UIL Realignment Sees Few Changes in Football, No Major Surprises

The UIL realignment came on Monday with a few changes, almost no surprises and now, El Paso football programs have some clarity on the outlook for the next two years (2020-22).

Here is the breakdown for each district in El Paso.

District 1-6A

* denotes new change *

Franklin
Coronado
Pebble Hills
Americas
Montwood
Socorro
Eastlake*
Eastwood*

Eastwood and Eastlake will join the 1-6A ranks through this realignment, which will only spice up the competition in this district. Now in an eight-team district, 1-6A will be a dog-fight with the likes of Americas, Franklin, Montwood and Pebble Hills finding success at the local level through the past few years. Eastlake is coming off a huge Super 5A district title while Eastwood won the district in 2018. Both teams have had success in recent years, making the top seed out of this district one of the most fascinating storylines to follow in 2020.

Eastlake is moving up to 6A for the first time in program history but Eastwood, on the other hand, will rejoin 6A after spending two seasons in Super 5A.

District 1-5A Division II

* denotes new change *

Andress
Austin
Irvin
Burges
El Paso High
Jefferson
Bowie

District 2-5A Division II

Hanks
Canutillo
Parkland
Ysleta
Horizon

District 1-5A Division I

Chapin
Bel Air
Del Valle
El Dorado

District 1-4A Division I

Clint
Mountain View
Fabens
San Elizario
Riverside*

District 1-5A will remain intact with the same teams as the previous realignment. As Riverside moved down to Class 4A, District 2-5A will have five teams now with Canutillo, Hanks, Parkland, Ysleta and Horizon.

What was once the Super 5A district built with the likes of Eastwood and Eastlake is now a four-team district. However, it's worth noting that Chapin will remain in District 1-5A Division I instead of possibly reclassifying downward.

Each team in 4A had made the playoffs by default in recent years because of the four-team district, but with Riverside in the mix, there will be a program left out of the state playoffs. Riverside showed promise in Gary Recoder's first year at the helm and it will be interesting to follow the Rangers in this new district.

What's next

Coaches will now spend the rest of the offseason planning out their entire 2020 football schedule, including their non-district opponents. We have seen a trend in recent years of coaches in El Paso venturing out to east Texas and scheduling big-name programs.

The trend will not just continue, but probably intensify in terms of competition levels that El Paso teams face.

Two scheduling nuggets were also noted today. KTSM's Colin Deaver reported that Eastwood and Bel Air will not play in the Battle of the Helmet for the next two years, which is the first time they will not hit the gridiron together in nearly four decades.

El Paso Times reporter Felix Chavez wrote that Montwood will likely play Burges, Midland High and San Angelo Central for their non-district slate.

For the full list of UIL realignment, click here.