Area teams to meet new opponents in coming year

The Texas University Interscholastic League has announced the Reclassification and Realignment for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. The Daingerfield Tigers and Hughes Springs Mustangs will meet some new opponents due to the change. Both area teams will be in Class 3A, with Hughes Springs in Division I, and Daingerfield in Division II.

The Mustangs will be competing in District 8-AAA, Division I in football. Their district opponents will include Gladewater Sabine, Jefferson, New Boston, Redwater, and White Oak. This will give the Mustangs an entirely new district lineup from previous years.

The Daingerfield Tigers will also have an entirely new lineup of district opponents this coming season, although some foes will not be completely unknown to the Tigers. Joining the Tigers in 7-AAA, Division II will be DeKalb, New Diana, Hooks, Paul Pewitt, Ore City, and Queen City. With six districts opponents, the Tigers will only see an opportunity for four non-district matches.

The basketball realignment pits the Tigers and Mustangs against each other in District 14-AAA. The two local teams will also see DeKalb, Hooks, New Boston, Paul Pewitt, Queen City, and Redwater on their district schedules once basketball season begins.

Texas UIL sets the conference cutoff numbers for each year. For the 2016-2017 seasons, the AAA Conference will include schools who have a minimum enrollment of 221, but no more than 479, students. Even though both Daingerfield and Hughes Springs both fall into the AAA classification, their enrollment numbers caused them to be placed in separate Divisions. The AAA Division 1 cutoff is 319 to 479 students enrolled, while the Division 2 enrollment cutoff is 221 to 318 students.