Changing The Landscape

With UIL’s reclassification & realignment for the 2026-28 school years, Bosque County sees matchups shuffled by somewhat surprising changes

Revealing the final pieces to the puzzle, the University Interscholastic League (UIL) released its reclassification and realignment for the 2026-28 school years Monday. And after looking over the shuffling in Bosque County, The Sports Buzz predicts the somewhat surprising changes will produce some interesting matchups and results.

“I have learned to not even try to guess because it will almost always be different…and it was,” Clifton athletic director and football head coach Brent Finney said. “I saw projections that had us going in all four regions. With a little change in some surrounding districts enrollment, we thought we might change a little, but didn’t expect to be in an eight-team district.”

Picking up two schools moving down in classification and two moving up, the Clifton Cubs have been place in District 5-3A, DII of Region 2 along with Comanche, Dublin, Eastland, Hamilton, Milsap, Rio Vista and Tolar.

“Obviously, keeping Dublin, Eastland, and Tolar will be similar to the last two years,” Finney said. “We have been playing Hamilton in non-district the past two years, and we played Millsap and Rio Vista in non-district our first two years. Clifton has played Comanche some in the past, but we haven’t played them in the recent past. So there will be a good bit of familiarity within our district.”

It also might be one of the most competitive districts the Cubs have played in over the last decade with Comanche and Milsap moving down from Division I, while Class 2A, DI state champion Hamilton and Rio Vista will move up.

“Most people predicted us to either be with Hamilton and Comanche and stay out west, or pick up Rio Vista and maybe go more east, but not both,” Finney said. “Being in an eight-team district will be the biggest change. Only having three non-district games to prepare for district play, and having seven district games that all count will be a little different from the past.

“It will definitely be a grind of a district. Comanche dropping down and Hamilton moving up as state champions will both certainly be tough adding to our current district. Also, Rio Vista and Millsap have been very tough, competitive teams the past few years. Each week will be a huge game for sure.”

After spending years lining up with a host of state-ranked teams in their own district, the Meridian Yellowjackets finally caught a break. But by moving to District 8-2A, Division II of Region 2, the Jackets still find themselves in a very competitive seven-team league that included Crawford and Santo moving down from Division I, perennial powerhouse Mart, along with Frost , Hubbard and Wortham.

“We are excited about being in District 8,” Meridian athletic director and football head coach Jim Kerbow said. “Losing Bremond, Chilton and Goldthwaite is a huge weight lifted off shoulders. Now, we gained Crawford and Santo, which are very talented programs, and we kept Mart. But at the end of the day, we can compete in District 8. We can legitimately compete for a playoff berth in 2026.

“It is not what I expected at all, and not one mock alignment had us in this district. We are excited, and the kids are working hard.”

In Class 2A, Division I, the Valley Mills Eagles find themselves right back with a collection of familiar foes in District 8-2A, DI—Axtell, Bosqueville, Dawson, Italy, Itasca and Riesel.

“It’s what we expected to happen, except we didn’t see Riesel coming with us,” Valley Mills athletic director and football head coach Bob Featherston said. “I feel that Axtell is still going to be a big favorite to win the district, but the rest of us seem to be very close. Could be any combination of teams representing our district in the playoffs.

“I think the biggest difference in this alignment is where we would travel for the first round of the playoffs. We went East last alignment, but would head West on this one.”

In Class 1A, Division II six-man football, all five Bosque County squads—Cranfills Gap Lions, Iredell Dragons, Kopperl Eagles, Morgan Eagles and Walnut Spring Hornets—move to District 13-1A, DII in Region 4 and will be joined by the Three Way Braves of Erath County to form one of only five six-team districts in Division II.

“I was surprised a little, but to have every school in the county is a great thing,” Kopperl athletic director and football head coach Lonnie Flippen said. “We still have to deal with Three Way, but maybe we could still have a county champion named. I sure think that would be a neat thing.”

“Looking at the realignment, some things were expected, but there was definitely some surprises,” Iredell athletic director and football head coach Luis Guereca said. “I wasn’t expecting to keep Three Way in the Bosque County district. And moving to Region 4 is definitely different than what I am use to.”

But even though it will be the first time since the 2021 football season that all five Bosque County six-man teams played in the same district, it proved to be exactly what the other three county coaches expected. And with Walnut Springs moving back down to Division II, it seemed like the logical move.

“This is about what I expected—essentially the old Bosque County district with the addition of Three Way,” Walnut Spring athletic director and football head coach Richard Dye said. “I had not really expected Cranfills Gap to come in, but they’re in.

“Biggest thing for us is that we’re back in Division II now. We’re in with schools actually our size, as opposed to schools two-three times as large, numbers-wise. We’ll be on a more level playing field.”

“Yes, it was basically what I thought would happen,” Morgan athletic director and football head coach Alan Berrio said. “I was surprised that they left Three Way in after putting all of Bosque county together. Just odd to be the only district with six teams in the region. There’s two districts with four teams.

“The only difference is adding Walnut Springs and Cranfills Gap. We normally play both these teams in the preseason. So for us, not much as far as the season is concerned will not change.”

“My initial reaction to the realignment was positive and honestly not much of a surprise—this is the district I was kind of expecting,” Cranfills Gap football head coach Cason Cox said. “I feel like it’s going to be a good one.

“The biggest difference is the restoration of the Bosque County district and the addition of Three Way. That brings back several old rivalries we haven’t had in a while, which should be great. I think it will set up some really competitive and meaningful games.”