By ANDREW CRUM, Staff Writer
A few months ago, the University Interscholastic League released its new enrollment numbers for the upcoming reclassification.
After some speculation, schools will finally get to see which district they will be placed in for the 2016-18 school years after the biennial reclassification is released Monday in Edinburg.
Schools can petition to remain in their existing classification, an option that some have utilized in the past.
“In regards to the realignment, we’re excited about the opportunities that the next season and the next two years bring,” Lopez football coach/athletic coordinator Jason Starkey said. “I know according to the numbers we’ll be 5A. I think that’s where Lopez High School belongs for the majority of our sports. I’m looking forward to Monday and how our district looks.”
Two years ago, the UIL added a Class 6A and four Brownsville schools — Brownsville Veterans Memorial, Lopez, Hanna and Rivera — jumped up one class with Los Fresnos, Harlingen High, Harlingen South and San Benito in 32-6A. Pace and Porter remained in Class 5A and added six different district opponents — Mercedes, Donna High, Donna North, Edcouch-Elsa, PSJA High and PSJA Southwest — to form a new 32-5A.
The new enrollment numbers have Class 6A at 2,150 and above, Class 5A at 1,100-2,149, Class 4A at 480-1,099, Class 3A at 221-479, Class 2A at 105-220 and Class 1A 104.9 and below.
According to the numbers, Lopez (snapshot enrollment number 2,094) and Brownsville Veterans (2,078) should drop down to Class 5A.
“Our numbers are not quite 6A, so if we end up 5A, that’s where we belong,” Brownsville Veterans coach David Cantu said. “We’ve been one of the smallest 6A schools in the Valley. I haven’t heard a negative comment from anyone. Every coach I’ve spoken to is excited to be in a new district.”
The coaches’ speculation is that the new District 32-5A will include Lopez and Brownsville Veterans alongside Pace and Porter, keeping four Brownsville schools together once again.
Mercedes, Edcouch-Elsa, Donna High and Donna North also would remain in place and round out the district.
“Regardless who ends up in our district, I know we’ll have our work cut out for us,” Starkey said. “Just because we’re moving down, by no means does that mean we’re guaranteed success.”
The coaches’ speculation for the new District 32-6A is for Rivera, Hanna and Los Fresnos to remain with Harlingen High, Harlingen South, and San Benito, and then add Weslaco High and Weslaco East based on their proximity and competition level to complete the district.
If those districts end up like that, football season alone will be quite intriguing.
“Personally for football, it’s exciting to have new teams on our schedule,” Cantu said. “But our goals don’t change of being district champions or as deep as we can go in the playoffs. In my opinion, there’s not a whole lot of difference between 5A and 6A football, you can only have 11 out there at a time anyway.”
Cantu was excited to face some opponents they haven’t played very often in the past.
“It’s something fresh, something new. It’s intriguing to me,” he said. “I grew up playing some of those one-school, high school towns like Mercedes and Edcouch-Elsa. Those towns are absolutely full of energy and pride.
“If that is what shakes out, I think it will be a fantastic district.”
Starkey felt the UIL numbers are where they should be.
“I think it will even the playing field for a lot of our programs,” he said. “It comes down to the numbers in participation. I think the UIL got it right with their cutoff numbers, and I’m excited for what it means for us.”
Andrew Crum covers sports for The Brownsville Herald. You can reach him at (956) 982-6629 or via email at [email protected]. On Twitter he’s @andrewmcrum.