UIL alignment restores rivalries

University Interscholastic League realignment announced Monday morning returns Fairfield to a familiar fold, facing the same district teams it did in 2006-08.

The biennial alignment puts the Fairfield Eagles back into district competition with Mexia, Groesbeck and Madisonville, along with Palestine and Palestine Westwood.

The district is again designated 20-AAA.

Gone from the district are Crockett, which drops down to AA, Brownsboro and Athens.

Alignments, for athletic and academic competition, are changed every two years by the UIL.

From 1984-2008, the Eagles competed in the same district as the Mexia Blackcats and Groesbeck Goats, making for a long standing rivalry.

However, two years ago that rivalry ended as the Blackcats and Goats were shuffled to District 19-AAA with Robinson, Lorena, Connally and LaVega.

Teams in the new 20-AAA that advanced to the playoffs in football last season were Mexia and Palestine. Mexia defeated Palestine in the bi-district game and bowed out at the area level.

Enrollment in Class AAA high schools is set at 430- 989 students this year, virtually unchanged from two years ago.

Also returning to the schedule after an absence of seven years is the Teague Lions. The Eagles and Lions will resume their cross-county rivalry in a pre-district game.

Other teams that will be on the pre-district schedule are Ferris, Hillsboro, Rusk and Kemp.

Teague is in District 11-AA with Crockett, Elkhart, Malakoff, Trinity and Troup, a complete change in opponents.

The Teague Lions had been facing Leon, Hearne, Franklin, Marlin and Rosebud-Lott in district competition.

Wortham joins Bremond, Chilton, Dawson, Frost and Hubbard in District 10-A.

Hubbard and Dawson remain on new schedules, while LaPoyner, Crossroads and Cayuga are reassigned.

With 2010-11 alignments in hand, 20-AAA coaches were to meet Tuesday morning to finalize football schedules.