Not a lot changed for Arp Tiger athletics with the bi-annual UIL realignment Thursday.
However, one change in their football league could potentially make the new District 9-3A Div. 2 a much tougher one the next two seasons.
As Harmony departs for District 11-3A Div. 2, the Tigers and rest of their foes welcome the Edgewood Bulldogs.
"I think it will be as competitive as ever," said Arp head football coach Dale Irwin.
Edgewood has been a consistent winner out west. The Bulldogs are coming off a 7-4 campaign, where they finished second in their old league with a 5-1 mark. They also made the playoffs for an incredible 16th straight year.
"They (Edgewood) usually are pretty good. I think every team in the district will be improved. So we will have our work cut out for us," added Iwrin.
The New District 9-3A Div. 2:
Arp
Edgewood
Grand Saline
West Rusk
Quitman
Troup
Winona
Out of the seven schools above, four won at least seven games in 2021 and reached the postseason. Two of them won a playoff game, with reigning champ West Rusk advancing three rounds deep into the Region 3 semifinals.
On the basketball court, the Tigers and Lady Tigers say goodbye to Harleton in District 16-3A leaving it as a seven team league for the next two school years. The Wildcats are dropping back to Class 2A.
The New Basketball District 16-3A:
Arp
Elysian Fields
Jefferson
West Rusk
Tatum
Troup
Waskom
It's the same scenario for the Arp Lady Tigers Volleyball team. Their District 16-3A mirrors the basketball one.
The New Volleyball District 16-3A:
Arp
Elysian Fields
Jefferson
West Rusk
Tatum
Troup
Waskom
As for the rest of East Texas. Below are the new football districts for our part of Lone Star State.
Class 6A
District 10
Mesquite
Mesquite Horn
North Forney
Rockwall
Rockwall Heath
Royse City
Tyler Legacy
5A Division I
District 7
Forney
Lancaster
Longview Lufkin
McKinney North
North Mesquite
Tyler
West Mesquite
5A Division II
District 8
Hallsville
Pine Tree
Marshall
Mount Pleasant
Nacogdoches
Texas High
Whitehouse
4A Division I
District 8
Anna
Kaufman
Mabank
Nevada Community
Paris
Sulphur Springs
District 9
Athens
Henderson
Jacksonville
Kilgore
Lindale
Palestine
Chapel Hill
District 10
Huffman Hargrave
Livingston
Lumberton
Orange Little Cypress-Mauriceville
Splendora
Vidor
4A Division II
District 6
Caddo Mills
Dallas Lincoln
Dallas Roosevelt
Quinlan Ford
Sunnyvale
Wills Point
District 7
Gilmer
Spring Hill
Paris North Lamar
Pittsburg
Liberty-Eylau
Pleasant Grove
District 8
Brownsboro
Bullard
Canton
Carthage
Center
Rusk
Van
3A Division I
District 8
Eustace
Fairfield
Groesbeck
Kemp
Malakoff
Mexia
Teague
District 9
Coldspring-Oakhurst
Crockett
Diboll
Huntington
Palestine Westwood
Shepherd
Woodville
3A Division II
District 6
Atlanta
Gladewater
Sabine
Jefferson
Tatum
White Oak
District 9
Arp
Edgewood
Grand Saline
West Rusk
Quitman
Troup
Winona
District 10
De Kalb
Hooks
New Boston
Paul Pewitt
Paris Chisum
Pattonville Prairiland
Redwater
District 11
Harmony
Daingerfield
New Diana
Elysian Fields
Hughes Springs
Queen City
Waskom
District 12
Anderson-Shiro
Hemphill
Kountze
New Waverly
Newton
Trinity
Warren
2A Division I
District 9
Alba-Golden
Bogata Rivercrest
Como-Pickton
Cooper
Honey Grove
Quinlan Boles
Wolfe City
District 10
Beckville
Big Sandy
Frankston
Union Grove
Harleton
Hawkins
Ore City
District 11
Garrison
Grapeland
Joaquin
San Augustine
Shelbyville
Timpson
West Sabine
District 12
Centerville
Corrigan-Camden
Groveton
Jewett Leon
Normangee
Sartoga West Hardin
2A Division II
District 9
Clarksville
Cumby
Detroit
Fruitvale
Linden-Kildare
Maud
Simms Bowie
District 11
Alto
Cushing
Mount Enterprise
Overton
Carlisle
Tenaha
District 12
Colmesneil
Deweyville
Evadale
Hull-Daisetta
Lovelady
Sabine Pass
1A Division I (Six-Man)
District 10
Campbell
Union Hill
Saint Jo
Savoy
1A Division II (Six-Man)
District 9
Apple Springs
Ladonia Fannindel
Oakwood
Trinidad
The new UIL realignment is effective for the 2022-23 & 2023-24 school years.