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Edinburg Vela and PSJA High reported snapshot numbers that have them moving from Class 5A to 6A when the UIL releases its realignment Feb. 1. But the schools could petition to remain in their existing classification, an option that some schools have exercised in the past.
With a 2,215 enrollment figure, Vela figures to re-join what was considered 6A in 2012, when the school first opened. At the time, the SaberCats (2,257) had the lowest enrollment number in a nine-team district that housed schools with 2,090 or more students. From 2012-14, Vela was in 30-5A with Donna High, Edinburg High, Edinburg Economedes, Edinburg North, La Joya High, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, La Joya Palmview and Sharyland High.
How the districts shake out for the 2016-18 realignment have yet to be determined, though there’s increasing speculation that Vela could potentially unite with its sister schools.
“Most coaches (across all sports on campus) anticipated it,” Vela athletic coordinator and head football coach Michael Salinas said upon learning the new conference cutoffs Friday. “We’ll be back at that (6A) level. We’ll be with some familiar opponents. I think it’ll be good for us either way.”
Vela has seen its figure increase by 266 since its 2013 snapshot, when it was the second-largest District 31-5A school behind Rio Grande City (1,976). The window then was 1,060-2,099. At 1,949, Vela was 150 shy of 6A figures in 2013. Still, Edinburg CISD asked the UIL if the SaberCats could move up to stay with their sister schools in 6A. One month before the 2014 UIL realignment, though, then-Edinburg CISD athletic director Joe Filoteo put in a request to the UIL to have Vela remain in 5A.
As it stands, Edinburg Vela is the largest 31-5A school at 2,215 — just 65 over the 2,150 cutoff for 6A schools. For 5A now, it ranges from 1,100-2,149.
Every school in District 30-6A remained comfortably above the 2,150 cutoff to stay in 6A, with La Joya Palmview the closest at 2,355.5. Each school aside from Palmview experienced increased enrollment since the last report. The largest, La Joya Juarez-Lincoln, also made the biggest jump, going from 2614.5 to 2875.5.
All seven District 31-6A teams will remain in the UIL’s highest classification. PSJA Memorial reported an enrollment of 2,171, just 21 above the minimum enrollment required for 6A schools.
Edinburg North continues to lead Edinburg CISD in enrollment figures with 2,728.
Though neither Weslaco High nor Weslaco East reported specific snapshot numbers before press time, Weslaco ISD athletic director Oscar Riojas confirmed that both schools turned in numbers that are comfortably above the cutoff.
Aside from PSJA High, every upper and mid-Valley school in District 32-5A remained comfortably below the 2,150 cutoff to stay in Class 5A. PSJA High reported a snapshot number of 2,205, which would move it to Class 6A along with PSJA Memorial and PSJA North.
Sister school PSJA Southwest would remain in 5A with a 2,075 number. Mercedes has the lowest enrollment number in the district at 1,350. Next to PSJA High, Southwest has the second-biggest number, followed by Donna High at 1,980, just four ahead of sister school Donna North.
Among the Class 4A upper-Valley schools, Hidalgo and Grulla will remain in Class 4A, Division I. Hidalgo reported a snapshot number of 1,018.5. Grulla has 1,053. Progreso reported a snapshot of 562, and will remain a Division II school in Class 4A.
Monte Alto, at 286, should remain in 3A, Division II. In 2A, La Villa will stand pat in Division I with a 174 figure.
Conference cutoff:
>> Class 6A 2150 and above
>> Class 5A 1100-2149
>> Class 4A 480-1099
>> Class 3A 221-479
>> Class 2A 105-220
>> Class 1A 104.9 and below
1A-4A Football Division I and Division II numbers:
>> Class 1A Division I 59–104.9
>> Class 1A Division II 58 and below
>> Class 2A Division I 158–220
>> Class 2A Division II 105–157
>> Class 3A Division I 319–479
>> Class 3A Division II 221–318
>> Class 4A Division I 723–1099
>> Class 4A Division II 480–722
Valley-snapshot enrollment
District 30-6A
La Joya Juarez-Lincoln 2875.5
La Joya High 2512.5
McAllen Memorial 2479
McAllen High 2455.5
McAllen Rowe 2440
Mission High 2363
La Joya Palmview 2355.5
District 31-6A
Edinburg North 2728
Edinburg Economedes 2552
PSJA North 2445
Edinburg High 2400
PSJA Memorial 2171
Weslaco High, not reported
Weslaco East, not reported
District 31-5A
Edinburg Vela 2215
Mission Veterans 2060
Rio Grande City 2049
Roma 1803
Sharyland High 1777
Sharyland Pioneer 1616
Valley View 1300 (approx.)
District 32-5A
PSJA High 2205
PSJA Southwest 2075
Donna High 1980
Donna North 1976
Edcouch-Elsa 1379
Mercedes 1350
District 16-4A, DI
Hidalgo 1018.5
Grulla 1053
District 16-4A, DII
Progreso 562
District 16-3 3A, DII
Monte Alto 286
District 16-2A, DI
La Villa 174