The Duncanville football team will open this season with a road trip to Abilene for a marquee matchup against Odessa Permian. It's the kind of game that adds excitement to the start of the season.

It's also the kind of long-distance nondistrict matchup that could be rare in the future.

"I know other districts are having to take a hard look at trips," Duncanville ISD athletic director Kevin Ozee said. "In the future, we're probably going to have to adjust."

LOUIS DeLUCA / DMN

Teams such as Euless Trinity may play Odessa Permian in playoffs, but will have to curtail other long-distance matchups.

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That's because gas prices have risen dramatically in the last few months. Back on the UIL realignment day of Feb. 1, when schools were setting their football schedules for the next two years, gas was more than $1 cheaper per gallon than now.

On Feb. 1, according to AAA and the Oil Price Information Service, the average cost in Dallas for a gallon of regular unleaded was $2.84 and diesel was $3.32. On Friday, it was $4.73 for diesel.

"We're going to play real close to home, anything we go to," Garland ISD athletic director Homer Johnson said. "We've got enough stuff in the metroplex, we're not going to be leaving the metroplex."

Most schedules for the 2008-09 school year are already set for each sport, and there will be some long trips. In August, a dozen Dallas-area volleyball teams will travel to the Houston area to play in the Pearland Classic.

But most of those area teams are covering their own expenses through fundraisers. Many districts already ask teams taking out-of-town trips to help offset costs. The Grand Prairie and Lewisville ISDs, for example, limit road trips to 75 miles.

"That doesn't apply to playoffs, and there can be exceptions," Grand Prairie ISD athletic director Fred Clausen said, "but we have so many schools in the area, we should be able to find games."

Despite the spike in gas prices, no team in the Pearland Classic has pulled out. The Duncanville Tournament of Champions, another big volleyball tournament that includes teams from Houston, San Antonio and Amarillo, hasn't had any teams drop out, either.

And the same is true for the Texas Gridiron Classic, the seven-game football showcase at Texas Stadium that will match area teams against out-of-state squads on Labor Day weekend. The event organizer, Chicagobased Intersport, said it has not raised its travel stipends, leaving teams flying or busing to the games to bear any price increases.

Area school districts that use Dallas County Schools buses to transport their athletes to events will avoid those higher costs in the 2008-09 school year. DCS, which provides transportation for nine area districts, did not raise its rates for bus service for athletic and other extracurricular trips. As during the last school year, the cost will be $40 per hour with a two-hour minimum, regardless of mileage.

Other school districts, such as Allen, Garland, Grand Prairie and Rockwall, use their own buses. They are trying to absorb the extra costs.

"We've asked for a 15 percent increase for funds for buses," Rockwall ISD athletic director Mark Elam said. "We've talked about hosting more tournaments and games next year. Things where we can avoid traveling as much and still get quality competition."

Schools and districts are also considering money-saving options.

Irving ISD athletic director Joe Barnett said teams from Irving, Irving MacArthur and Irving Nimitz might share a bus for certain events. St. Mark's athletic director Mark Sullivan said the school's wrestling and swim teams might have to share a charter bus for the winter SPC championships. More coaches also are getting certified to drive smaller district vehicles, such as SUVs and passenger vans.

Athletic directors indicated that groups such as cheerleaders and bands will continue to be transported.

"If fuel costs continue to rise, decisions will have to be made, but I don't think any of those groups will be eliminated," DeSoto athletic director Dave Meadows said. "The first cut would be at the freshmanjunior varsity level. It may be that we only play six or eight games instead of 10."

Higher transportation costs will create a trickle-down effect, Barnett said. Funds might be shifted from equipment or supplies to transportation. In some districts, a locker room might not get painted or a team might have to wait another year for new uniforms.

"We're holding our breath to see how much the costs are going to go up," he said. "We don't have much of a choice. We can't hitchhike."

Staff writers Billy Eichenholz, Randy Jennings, Bobbi Roquemore and Keith Whitmire contributed to this report.