UIL releases 2012-2014 realignment for High School athletics

Buffs move to Region 4, district competition changes

Thursday, February 2, 2012

The University Interscholastic League (UIL) today released its athletic realignment for the 2012-2014 seasons and Giddings has been moved back into Region 4.

The Buffs will be in District 26-3A and will face competition from two schools they’ve played in the recent past: LaGrange and Smithville; and three they haven’t played in years: Gonzales, Cuero, and Yoakum.  

2011 foes Caldwell, Rockdale, and Navasota were moved into District 18 and will face the likes of Taylor and Madisonville.

Enrollment at Giddings High School is listed this year at 656.5 students, up from 624 in 2011. The UIL enrollment range for 3A is 450-1,004 students. Enrollment numbers for the other schools in District 26 are: Gonzales 702.5, Cuero 574, Yoakum 477, Smithville 528, and La Grange 609.

If Gonzales fails to make the football playoffs, Giddings will go “big school” and play in Division I.  Last year Gonzales did make the playoffs and went two rounds. They got beat by Wimberley who went- the- distance and eventually claimed the Division II State title.  

Cuero, Yoakum and La Grange did not see post season action in 2011. Smithville lost to Columbus in round one and Giddings lost to Bellville in round one.  

One interesting note in the 3A realignment is that a total of 15 schools that were previously classified as 4A have been moved down to 3A. Prominent 4A programs like Stephenville, La Marque and Kilgore will join El Campo, Hidalgo Early College, Houston Furr, Houston Jones, Houston Kashmere, Houston Scarborough, Houston Sterling, Houston Washington, Houston Worthing, Houston Yates, Kingsville King, and Springtown and move to the 3A ranks.

Coach Jones has not yet announced a finalized schedule for the 2012 football season. He said he is meeting with the coaches in the new district and expects to release a finalized schedule tomorrow.

Last month Coach Jones said that Giddings might play Lexington because he was having trouble finding teams that were willing to face the Buffaloes. This past Tuesday he said that playing Lexington would be a last resort.  

Lexington is still classified as a 2A-Division II school. With this new realignment they were moved from Region 3 to Region 4 and placed in District 14 with Blanco, Jarrell, Johnson City, Rogers, Schulenburg, and Universal City Randolph.

Enrollment at Lexington is 268 students, down slightly from 272 in 2011. The UIL enrollment range for 2A is 200-449. The cutoff for Division II is 297.5.