UIL Realignment

PIRATES SET TO FACE NEW RIVALS WITH LATEST UIL REALIGNMENT

Crandall ISD entered this year’s UIL realignment knowing that more travel was likely as Kaufman County growth continues impacting CISD and neighboring districts. Now the Pirates know their travels will steer primarily north when district competition begins next fall for the 2022-23 school year.

The UIL announced in February that Crandall will join Denison, Greenville, Lucas Lovejoy, Melissa, Mesquite Poteet, Princeton, and Terrell for football in District 7-5A, Division 2. Also announced were baseball, basketball, soccer, softball, and volleyball realignments. Crandall will compete in District 14-5A with Corsicana, Ennis, Forney, Lancaster, Red Oak and Terrell.

“Our kids and coaches are excited about the district and having the opportunity to travel and face new competition,” said Kyle Hardin, CISD head football coach and athletic director. “We have been on a new journey the past couple of years with our advancement into 5A and this simply follows in that same path. Lots of new chances for our young men and women to grow and advance athletically and academically.” Crandall is coming off its first two years in 5A competition. The UIL realigns districts every two years based on high school student enrollment. This year’s 5A student numbers ranged from 1,300 to 2,224. Crandall HS enrollment stands at 1,544 students—almost 230 more than the tally in 2020.

Football will log the most miles of all sports. While home and away games have not yet been set on the 2022 schedule, double-digit mileage separates the Pirates from the high school campuses of all their opponents—Terrell (17 miles), Greenville (47 miles), Lucas Lovejoy (51 miles), Princeton (54 miles), Melissa (63 miles) and Denison (99 miles).

One school that immediately draws attention is Lovejoy. The Leopards quickly have become a perennial power in all sports, advancing last year in football to the state quarterfinals before losing to eventual state champion South Oak Cliff.

“Every week will be tough for our boys and girls in all sports, and we are set to embrace the challenges coming our way,” Hardin said. “There is lots of tradition as you look around our district. We are excited to add ours to the mix as we continue growing into 5A.”

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