UIL realignment announced for 2016-18

Salado will travel north and east instead of southeast during the next two years of xfootball. The Eagles will play in District 9-4A Div. II football in the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

The Eagles will be the smallest school by about 15 students, having turned in an enrollment of 492 students.

Other schools in District 9 include Waco Robinson, 712 enrollment, Waco Connally, 660, Lorena, 537, Fairfield, 513, Mexia, 507.

For the past two years, Salado has competed in District 11-4A, traveling southeast to play football  against Caldwell, Giddings, Smithville and  La Grange. The shortest distance Salado traveled was 74.9 miles to Caldwell. Giddings is 78.2 miles away, Smithville is 91 miles away and La Grange is 112 miles away.

While Fairfield is an even farther drive than La Grange at 115 miles, the other schools in Salado’s new district are much closer. Mexia is 93.5 miles away, Waco Connally is 58.9 miles away, Robinson is 46.4 miles away and Lorena is 38.8 miles away.

The Eagles will play basketball in the same district as last year, with one addition. Leander Glenn High School joins the district with grades 9-10 in 2016-17 and grades 9-11 in 2017-18.

Salado and Llano are the smallest schools in District 19-4A with 492 and 493 students respectively. The student enrollment counts really jump after that with Leander Glenn, 815, Burnet, 939, Taylor, 1,007, Lampasas, 1,024 and Liberty Hill, 1,091.

With a recorded enrollment of 492 students, Salado is the 10th smallest district in 4A. Salado High has 76 transfer students enrolled this year.

Without those transfer students, Salado would drop to 3A competition, where the Eagles would compete in 3A, Division I in football. Student enrollment for 3A, Div. I is 319-479 students.

Without the 76 transfer students, Salado would be smaller than three of the schools competing in District 10-3A Div. I, which is composed of several of Salado’s historic rivalry teams, including Jarrell, Academy, McGregor and Troy. District 10-3A, Div. I includes Cameron Yoe, 452 students, 44.3 miles travel distance; Troy, 444 students, 24.9 miles travel distance; Rockdale, 427, 47.5 miles travel distance; McGregor, 413 students, 40.3 miles travel distance; Academy, 406 students, 16.4 miles travel distance,  Jarrell, 392 students, 16.4 miles travel distance and Franklin, 348 students and 77 miles travel distance.