10-3A football gets face lift by the UIL

The biennial realignment is a big event for schools in Texas. Every two years, the UIL decides who is going to be playing who with the reclassification of all the districts from North to South and East to West.  That day took place last Thursday, and it had a big impact on what is the new 10-3A football district.  

Cameron will remain with the likes of Jarrell, Little River Academy, Rockdale and Troy, but there were two major shifts.  That includes Franklin moving out east to 11-3A, while McGregor shifts up north to 9-3A.  Manor New Tech and Lago Vista will be moving in to keep the district at seven teams.  

“It’s quite a bit the same, but you gained a couple and lost a couple,” said Yoe football coach Tommy Brashear.  “Most people would say that if you look at it on paper, you would say it’s a little bit easier.  Our other district had been considered one of the tougher ones in 3A for several go-arounds.  Now, that is without seeing those teams play a game or 7-on-7 or anything.”

Brashear could be on to something when he says the district could be “easier”.  Out of all the teams in the playoffs last season in 3A DI, no team returns more all-district players than Franklin at 19.  Manor New Tech has never played varsity football and will not have a senior class in 2018.  

Cameron is very familiar with Lago Vista, as they have been in the same district in the past, before moving into more of a southern district the last two seasons.  The Vikings finished 2017 with a 6-5 record, 4-1 mark in 13-3A, and 33-21 bi-district loss to Edna.  

“We have been with Lago before, and they have always been a tough team to play,” said Brashear.  “They are a little different than what they were back then and are more of a spread type of offense.  Back then, they were the slot-t and run it right at you type of offense.  It will be an interesting addition to our district and I think they may surprise a few people.”

Brashear was not shocked to see the changes to the district.  It was known that Manor New Tech was going to play varsity football in 2018 and their most logical landing spot was going to be 10-3A.  

“I told the Lago coach to send someone over to Waco in case this would happen, and he didn’t think this would happen,” said Brashear.  “I think some people were caught off guard a little bit, but there were things out there saying these things could happen.”

The full 3A DI football realignment

1-3A: Brownfield, Denver City, Kermit, Tornillo

2-3A: River Road, Bushland, Littlefield, Muleshoe, Shallowater, Slaton

3-3A: Breckenridge, Clyde, Early, Eastland, Jim Ned, Wall

4-3A: Bowie, Boyd, Brock, Paradise, Pilot Point, Ponder, Whitesboro

5-3A: Bonham, Commerce, Howe, Lone Oak, Pottsboro, Rains, Van Alstyne

6-3A: Dallas A+, Dallas Life Oak Cliff, Dallas Madison, Eustace, Kemp, Malakoff

7-3A: Atlanta, Hooks, Hughes Springs, Jefferson, Mt. Vernon, New Boston, Redwater

8-3A: Gladewater, Sabine, Mineola, West Rusk, Tatum, White Oak, Winnsboro

9-3A: Grandview, Groesbeck, Maypearl, McGregor, Teague, West, Whitney

10-3A: Cameron Yoe, Jarrell, Lago Vista, Academy, Manor New Tech, Rockdale, Troy

11-3A: Coldspring, Crockett, Diboll, Elkhart, Franklin, Westwood, Trinity

12-3A: Anahuac, Buna, Hardin, Kirbyville, Orangefield, Warren, East Chambers, Woodville

13-3A: Altair Rice, Boling, Columbus, Hempstead, Hitchcock, Palacios

14-3A: Edna, Goliad, Hallettsville, Luling, Industrial, Yoakum

15-3A: Cotulla, Jourdanton, Karnes City, Lytle, Marion, S.A. Cole, Randolph

16-3A: Aransas Pass, Bishop, Falfurrias, George West, Lyford, Mathis, San Diego, Santa Gertrudis Academy

All other sports

For pretty much all other Yoe sports, there were also some significant changes.  The UIL has placed Cameron in 19-3A with the likes of Franklin, Lexington, Academy, McGregor, Rockdale, Rogers and Troy. 

Hearne has moved down to 2A and Jarrell is moving to region IV. The move would seem to benefit basketball, where Jarrell is a traditional basketball power and is currently rated as the number one team in the state.  It does appears to make baseball a tougher road as Troy is consistently one of the better teams in the region.  

To note, the UIL has only officially released basketball and volleyball, but this should apply to all team sports besides soccer, as Cameron must compete in class 4A with the lack of 3A competition.