Some changes made in UIL football realignment

Changes made in UIL realignment will move Jacksboro even further west in their football realignment.

The two-year UIL realignment was announced Monday morning. Jacksboro will remain in Class 3A Division II, but will see some changes.

Gone are Tolar and Rio Vista, which drop down to Class 2A Division I. Replacing them in the new District 5 are Eastland, which drops from Class 3A Division I and has been a non-district opponent for many years, and Merkel, which is outside of Abilene.

The district keeps Comanche, Dublin and Millsap. Jacksboro Coach Brannon Rodgers said things stayed pretty much the same, but he also admitted he was surprised by the layout.

“We had heard we might be going back to the Wichita Falls district, so I was pretty surprised by the whole thing,” Rodgers said. “I went to Wichita Falls and sent (Assistant Coach) Kirk (Rodgers) down to Abilene for all of this.”

Not much changed for the two six-man schools in the county for football, Perrin and Bryson will keep current teams Newcastle and Saint Jo and add Texas Leadership Academy – Arlington.

Bryson Coach Jason Briles said while he dos not know much about the Arlington school, he is glad to have them for two reasons.

“I don’t have to find another non-district game now,” Briles said with a laugh. “We had seen mock (districts) where we had just the four of us, so I’m glad the Arlington school is in there.”

Briles said he has a non-district schedule ready to go for 2020: Azle Christian, Strawn and Jonesboro at home and Throckmorton and Knox City on the road.

For the full story, see the Wednesday, Feb. 5, edition of the Jacksboro Herald-Gazette.