UIL realignment makes changes for Knox schools
PROTECTED CONTENT
If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.
Username and Password Help
Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.
By James McAfee/The Knox County News-Courier—
The three local high schools in Knox County got their new district assignments, some expected and others a surprise, when the UIL released its new alignment for football, basketball and volleyball this week.
As expected, Munday got good news in being assigned to District 6-2A Division II in football along with Archer City, Quanah, Electra, Seymour and Olney. The latter two dropped down from Division I. Both Munday and Quanah had been in a Panhandle district the past two seasons, creating extra long trips for followers of the Moguls.
Knox City picked up a formidable new opponent in District 3-1A Division I in Spur, the team that eliminated the Greyhounds from the playoffs last fall. Joining them will be Crowell, Northside and Paducah.
“Realignment was fairly what I expected in football.” said Knox City Athletic Director Caleb Callaway. “We knew Chillicothe was going down to D2 so there was going to be some change. I didn’t know for sure which way Northside would go, but they ended up staying with us and Paducah and Crowell and we picked up Spur. It is a pretty tough district, but it is also a district with teams we have been with at some point over the past four years. We are excited about the change and know we must get ready this offseason and summer to play in this new district.
Benjamin remains in 8-1A Division II along with Harrold while Chillicothe and Rule replace Throckmorton and Woodson.
In basketball, Knox City will no longer be in District 16-1A with Knox rivals Benjamin and Munday. Instead, it will be in 15-1A with Aspermont, Paint Creek, Lueders-Avoca, Roby, Rotan and Rule.
“Basketball was a little bit different than I have seen since I have been here,” added Callaway. “We got moved into a new district altogether. It looks like Electra took our place in our old district. So moving forward we have: Aspermont, Paint Creek, Lueders-Avoca, Roby, Rotan and Rule. It will be a couple of years of new faces and opponents. It was a bit more shocking because we really didn’t see that being the direction we went, but that is realignment. You never know what you are going to get when you open that packet.”
Meanwhile, Benjamin and Munday will remain in District 16-1A for basketball along with Chillicothe, Crowell, Electra, Harrold and Northside.
The three Knox schools will remain in the 1A division of District 5-2A in volleyball along with Quanah, Crowell, Chillicothe, Paducah and Northside.
No additional comments were received from the other two athletic directors.
