THS to play NE Texas schools in district

Pleasant Grove, Liberty-Eylau join newly formed District 8-4A

Pleasant Grove defensive coordinator Clint Fuller, left, and assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Justin Gibson look through the 2020-22 UIL District Assignment and Reclassification packet, which was released Monday morning at the Region 8 Education Service Center in Pittsburg, Texas.
Pleasant Grove defensive coordinator Clint Fuller, left, and assistant head coach/offensive coordinator Justin Gibson look through the 2020-22 UIL District Assignment and Reclassification packet, which was released Monday morning at the Region 8 Education Service Center in Pittsburg, Texas.

PITTSBURG, Texas - Texas High will face more traditional opponents in district football this fall, and Pleasant Grove and Liberty-Eylau saw minimal change in their district after the biennial UIL District Realignment was announced Monday at the Region 8 Education Service Center.

The Tigers, who spent the last two seasons facing John Tyler and metroplex schools, dropped to Class 5A, Division II in the newest realignment, and they will be grouped in an 8-team district with more regional schools.

"Travel-wise, it is really about the same," Texas High athletic director and head coach Gerry Stanford said. "It helps to have seven district games. We play Arkansas High, so we just have to find two other opponents instead of three or four."

Travel for a few of the district games will be in a different direction than the metroplex but still long treks for Texas High. The other schools to join THS in District 9-5A, Division II include Hallsville, Jacksonville, Pine Tree, Marshall, Mount Pleasant, Nacogdoches and Whitehouse.

Pleasant Grove and Liberty-Eylau, members of the newly formed District 8-4A, Division II, saw only one addition to the district that the teams have played the past two seasons.

"We had some teams that dropped us off their schedule once the districts came out," L-E athletic director and head coach Klint King said. "It has been eventful in that we are trying to fill out all of the holes on our schedule. I am excited about the district, and we can finally lay out the schedule. The district is what I had figured it was going to be; I'm excited to get ready, get this out of the way and get started for next year."

North Lamar moved into the league to join the Hawks and Leopards, along with Gilmer, Spring Hill and Pittsburg.

The Hawks are the defending state champions in 4A, Div. II, having won 2 out of 3 state titles while playing in the last three championship games.

"Our district is a lot of the same," PG head coach and AD Josh Gibson said. "It is the district we are used to plus the one added team. We are looking for more football games than any other team right now, to finish our non-district schedule. The added district game helps us in a big way."

In basketball and volleyball, Texas High will be matched up with Hallsville, Longview, Pine Tree, Marshall, Mount Pleasant and Sulphur Springs in District 15-5A.

For PG and L-E, their fellow District 15-4A opponents for basketball and volleyball will be Gilmer, Paris, North Lamar and Pittsburg.

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