Cooke County —
The wait is over and the scrambling began early Thursday morning with the release of the University Interscholastic League’s biennial realignment. Schools around the state learned who their district opponents will be for the next two years in football and basketball.
Most projections held true for schools around the area, but Gainesville got thrown a curve ball.
The Leopards will be joined in the new look District 9-3A along with rival Sanger, Bridgeport, Decatur, and Krum. With only a five team district Gainesville had to begin scrambling early Thursday to find a couple of extra games. Gainesville, already scheduled to play Decatur in the pre-district had to fill that slot along with week five, which was the previously scheduled bye week. With a five team league, the Leopards now have their bye week during the district schedule.
Gainesville has tentatively replaced Decatur with Iowa Park in the pre-district and picked up Vernon in week five.
“I feel we will have a good chance to compete in football and the basketball side of things may have gotten a bit tougher,” Gainesville Athletic Director Lance Gary said about the new 9-3A. “I feel it should be a good competitive district with a lot of parity.”
With fewer teams and a totally new look to district 9-3A Gary feels his kids will be excited about the challenge.
“The kids enjoy change,” Gary said. “I’ve never personally been in a five team district but it will be interesting. I usually like to have the bye week before district but I can see how it could benefit you during the district part of the schedule too.”
To the west the Lindsay Knights got the district they expected but lost some pre-district opponents along the way.
Lindsay will join county rival Valley View in District 7-A Division I, along with Blue Ridge, Chico, Collinsville and Trenton.
“We are excited about the district, but we’ve been really been working on our non-district schedule,” Lindsay Athletic Director Cody Bounds said. “We’ve had some teams like Sacred Heart and Era not want to play us anymore, so that has really put us in a bind to find games. It’s a busy time right now, an exicting time, but it will be a lot better once we get it all worked out.”
Muenster and Era landed in the new District 8-A Division II for football. They will be joined by Electra, Munday, Perrin Whitt and Petrolia.
It shapes up to be possibly the toughest Class A Division II district in the state. Munday is coming off an appearance in the state title game, Electra was a playoff team in 2011, and Muenster reached the state quarterfinals.
“Travel will be a big concern,” Muenster Athletic Director Brady Carney said. “Besides district, our bi-district area travel will be near Abilene.”
Era Athletic Director Matt Fanning had the same concerns.
“I really didn’t think our district would go all the way to Munday,” Fanning said. “It will probably be the toughest district in [Class A] Division II.”
The basketball side of the district will be much better for travel considerations as the in county rivals get to stay intact. Era will join Lindsay, Muenster, Valley View and Collinsville.
“The old traditional district basketball rivals get to stay together, I was pleased to see that,” Fanning said.
Callisburg, as projected will be joined with a lot of old Class 3A schools in the new District 5-AA Division I. The Wildcats will see Bowie, Pilot Point, Whitesboro, Ponder, Paradise and Boyd in 2012.
In basketball, Callisburg will be grouped in District 11-AA with Bells, Howe, Pottsboro, S&S, Tom Bean, Whitesboro and Whitewright.
Local News
Related Photos
-
The Gainesville Leopards will be in District 9-3A along with Sanger, Krum, Decatur and Bridgeport. File photo
Guest Book
League announces district realignment
- Local News
-
-
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
The 2012 national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement
mobilization began Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those
who don’t buckle up. -
Don't let food poisoning ruin your holiday
As with all holiday feasts, Memorial Day cookouts may carry a
heightened risk of food poisoning, depending on the “hows and whats”
of the meal. -
Education Award Winners
Staff photo by Greg Russell
Gainesville Daily Register Publisher Jim Perry (left) and Assistant
Editor Delania Trigg display awards recently granted to the newspaper
for coverage of education. Perry holds a “Community Member
Recognition” award, granted by Gainesville Independent School
District; and Trigg holds a “School Bell Award,” presented by the
Texas Retired School Personnel Association. -
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
The 2012 national “Click It or Ticket” seat belt enforcement
mobilization began Monday to help save lives by cracking down on those
who don’t buckle up. -
Tallying continues in Gainesville hospital board election
The tallying continues for administrators of the May 12 Gainesville
Hospital District election — who have scheduled a recount for 2:30
p.m. today in the North Texas Medical Center boardroom.
-
Hirings and kind words fill GISD board meeting
Hirings and commendations highlighted Monday’s regular Gainesville ISD
Board of Trustees meeting.
-
Additional Cooke County sentencings released
Jeremiah Johnson Jarvis, convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly
weapon, was sentenced to seven years probation and fined $1,500, plus
$253 in court costs. -
Letter carriers collect tons of food for VISTO
A Cooke County benefit organization currently has another several
thousand pounds of food to spread among families in need, thanks to
collection efforts by the Gainesville Post Office. -
'Pink ladies' now seeing red at medical center
For the first time in their history, North Texas Medical Center
Auxiliary members are wearing red. -
Eclipse over Lake Ray Roberts
Sunday evening’s partial annular eclipse of the sun is shown here as
seen from the Lake Ray Roberts shore during sunset. - More Local News Headlines
-
Gainesville PD joins 'Click It or Ticket' campaign
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
Calif.'s Coronado Named Nation's Best Beach
CEO Salaries Become Sore Issue in Labor Disputes
Raw Video: Fight Erupts in Ukrainian Parliament
Texan Ranchers Remain Wary of Drought
Raw Video: Soldiers Plant Flags at Arlington
Police: Man Arrested in Etan Patz Disappearance
NYC Protests: the Revolution Will Be Scripted
Chicago U.S. Attorney Fitzgerald Resigns
Neighbors of Etan Patz's Suspect: It's Shocking
Gulf Fishermen Reel From Seafood Troubles
Stuntman Makes Skydive Without Parachute in UK
Raw Video: Bride Who Faked Cancer Released
