The opening of Rockwall-Heath cut into Rockwall's enrollment enough that Rockwall dropped from Class 5A to 4A. The two Rockwall ISD schools have resisted playing each other, but now both will be in District 10-4A.

"I think it's going to be exciting for the whole community," Rockwall football coach Scott Smith said.

Keith Whitmire

In reality, the DISD has just three schools with 5A enrollments. Molina turned in an enrollment figure of 1,758 – well below the 5A cutoff of 2,085 – but petitioned to play in Class 5A.

Molina joins Skyline, Sunset and W.T. White in the new 9-5A, along with Carrollton Creekview and three Richardson schools.

"That's fine with me," Molina football coach Charles Deville said. "It gets me out of the Carter, South Oak Cliff, Lincoln and Kimball [4A] district and gives me some different people to play."

Keith Whitmire

Longtime power Southlake Carroll joins the traditionally strong Lewisville ISD programs and Coppell in the new 6-5A. The district will have only six teams, but four of them – Carroll, Flower Mound Marcus, Hebron and Lewisville – have won state titles in the last 12 years.

Keith Whitmire

Jesuit went from being grouped with Class 5A state football champion Euless Trinity to joining the Plano schools and Allen in the new District 8-5A.

Coach Bob Wunderlick said it will be hard to compete against four of the state's five biggest schools. But he said it won't be a bigger challenge than facing Trinity, Irving MacArthur and South Grand Prairie the last two years.

"We're never going to complain," said Wunderlick. "We are grateful to be in the UIL."

Gabriel Cabarrouy

For the first time since 1991, rivals Celina and Pilot Point will not play a football game. Celina coach Butch Ford said Pilot Point does not want to schedule the defending Class 3A Division II champs.

Pilot Point dropped to Class 2A. According to Celina Quarterback Club member Steve Carey, who has Celina's game-by-game scores dating to 1958, the schools have faced each other every season but two (1990 and 1991) in at least the last 50 years.

David Hinojosa

Coach Don Drake expected to be aligned in the same district as the three Plano ISD schools and Allen. Those schools, with Jesuit and Wylie, make up District 8-5A.

Boyd is moving up from Class 4A, where it advanced to the third round of the football playoffs last fall in only its second year of existence. Boyd was 0-10 in 2006.

"I'll be honest with you, I feel like people are making a funeral for us already," Drake said. "We know we are the new kids in 5A, and we are going get to play some of the best in Texas. In football, we've got 11, and they've got 11. We are going to prepare our kids."

David Hinojosa

Coppell basketball coach Brad Chasteen has experience in a six-team district. He's in another one in 6-5A with four Lewisville ISD schools and Southlake Carroll.

"It is a nightmare to make a schedule, because you can't find games in early January when everybody else is starting district," Chasteen said.

"As a coach, you want to stay in the routine of playing twice a week. As far as four teams making the playoffs, you can look at that two ways. Your odds are better, but if you don't make it, it doesn't look good."

Randy Jennings

Richardson's 26-game losing streak in football could end next season because of the realignment that placed the school in a district with Dallas ISD schools.

Coach Brent Whitson said it's not so much about new opponents, but the ones Richardson no longer must compete against: the Plano schools and Allen.

"There has been a perception in our community and in our hallways that we can't compete with those people," Whitson said. "It's a hard mind-set to ever change."

Richardson's new district mates are Carrollton Creekview, W.T. White, Sunset, Skyline, Molina, Richardson Berkner and Lake Highlands.

Richardson's last win came in September 2005 over Carrollton R.L. Turner. Then the streak began with a loss against Creekview.

Gabriel Cabarrouy

Football coach Gene Weir noted that his school went from a cozy district, where the longest bus ride was about 20 minutes, to a district that includes Abilene.

"When we were playing the Keller schools, we were just driving down the street," Weir said.

Cameron Maun

The happiest man in the room at the Birdville ISD/Fine Arts complex had to be Carrollton Newman Smith coach Paul Ressa. The cutoff number for 5A was 2,085, and Newman Smith turned in 2,084. It's better to miss being 5A by one than to make it by one.

Keith Whitmire

Girls basketball coach Cathy Self-Morgan wasn't pleased when the tournament director of the Sandra Meadows Classic invited DeSoto to compete in next December's event.

Self-Morgan frowns on playing district teams in the Classic.

Not to worry. With the rivals placed in different regions, that tournament director might have given them their only chance to play in 2008-09.

"What did he know that I didn't?" Self-Morgan asked.

Bobbi Roquemore

District 11-4A will offer great competition in boys basketball. It has ranked teams in Kimball, South Oak Cliff and Pinkston, a solid Carter team dropping from 5A, and rising teams North Dallas, A. Maceo Smith, Adamson and Seagoville.

Damon L. Sayles

(from a football perspective)

WINNERS

Richardson ISD 5A schools: No more complaining about playing in a district with giants (Allen and the Plano schools). Skyline might be the 9-5A favorite, but Berkner and Lake Highlands ought to compete for the title. Richardson should win at least a game or two against Dallas ISD schools.

Garland ISD: Homer B. Johnson finally got his dream district – seven Garland schools with no stinkin' outsiders. Garland schools are guaranteed four playoff berths after Rockwall kicked a bunch of their butts the last two seasons.

Carter: Carter moves down to 4A after years of petitioning to play in the state's largest classification. Coach Allen Wilson has been lobbying for this since he arrived at Carter in 2002. Now that his wish has finally been granted, the Cowboys will be expected to compete for state championships.

LOSERS

McKinney Boyd: Welcome to the big time, Boyd. The Broncos were a great story last season, winning a playoff game in the program's second year. But the jump from 4A to 5A is especially steep when you get stuck in a district with Allen, Plano, Plano East, etc.

Royse City: The move from 3A and 4A is tough no matter what. Even with QB Richard Morrison returning, Royse City will have a rough time making the playoffs out of 10-4A. Highland Park is the area's premier 4A program. Rockwall is moving down after back-to-back 5A playoff campaigns. Richardson Pearce, a big 4A school, should make the playoffs again. And Rockwall-Heath could make a major splash after a strong finish to last season.

Molina: It makes zero sense that a program that has always struggled to compete in 5A would petition to continue playing in the state's highest classification. District 9-5A isn't strong by 5A standards, but Molina's playoff chances will be slim and none.

5A: 2,085 and over

4A: 980-2,084

3A: 430-979

2A: 200-429

A: 199 and below