The University Interscholastic League’s release of its biannual statewide athletic conference realignment Thursday morning had every coach in Texas pondering the “what-if ’s” for the next two academic years. Locally, three area schools’ conferences will remain mostly intact, while one was removed from its longtime district and sent south.

BRAHMAS

Months of speculation turned out to be true as the Kingsville Independent School District dropped down a classification and will compete in District 31- 3A with Valley teams Lyford, Raymondville, Rio Grande City La Grulla and Zapata.

“We were expecting this,” Athletic Director Robert Wilcox said. “However, we were a bit surprised to be sent to a district with the Valley schools.”

The Brahmas are currently members of District 31-4A with Alice, Calallen, Flour Bluff, Corpus Christi Moody and Corpus Christi Ray.

One of the biggest differences between KISD’s new district and its previous one (31-4A) will be in the road games.

“This new district will definitely make us travel more than what we have these past two years,” Wilcox said. “But it is not any more traveling than when Kingsville was competing with the Laredo schools a few years ago. That is just something we will have to deal with. We are obviously excited about our new district. We have met with the other athletic directors and we will do the best we can with this situation.”

LIONS

The Santa Gertrudis Independent School District (where football is concerned) is still a resident of District 16-2A Division II, along with Banquete, Freer, Hebbronville, Refugio, Riviera-Kaufer, Skidmore- Tynan and new arrival Taft.

“Basically everything stays the same as far as football is concerned,” Athletic Director Hector Gonzales said. “We lost Premont because of their situation and we gained Taft.”

SEAHAWKS

In regards to football, District 16-2A Division II was hardly touched as Riviera Independent School District will compete with Banquete, Freer, Hebbronville, Refugio, Santa Gertrudis Academy, Skidmore-Tynan and newcomer Taft.

“We stayed with the same teams pretty much, except for picking up Taft,” Interim Athletic Director Arturo De La Rosa said.

“There were a lot of people who thought Refugio was going to move up a classification, but they stayed with us. So we will just have to get after it.”

BADGERS

The Bishop Consolidated Independent School District gained a couple of district foes after Thursday’s realignment. The Badgers will again compete in District 16-2A Division I in football with Falfurrias, Odem, San Diego and Santa Rosa and newbies Mathis and Aransas Pass. Gone from the district is Taft.

“For football, this is going to be a tough district,” Athletic Director George Luna said. “We are going to be playing some schools who have dropped down from 3A. So we will just have to get out there and play and perform to our best abilities.”

BASKETBALL

In basketball, Academy, Bishop and Riviera- Kaufer will be members of District 32-2A with Brownsville Frontier College Preparatory, Edinburg IDEA Quest College Preparatory, Falfurrias, Hebbronville and Santa Rosa.

“In our basketball district, we lost Premont and gained Bishop,” SGISD Athletic Director Hector Gonzales said. “Bishop only being six miles away, that could become a new little rivalry starting up. Other than that, everything else pretty much stayed the same and we are excited.”

Thursday’s realignment sends Bishop’s basketball teams south.

“This new district is going to be competitive,” BCISD Athletic Director George Luna said. “But it is also going to be a longer drive to away games.