LOGOS of the six schools of District 17-3A.
By JOE DODD
The University Interscholastic League's bi-annual realignment produced its usual surprises when it was released yesterday morning in Austin. The big surprise for the Gilmer Buckeyes was a move from Region II to Region III as a member of District 17-3A.
Joining Gilmer in District 17-3A will be Bullard, Gladewater, Spring Hill, Tatum and Chapel Hill. The six schools combined for an impressive 50-23 record during the 2007 football season. Four of the six teams made the playoffs last season, including Gilmer and Tatum who were state finalists; Gilmer in 3A and Tatum in 2A.
“Somebody very good is not going to make the playoffs in our district,” said Gilmer head coach Jeff Traylor, who will bring a 34-game district winning streak into the season. “It's going to be tough,” admitted Traylor.
The last district game that the Buckeyes lost was in 2000 to Tatum, who joins Gilmer in the same district for the first time since 2001. “We lost Mineola, White Oak and Sabine, and picked up Bullard, Chapel Hill and Tatum,” stated Traylor.
The Buckeyes' pre-district schedule is just as difficult, as all five teams made the playoffs last season. Gilmer will open the 2008 season against the Jasper Bulldogs in the Trinity Mother Frances East Texas Football Classic. The Buckeyes and Bulldogs last met in the 2004 Class 3A Division II State Championship game which Gilmer won 49-47. “I think that will be a real good test for us,” said Traylor. “We'll find out real quick what we're going to be like.”
The remaining pre-district schedule includes Rains, Liberty-Eylau, Kilgore and Daingerfield. The 10 teams on the Buckeyes' schedule posted a combined 84-47 record in 2007. In addition to Gilmer's district winning streak, the Buckeyes' streaks of 25 consecutive home wins, 24 straight regular season wins and seven undefeated district championships in a row, will be seriously challenged this fall.
The biggest change for the Buckeyes will come in the playoffs. After two years with the largest enrollment in their district, Gilmer's student population will be second to Chapel Hill's, and means that Gilmer could go to the small school bracket if the Bulldogs make the playoffs.
No matter which division the Buckeyes play in, Traylor says their first round opponent from District 18 will be difficult. “If you get Carthage or Jasper in the first round, that's just like playing Liberty-Eylau,” said Traylor.
Gilmer’s reported high school enrollment for purposes of this realignment of 698 places it almost exactly in the middle sizewise in terms of 3A schools.
The lower 3A cutoff number went up from 2006 to 2008 by 15 students from 415 to 430 and the higher number went up 30 students from 949 to 979.
Other interesting realignment developments included Big Sandy’s return to 1A back in the district with Union Hill and the inclusion of two of Gilmer’s previous district opponents, Sabine and White Oak, in the 2A district which has as its members all Upshur County 2A schools except Ore City.
2008-10 Reclassification and Realignment Information
Conference 5A: 2085 and above, 254 schools
Conference 4A: 980-2084,
243 schools
Conference 3A: 430-979,
180 schools
Conference 2A: 200-429,
225 schools
Conference 1A: 199 and below
163 (11-Man) schools
Conference 3A
The following districts have byes: 6, 15, 23, 30
REGION 3
DISTRICT 17
Bullard
Gilmer
Gladewater
Longview Spring Hill
Tatum
Tyler Chapel Hill
Conference 2A
REGION 3
DISTRICT 17
Daingerfield
Hughes Springs
Jefferson
Linden-Kildare
Mount Pleasant Chapel Hill *
Ore City
Queen City
* Basketball only
DISTRICT 18
Big Sandy Harmony
Diana New Diana
Elysian Fields
Gladewater Sabine
Gladewater Union Grove
Harleton
White Oak
Winona
Conference 1A 11-Man
REGION 3
DISTRICT 17
Big Sandy
Detroit
Gilmer Union Hill
Hawkins
Maud
Simms Bowie
UIL Web site
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