Random Musings February 13
The UIL has spoken. The next two years (20-22) UIL realignment assignments have been completed for all the schools under the UIL auspices. There is a short period for any school to protest their assignment by applying to another district. Very few are successful, so generally these opening assignments will be carved in stone.
Dripping Springs, in my opinion, should be happy with their new district. For the past two years they have really suffered from the weakness of their district. If you are a really competitive program, as Dripping Springs, then it is miserable to play in a district that basically gives you a bye all the way to the finals, if not beyond, especially in the girls sports. You cannot feel like your accomplishment was very much to brag about. A rather hollow feeling. As a coach and a player, I just never liked to be in one-sided games. As a player, you had worked hard to earn a starting position and then the games were so mismatched you’re playing time is extremely limited to help keep the score down. You get to list all the titles the school accrued but those really in the know understand the significance or lack thereof. It is like the Lone Star Cup mostly determined by district finishes The point total is inflated when in an easy district. You feel so much better when you have a feeling of having earned the results by going through the gauntlet of teams to get there. Now our condolences have to go out to Liberty Hill, who will be replacing us in the old district. They have a top athletic program in all phases as we do and will suffer the same way.
With the location of Dripping Springs, to my recollection, only my first year here in 1965 has DS been considered in the center of the district when Blanco, Johnson City, Buda and Kyle were district members. The rest of the time DS was on one end and had to travel the full length to all our opponents. This year will be no different. In the 5A classification, a school is actually assigned to two different districts. One for football and another for all the other sports and UIL activities. Football is divided into two separate classes, D1 or D2, according to enrollment. DS is D1.
This time DS returned to a district (12-5A D1) with teams from south to west. Dripping Springs (9-2) will join Hays Johnson (0-0), Hays Lehman (1-9), New Braunfels Canyon (0-10), San Antonio Harlandale (5-5), San Antonio McCollum (0-10), San Antonio Veteran's Memorial (9-3) and Seguin (5-6). On the surface, it looks to be a fairly weak district as well but that could be deceiving. Lehman and Canyon are dropping from 6A and the new life may just be what they need to compete better. Johnson is a new school with only underclass students, so quality unknown. The schools from San Antonio could get a boost from new faces as well.
Where the quality was really enhanced was in the second district assignment. We will be in District 26-5A in Region IV. Three former district members with strong sports programs, Alamo Heights, Boerne Champion and Kerrville Tivy will join DS, along with Hays Johnson, Hays Lehman, New Braunfels Canyon, San Antonio Veteran's Memorial and Seguin to make up the 9-team district. That will make district schedules 16 games and it should be very competitive to earn a playoff spot. Also cuts back on non-district scheduling.
For playoff purposes, the bi-district opponents will pose a problem as well. This time the Cedar Park-led district will provide the opposition for not only football as before but the other district too.