilene-area teams like Anson, Cisco and Hawley.

Or they could end up in Region II with teams like Ballinger, Coleman and Bangs.

Finally, Brady could get sent south to Region IV and end up with teams like Mason, San Saba and Johnson City. 

Brady seems to be at a crossroads with more possibilities than any team in our area, including three different regions in play.

Sterling City Back in Six-Man

After four years in the 11-man ranks in 2A Division II, Sterling City will be returning to the six-man game, where it won a state title in 2020.

It seems likely that Sterling City will be put in a district with state powers and longtime rivals Water Valley and Robert Lee, along with possibly Irion County and Veribest.

However, Sterling City could also go west with other strong programs like Garden City and Rankin.

Those are the only two scenarios that seem to be in play, but you never know with the UIL. 

Every realignment, there are expected outcomes and complete surprises, so no school can be truly comfortable until the districts are released Monday.