Sweetwater Red
02-17-2016, 05:16 PM
The 10 toughest districts in Texas high school football
Aside from a few outstanding appeals that the UIL will sort through, the dust has settled on this round of district realignment, when the teams across the state were put in new district, region and class distinctions for the next two seasons.
So now that we have our new districts, the question on everyone’s mind: what are the toughest new districts in Texas high school football?
Luckily, that’s why we’re here at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. We crunched the numbers and figured out which 11-man districts have the highest average number of wins per team from 2015. That’s to say, how many games did each team in these new districts win in 2015, on average? Then, we’re able to sort out which districts are the toughest.
Without further ado, here they are: the 10 toughest districts in Texas high school football for 2016.
10 — District 11-6A
Longview, Mesquite, Mesquite Horn, North Mesquite, Rockwall, Rockwall-Heath, John Tyler, Tyler Lee
Average 2015 Wins: 7.8
It’s rare to find an eight-team district where every team finished at or above .500 in 2015, but such is the case in this wide-ranging district encompassing eastern DFW teams (like North Mesquite and Rockwall) and Tyler teams (John Tyler and Tyler Lee). Six of the eight teams made the playoffs, three won at least 10 games, and two — Longview and Rockwall — made it to the regional final.
9 — District 11-2A DI
Alto, Cushing, Joaquin, Price Carlisle, San Augustine, Shelbyville
Average 2015 Wins: 8
The key here is quality depth. There’s not one overwhelming team buoying this six-team district, but instead a triumvirate — Shelbyville, Alto and Price Carlisle — that won 12, 11 and 10 games, respectively. Factor in the always dangerous San Augustine and a prime-for-a-rebound Joaquin, and you’ve got one tough grouping.
8 — District 9-3A DII
Arp, Beckville, Elysian Fields, Harleton, Troup, Waskom, West Rusk
Average 2015 wins: 8.1
It’d be easy to point to two-time defending 3A DII champ Waskom and say “well, that’s why it’s a tough district.” But it goes much deeper than that. West Rusk was a 12-win regional finalist; Beckville, a move-up from 2A DI, won 11 games; and even Arp caught fire in the playoffs, finishing in the regional semis. All told, five of the seven teams made the playoffs, and combined for a whopping 14 playoff victories.
7 — District 5-3A DI
Callisburg, Howe, Pilot Point, Pottsboro, Van Alstyne, Whitesboro
Average 2015 Wins: 8.1
Once again, there’s no overwhelming squad making this district so tough; instead, it’s that every team is tough. Three ten-win teams in Pottsboro, Callisburg and division move-up Howe are tough enough, but consider this: six of the seven teams made the playoffs last year, and the team that didn’t — Pilot Point — finished 7-3.
6 — District 5-2A DII
Iraan, Irion County, Menard, Van Horn, Wink
Average 2015 Wins: 8.2
Surprised to see this one here? Don’t be. Iraan’s run to the regional final is the bellcow, but don’t forget that Menard went 9-3 and Van Horn went 8-4. Even the only team with a losing record here — Wink — made the playoffs last year. This is as sneaky-difficult a district as you’ll find in the state.
5 — District 15-2A DII
Ganado, Kenedy, Refugio, Shiner, Weimar, Yorktown
Average 2015 Wins: 8.3
Here’s the most remarkable part of this district: Ganado and Kenedy had bad years in 2015! Yes, really! Those two teams combined to win just five games, meaning the other four teams are largely driving this average. And they sure are: state finalist Refugio, regional finalist Shiner (who lost to Refugio), regional semifinalist Yorktown, and regional semifinalist Weimar (who lost to Refugio). Yowza.
4 — District 13-4A DI
Burnet, China Spring, Gatesville, Lampasas, Liberty Hill, Waco La Vega
Average 2015 Wins: 8.6
Yes, there is a trio of super heavy hitters at the top, led by 4A DI state champion Waco La Vega and two teams that lost playoff games to La Vega by a combined 19 points (Liberty Hill and China Spring), but there is quality depth here, too, albeit sneaky. Gatesville had a tremendous season with an ugly 6-7 record, losing by a touchdown to China Spring in the regional semis. And even Burnet is dangerous, losing in the first round to Liberty Hill to finish at 6-5. This is an example of a district with a few clear frontrunners and a lot of landmines.
3 — District 25-6A
Austin Vandegrift, Austin Westlake, Buda Hays, Cedar Park Vista Ridge, Kyle Lehman, Lake Travis, Leander
Average 2015 Wins: 8.7
No surprise here, right? You’ve got both Class 6A runners-up in Lake Travis and Westlake; you’ve got two of the most dangerous 5A move-ups this year in Vista Ridge and Vandegrift; and you’ve got a number of always dangerous programs that had a down year last season. This is one of only two districts in the state that features two teams that played for state championships last year (we’ll get to the other in a moment), and considering it added two teams that made runs to the state semifinals and regional finals in 5A last year? Goodness.
2 — District 4-2A DI
Anson, Forsan, Hawley, Post, Stamford
Average 2015 Wins: 9.2
How about this for a secretly outstanding district? It’s not that there is one outstanding team here — the furthest a team went in the playoffs was Forsan, who went from 5-5 in the regular season to the regional semifinal to finish at 7-6 — but that everyone put together at least 7 wins. Post is an ultra-dangerous drop-down from 3A after going 11-1; Hawley and Stamford both went 10-2; and Forsan went 8-3. Needless to say, every district game here will be a war.
1 — District 10-3A DI
Cameron Yoe, Franklin, Jarrell, Little River Academy, McGregor, Rockdale, Troy
Average 2015 Wins: 9.5
This district has everything you want in a Toughest District In Texas. The preeminent program in its class? Check — Cameron Yoe, which has made the last four title games and won three of them. A move-up with plenty of credentials? Check — Franklin, the 3A DII runner-up last year at 15-1. A trio of teams poised for a big leap to the top? Check — Jarrell, Rockdale and Troy went a combined 28-7 last season and look ready for a big 2016. A couple of potential spoilers? Check — Academy and McGregor were both playoff teams last year. All told, the numbers bear out that 10-3A DI looks like the toughest district in Texas.
http://www.texasfootball.com/look-the-10-toughest-districts-in-texas-high-school-football/
Aside from a few outstanding appeals that the UIL will sort through, the dust has settled on this round of district realignment, when the teams across the state were put in new district, region and class distinctions for the next two seasons.
So now that we have our new districts, the question on everyone’s mind: what are the toughest new districts in Texas high school football?
Luckily, that’s why we’re here at Dave Campbell’s Texas Football. We crunched the numbers and figured out which 11-man districts have the highest average number of wins per team from 2015. That’s to say, how many games did each team in these new districts win in 2015, on average? Then, we’re able to sort out which districts are the toughest.
Without further ado, here they are: the 10 toughest districts in Texas high school football for 2016.
10 — District 11-6A
Longview, Mesquite, Mesquite Horn, North Mesquite, Rockwall, Rockwall-Heath, John Tyler, Tyler Lee
Average 2015 Wins: 7.8
It’s rare to find an eight-team district where every team finished at or above .500 in 2015, but such is the case in this wide-ranging district encompassing eastern DFW teams (like North Mesquite and Rockwall) and Tyler teams (John Tyler and Tyler Lee). Six of the eight teams made the playoffs, three won at least 10 games, and two — Longview and Rockwall — made it to the regional final.
9 — District 11-2A DI
Alto, Cushing, Joaquin, Price Carlisle, San Augustine, Shelbyville
Average 2015 Wins: 8
The key here is quality depth. There’s not one overwhelming team buoying this six-team district, but instead a triumvirate — Shelbyville, Alto and Price Carlisle — that won 12, 11 and 10 games, respectively. Factor in the always dangerous San Augustine and a prime-for-a-rebound Joaquin, and you’ve got one tough grouping.
8 — District 9-3A DII
Arp, Beckville, Elysian Fields, Harleton, Troup, Waskom, West Rusk
Average 2015 wins: 8.1
It’d be easy to point to two-time defending 3A DII champ Waskom and say “well, that’s why it’s a tough district.” But it goes much deeper than that. West Rusk was a 12-win regional finalist; Beckville, a move-up from 2A DI, won 11 games; and even Arp caught fire in the playoffs, finishing in the regional semis. All told, five of the seven teams made the playoffs, and combined for a whopping 14 playoff victories.
7 — District 5-3A DI
Callisburg, Howe, Pilot Point, Pottsboro, Van Alstyne, Whitesboro
Average 2015 Wins: 8.1
Once again, there’s no overwhelming squad making this district so tough; instead, it’s that every team is tough. Three ten-win teams in Pottsboro, Callisburg and division move-up Howe are tough enough, but consider this: six of the seven teams made the playoffs last year, and the team that didn’t — Pilot Point — finished 7-3.
6 — District 5-2A DII
Iraan, Irion County, Menard, Van Horn, Wink
Average 2015 Wins: 8.2
Surprised to see this one here? Don’t be. Iraan’s run to the regional final is the bellcow, but don’t forget that Menard went 9-3 and Van Horn went 8-4. Even the only team with a losing record here — Wink — made the playoffs last year. This is as sneaky-difficult a district as you’ll find in the state.
5 — District 15-2A DII
Ganado, Kenedy, Refugio, Shiner, Weimar, Yorktown
Average 2015 Wins: 8.3
Here’s the most remarkable part of this district: Ganado and Kenedy had bad years in 2015! Yes, really! Those two teams combined to win just five games, meaning the other four teams are largely driving this average. And they sure are: state finalist Refugio, regional finalist Shiner (who lost to Refugio), regional semifinalist Yorktown, and regional semifinalist Weimar (who lost to Refugio). Yowza.
4 — District 13-4A DI
Burnet, China Spring, Gatesville, Lampasas, Liberty Hill, Waco La Vega
Average 2015 Wins: 8.6
Yes, there is a trio of super heavy hitters at the top, led by 4A DI state champion Waco La Vega and two teams that lost playoff games to La Vega by a combined 19 points (Liberty Hill and China Spring), but there is quality depth here, too, albeit sneaky. Gatesville had a tremendous season with an ugly 6-7 record, losing by a touchdown to China Spring in the regional semis. And even Burnet is dangerous, losing in the first round to Liberty Hill to finish at 6-5. This is an example of a district with a few clear frontrunners and a lot of landmines.
3 — District 25-6A
Austin Vandegrift, Austin Westlake, Buda Hays, Cedar Park Vista Ridge, Kyle Lehman, Lake Travis, Leander
Average 2015 Wins: 8.7
No surprise here, right? You’ve got both Class 6A runners-up in Lake Travis and Westlake; you’ve got two of the most dangerous 5A move-ups this year in Vista Ridge and Vandegrift; and you’ve got a number of always dangerous programs that had a down year last season. This is one of only two districts in the state that features two teams that played for state championships last year (we’ll get to the other in a moment), and considering it added two teams that made runs to the state semifinals and regional finals in 5A last year? Goodness.
2 — District 4-2A DI
Anson, Forsan, Hawley, Post, Stamford
Average 2015 Wins: 9.2
How about this for a secretly outstanding district? It’s not that there is one outstanding team here — the furthest a team went in the playoffs was Forsan, who went from 5-5 in the regular season to the regional semifinal to finish at 7-6 — but that everyone put together at least 7 wins. Post is an ultra-dangerous drop-down from 3A after going 11-1; Hawley and Stamford both went 10-2; and Forsan went 8-3. Needless to say, every district game here will be a war.
1 — District 10-3A DI
Cameron Yoe, Franklin, Jarrell, Little River Academy, McGregor, Rockdale, Troy
Average 2015 Wins: 9.5
This district has everything you want in a Toughest District In Texas. The preeminent program in its class? Check — Cameron Yoe, which has made the last four title games and won three of them. A move-up with plenty of credentials? Check — Franklin, the 3A DII runner-up last year at 15-1. A trio of teams poised for a big leap to the top? Check — Jarrell, Rockdale and Troy went a combined 28-7 last season and look ready for a big 2016. A couple of potential spoilers? Check — Academy and McGregor were both playoff teams last year. All told, the numbers bear out that 10-3A DI looks like the toughest district in Texas.
http://www.texasfootball.com/look-the-10-toughest-districts-in-texas-high-school-football/