“While a team can be talented and full of camaraderie, the districts, at the end of the day, mean everything. They essentially can make or break your season, as easy competition can lift you up or hard competition can bring you down. Jesuit, for example, has had breakout teams like last season’s basketball, this season’s football and swimming teams, but the majority have struggled. That’s what makes realignments so significant.” -Jason Davis ’21
Every two years, the University Interscholastic League changes the high schools in each district to make sure the same teams aren’t dominating each year. The 2020-2022 UIL Districts have been revealed to us and there are a plethora amount of changes and questions that need to be discussed for all Jesuit Athletics fans.
Brief Summary of How the UIL Determines Districts
To keep it brief, every two years, the University Interscholastic League, or the UIL, divides schools into districts depending on their enrollment. This school enrollment then determines what classification (1A-6A) the schools are a part of. Smaller schools identify with 1A, or six-man football, and the bigger schools, like Jesuit, identify with 6A. After that, schools within 6A are then divided into districts based on region. Districts 1-8 are a part of Region 1, Districts 9-16 are a part of Region 2 and so on. Then, schools part of the same school district and same classification are placed together under one district.
After the season, when the playoffs role by, for 6A, the top 4 teams make it to the playoffs. Then, a team has to win a certain amount of game to win the state championship. For 6A, it would take 6 playoff wins and for 1A, 5 wins.
The process of assigning schools to districts is much more complicated than you would imagine. These are just the frameworks of how the UIL determines districts for schools.
Now, before we get into Jesuit’s district, let’s look at the Districts of Doom.
Districts of Doom
District 5 Schools: Allen, Denton Braswell, Denton Guyer, Little Elm, McKinney, McKinney Boyd, Prosper
District 5 seems like a nightmare for the teams involved.
For football, according to MaxPreps, schools like Allen, Denton Guyer, and Prosper all ranked in the top 20 in all of Texas.
For basketball, according to MaxPreps, those same three headed monsters in Allen, Denton Guyer, and Prosper all rank in the top 27, with Allen and Denton Guyer being both being in the top 10!
McKinney, McKinney Boyd, and Little Elm must be ready for a long ride.
District 11 Schools: Cedar Hill, DeSoto, Duncanville, Mansfield, Mansfield Lake Ridge, Waco, Waco Midway, Waxahachie
If you thought District 5 was bad enough, wait until you hear what District 11 has in store.
For football, Duncanville, Cedar Hill, and Desoto, alone, all ranked in the top 18.
Even more terrifying, for basketball, Desoto, Waxahachie, Allen, and Duncanville all ranked in the top 26!
Waco and the other schools, barring massive changes, will not have fun playing these schools.
Jesuit Catches A Break
This season, Jesuit faced the likes of Allen and Prosper who both presented a challenge against Jesuit. But, with the new district reveal, Jesuit dodges a bullet. Jesuit will only have to play one top 25 team in two of the major sports. Jesuit will get to face the following: Irving, Irving MacArthur, Irving Nimitz, Richardson, Richardson Berkner, Richardson Lake Highlands, and Richardson Pearce.
For football, compared to this season, the toughest opponent will likely be Lake Highlands who ranked 64th in Texas while we were in the top 25. It would not be wild to assume that Jesuit are the favorites to come out on top if they repeat last season’s performance. The other teams, such as the Irving teams and the Richardson teams, only ranked, at highest, for 6A, 170.
For basketball, Jesuit will have a challenge playing Richardson who currently rank 5th in all of Texas this season. With Julius Marble’s departure, Jesuit has struggled to match the outstanding 29-6 record they produced last season as they are now 12-18, currently sitting at 214th in Texas. That can obviously change next season, but everyone can project Richardson as the most challenging opponent they will have to face.
Despite the easier schedule, Jesuit must compete hard and win the ‘easy’ games. The amount of wins will be the only thing that matters.
Stay tuned to The Roundup for more coverage of UIL athletics!
