Countdown to Redistricting - anyone else Nervous?

[Favpack]

Am I the only Lufkin fan that feels like the Houston top brass is presently sticking voodoo pins in their Panther dolls? I'm assuming we'll get the opposite of what appears reasonable.

[ACM Dad]

I'm not sure it really matters too much in the grand scheme of things. Just changes some old rivalries and that's not always cool. Time to make some new rivalries. Keeps things interesting.

I'm not that keen on the way 13-5A is going, losing two tough opponents and only getting one in return. Gotta schedule another non-district game as I was reading in the local paper a day or two ago. I also would have liked to get one more crack at Cove! We had some unfinished business to take care of. ;)

[dragons08]

this was an answer to a bonus question today on our history test.."what imortant thing will carroll and other schools find out tommorrow?" of course i nailed it...easy stuff

[PackAttack2005]

All I can say is if Lufkin gets stuck down in the Golden Triangle, you can bet some political strings were pulled for that one. People like Texas Prep and this Lone Ranger cat think just because Lufkin played in a Houston area district the past 2 years we are located down south, we are not.. That is the problem, the vast majority of people don't realize that Lufkin is located 125 miles north of Houston and 95 miles north of Humble. We are in the middle of East Texas, not down close to the coast, we don't belong in the Golden Triangle area.

Let's flip flop this thing a little bit. You got to know that none of those Triangle schools want Lufkin around for obvious reasons and I know they don't want to pay the travel tab to Lufkin to play, not just football, but all the sports. Lufkin has been traveling over 100 miles for district games for over 60 years and always had it in their budget to do so. Our fans are the same, they know how to travel (especially in football and baseball) and plan their budgets and schedules to make the games. The Triangle schools will not like the added travel expenses to play at Lufkin.

I don't think it will happen and I am just using my common sense in this matter, I am not using all the technical data and geographical correctness rhetoric to prove my prediction. I can't see why the UIL would move Lufkin 50 miles further south, when they could have a perfectly good 8 team district with the four(4) Conroe ISD and the (3)three Humble ISD schools. That is 7 district and 3 non-district games, just as we have had the past two years in 14-5A. Forget the strengient seven (7) team per district crap everyone seems to be talking about, I'm sorry, that's just not going to happen in all districts.

You can bet there are alot of Panther voodoo dolls around right now, because these schools don't want us to come in and change their routine, we are not from their neighborhood and they don't want us around.

[BigArab]

Longview and Lufkin fans know the schools should be together. This whole situation is silly.

[The Lone Ranger]

All I can say is if Lufkin gets stuck down in the Golden Triangle, you can bet some political strings were pulled for that one. People like Texas Prep and this Lone Ranger cat think just because Lufkin played in a Houston area district the past 2 years we are located down south, we are not.. That is the problem, the vast majority of people don't realize that Lufkin is located 125 miles north of Houston and 95 miles north of Humble. We are in the middle of East Texas, not down close to the coast, we don't belong in the Golden Triangle area.

Let's flip flop this thing a little bit. You got to know that none of those Triangle schools want Lufkin around for obvious reasons and I know they don't want to pay the travel tab to Lufkin to play, not just football, but all the sports. Lufkin has been traveling over 100 miles for district games for over 60 years and always had it in their budget to do so. Our fans are the same, they know how to travel (especially in football and baseball) and plan their budgets and schedules to make the games. The Triangle schools will not like the added travel expenses to play at Lufkin.

I don't think it will happen and I am just using my common sense in this matter, I am not using all the technical data and geographical correctness rhetoric to prove my prediction. I can't see why the UIL would move Lufkin 50 miles further south, when they could have a perfectly good 8 team district with the four(4) Conroe ISD and the (3)three Humble ISD schools. That is 7 district and 3 non-district games, just as we have had the past two years in 14-5A. Forget the strengient seven (7) team per district crap everyone seems to be talking about, I'm sorry, that's just not going to happen in all districts.

You can bet there are alot of Panther voodoo dolls around right now, because these schools don't want us to come in and change their routine, we are not from their neighborhood and they don't want us around.

I know exactly where Lufkin is: in South East texas, in Angelina County.

Lufkin would best be put in a district with Longview, Tyler, Lee, Marshall, and Nac. But that won't happen for a while.

Lufkin is 2 and a half hours, give or take, from the Golden Triangle. They are 3-and-a-half hours away from Rockwall or Mesquite.

The new rule is the 7 team district. The Golden Triangle area has only six teams you could put there. Putting Lufkin in that district inconveniences the fewest number of schools. That's what the UIL does--alignment is based on how the entire classification is best served geographically. It isn't possible to give Lufkin exactly what they want. If they want more options, open more 5A schools in the ISD--or drop to 4A.

If you only have 1 school in your ISD (my school is a private and is screwed either way), you are basically just going to be plugged into any holes the UIL has.

So Lufkin's most likely outcome will be with the Golden Triangle area. It wouldn't surprise me to see them with Conroe and Humble, but they'd either have to drop the 7-team requirement, or else send teams all across the Greater Houston area just to please Lufkin.

I agree-- Conroe ISD and Humble ISD would be the best fit for Lufkin. But the best fit for the state of Texas is Lufkin with the Golden Triangle teams.

[The Lone Ranger]

Longview and Lufkin fans know the schools should be together. This whole situation is silly.

Ideally, yes. However, you're not going to see any 4-team districts anytime soon. So they're not going to get put together.

After the fiasco in 2002, I doubt they'll ever try to stick Lufkin with Metroplex schools.

So until East Texas gets 3 more 5A high schools, Lufkin is Greater Houston, and LV, JT, and REL are Greater DFW.

[PackAttack2005]

I would rather travel to Mesquite twice a year and play in district 12-5A than go down to the Golden Triangle and play anything. I think Rockwall is moving to another district, so I think Lufkin should take their place up north.

There are just too many reasons to say why a move to the Triangle area would hurt all of Lufkin's sports programs in the long run.

[The Lone Ranger]

I would rather travel to Mesquite twice a year and play in district 12-5A than go down to the Golden Triangle and play anything. I think Rockwall is moving to another district, so I think Lufkin should take their place up north.

There are just too many reasons to say why a move to the Triangle area would hurt all of Lufkin's sports programs in the long run.

Where exactly would Rockwall move to? You'd have them, Wylie, and the Garland and Plano schools in that area. No pairing would make sense.

The Plano/Richardson area would end up with 10 teams or more if Rockwall was there--because Allen would be too.

Homer won't take them, and the UIL won't put them in a district where they have no voting priviledges like that.

So they stay where they are.

However, this all is going off of the fact that the UIL will hold tight to 7 teams minimum, which I think that they will. If they don't, the whole state will be VERY different from the projection of Rivals.

Why would you rather go to Rockwall or Mesquite, anyway? It's an hour further each direction?

When Lufkin is in with the Golden Triangle and North Shore, don't complain about politics. It's all geography, and Lufkin, with it's isolation from everywhere, gets geographically screwed.

[PackAttack2005]

Let's see, there are normally 32 - 5A (eight districts per Region) districts. If you group each of those districts with 7 teams in each, that would equal 224 -5A teams. Is that the correct number? I have read in several places that there would be around 245 - 5A schools total in 2006. If that is true, your seven (7) team per district therory doesn't work very well.

You are right, Lufkin is geographically screwed. Until the enrollment number for 5A rise above 2400 and we can move to 4A or a 6A division is created, only then will we be able to reunited the reminants of the old 12-5A East Texas district we had for so many years. I don't see that happening anytime soon.

[tailgater]

I can see where Lufkin folks are concerned about where they end up. Will it be back to playing Conroe ISD or will they be placed along with the Humble schools. I wouldn't mind Lukfin being placed against the GPISD or rather North Shore. This would be a game to look forward to. And besides - I have never been to Lufkin.

[The Lone Ranger]

It's a 7 team minimum, not a 7-team set number.

So there can be several 8, 9, or 10 team districts.

The Golden Triangle has 2 schools, Baytown has 2 schools. The schools closest to those schools are North Shore, Channelview, and Deer Park. If you put those 3 in that district, then the Pasadena and La Porte district has only 6. You'd have to drag another school across town to do so (it'd probably end up being Strake Jesuit).

But you have Lufkin sitting out there all alone, and they have nowhere to go. So if you just fill them in that hole there, most of the Houston schools have less travel time.

So the UIL does what it should--sets up the districts so as to inconvenience the fewest number of schools.

And Lufkin really has no right to complain about a 2 hour, 42 minute drive to Port Arthur over a 2 hour, 11 minute drive to Humble. When you travel 6 hours one way to a district game, like San Angelo Central has done since 1997, THEN you can complain.

I personally dislike even a 30 minute drive to district games. So I can feel your pain. But it's best for the entire state to put Lufkin in the Golden Triangle.

[The Lone Ranger]

I would rather travel to Mesquite twice a year and play in district 12-5A than go down to the Golden Triangle and play anything. I think Rockwall is moving to another district, so I think Lufkin should take their place up north.

There are just too many reasons to say why a move to the Triangle area would hurt all of Lufkin's sports programs in the long run.

Competition wise and tradition wise, 12-5A would be best for Lufkin. North Shore might be a nice rivalry though.

Mesquite ISD would hate the drive, though.

But it won't work if you have a 7 team minimum in 5A.

[ACM Dad]

College Station is 2 hours plus from Killeen. close to that to get to Belton or Temple area as well. I'd say, quit whining. You're lufkin, you travel well, the UIL knows that. It's just the way it goes when you live out of the big cities. :D

[GTown02]

Im not nervous, Im kind of excited. I wonder what they will do with the Garland schools. Ive heard rumors of adding Wylie or Rockwall. Cant wait to see whats going to go down.

[PackAttack2005]

Well, my calcualtions tell me, it would be better to pull a Houston team 20 miles across town than to jerk Lufkin 130 - 150 miles down into the Triangle.

Baytown and Port Arthur would be a 150 mile jaunt and you would need to fight all the Houston traffic mess to play at North Shore on a Friday night. That is why I live in East Texas, so I don't need to put up with all that traffic rage. Does the Tx Prep prognostication include Channelview as part of the six teams in that Triangle district?

[SeguinMatadors]

My squad looks like it is going to get screwed by the UIL, too.

[tailgater]

Well, my calcualtions tell me, it would be better to pull a Houston team 20 miles across town than to jerk Lufkin 130 - 150 miles down into the Triangle.

Baytown and Port Arthur would be a 150 mile jaunt and you would need to fight all the Houston traffic mess to play at North Shore on a Friday night. That is why I live in East Texas, so I don't need to put up with all that traffic rage. Does the Tx Prep prognostication include Channelview as part of the six teams in that Triangle district?

It's not too bad if you are coming in from 59 then east on the beltway and around to Wallisville. Although when there are big games, the traffic on Wallisville between the beltway and Uvalde gets very congested. One of the good things you will find along with a great stadium is plenty of parking.

[pack98]

Panthers may be in a new District with the same results another District championship and another deep run at the playoffs and seeing slc in teh 3rd round. it is like the same song over and over again.

GO PANTHERS

PANTHERS FANS WILL GO TO ALASKA IF WE HAD TO WATCH OUR PACK PLAY.!!!!

GO PANTHERS

[The Lone Ranger]

Panthers may be in a new District with the same results another District championship and another deep run at the playoffs and seeing slc in teh 3rd round. it is like the same song over and over again.

GO PANTHERS

PANTHERS FANS WILL GO TO ALASKA IF WE HAD TO WATCH OUR PACK PLAY.!!!!

GO PANTHERS

Galena Park North Shore is no pushover.

I suspect this is the reason why many people are upset--they want Lufkin to have a walkover.

I sympathize--a 3 hour drive to a district game would not be fun.

However, is it fair to inconvenience a lot of other teams just to make the drive 15-20 minutes shorter for Lufkin. It's 2 hours, 11 minutes from Lufkin to Humble according to Mapquest. It's 2h 18 to Beaumont, and between 2h 36 and 2h 47 to the rest of the district.

Lufkin fans might be inconvenienced an hour each way, if that. It's nothing to complain about.

When Lufkin gets put in a district with Amarillo, then they have a right to complain.

[Tut]

It makes more geographical sense to have Strake Jesuit filling the spot in Dist. 22 than Lufkin. Having a nine team district that isn't necessary is silly. It isn't like they are next door to Katy.

[tailgater]

Panthers may be in a new District with the same results another District championship and another deep run at the playoffs and seeing slc in teh 3rd round. it is like the same song over and over again.

GO PANTHERS

PANTHERS FANS WILL GO TO ALASKA IF WE HAD TO WATCH OUR PACK PLAY.!!!!

GO PANTHERS

Pack - if Lufkin gets in the same district as NS - I will have to respectfully disagree with the first part of your statment. We will see. It will be fun.

Now - on the 2nd part of your statement. That's what I like about you guys - you packem in and will go the distance to support your team. My son and I went the to Woodllands vs. Lufkin game in Conroe in 04. It was a saturday afternoon and the beauty and pagentry of H.S. football was in full bloom. I will never forget it. Was anyone left in town?

[pack98]

NS will be a game just like the woodlands have been the best team lufkin has played in the other district we shall see. but go ahead and mark this down.

Lufkin will win District for its 3rd year in a row. no matter what District we go in. ony exception to this is if we go back to the best District in the state of texas.

Lufkin
Longview
JT
Lee
Marshall
Nac
Texas high- i like them and wish they were up there this would make for one heck of a district.

GO PANTHERS.. Far or Near the Pack will be there and ready for antother great season of football.

[PACK '97]

I suspect this is the reason why many people are upset--they want Lufkin to have a walkover.

That is an ignorant statement...are you insuing that Lufkin doesnt want to be in this district because it may have better competition?....I want better competition in district, that would be great. It would make our team alot better by playoff time. I think it's just the fact the drive will be longer than the Humble district, that's all.

[The Lone Ranger]

That is an ignorant statement...are you insuing that Lufkin doesnt want to be in this district because it may have better competition?....I want better competition in district, that would be great. It would make our team alot better by playoff time. I think it's just the fact the drive will be longer than the Humble district, that's all.

Humble is still a long way away. What's 30 extra minutes?

My prediction is not what makes sense to me--I think that it would be most fair to Lufkin to be with the North Houston area schools.

However, the UIL tends to just take schools and plug them in where they need extra teams.

It makes as little sense for Spring ISD and Humble ISD to be with the Golden Triangle (as it is now) than for Lufkin to be there.

Lufkin is a single school that will travel far no matter what. So the UIL will put them in with the Golden Triangle so as to inconvenience as few Houston schools as possible.

They think on what's best for the whole area, not just for Lufkin.

I don't really agree with it, but I just can't see the UIL moving Strake Jesuit and Deer Park around just so Lufkin doesn't have to travel.

When you're geographically isolated and a single school district, you're screwed no matter what. Lufkin is just going to be 30 minutes more screwed than what would be the best possible outcome.

At least they aren't going to the Metroplex...which oddly seems to be where people want Lufkin to go. Why would you complain about the 2 1/2 drive to Beaumont/Port Arthur, but then want to be in 12-5A with Mesquite ISD? It makes no sense.

I know that a lot of Lufkin fans want a challenge. But people seem to have the attitude that Lufkin is invincible--so they seem to want an easy district.

The UIL isn't going to give Lufkin any favors; Lufkin shouldn't expect any.

If I'm wrong, I'll say good for Lufkin--you drive just a little bit less.

If I'm right, then I'll just have been saying that the UIL doesn't take into account what's best for Lufkin. They favor the suburban schools, anyway. So Lufkin shouldn't expect any favors.

[CoveFan05]

I'm not sure it really matters too much in the grand scheme of things. Just changes some old rivalries and that's not always cool. Time to make some new rivalries. Keeps things interesting.

I'm not that keen on the way 13-5A is going, losing two tough opponents and only getting one in return. Gotta schedule another non-district game as I was reading in the local paper a day or two ago. I also would have liked to get one more crack at Cove! We had some unfinished business to take care of. ;)


I would love to play yall again as well....But bring on LAMPASAS, KILLEEN and the Waco Schools....oh ya and Burnett!!!!!

[v2the4]

I know the Lufkin faithful are going to be highly upset by making the two and a half hour trips to either Houston (North Shore, Channelview), Baytown (Lee or Sterling) and the triangle (West Brook, PAM) at least three times during football season, but its more difficult during all the other team sports, especially basketball and soccer when you have district games all during the week and the kids still have school the next day.

but, on the positive side, the Lufkin/North Shore football games could rival anything in region III, if not the state, with as much talent as both of those teams normally produce.

Additionally, Lufkin will get out of region II, and wont have to worry about meeting SLC in the state semifinals, should they make it that far again in the next two years, but they can have potential playoff matchups with the likes of Pearland, Katy, Cy-Falls, Fort Bend Marshall, and all the other powerhouse teams in the Houston area. They could possible own the region for two years.

[PackAttack2005]

Vonfore, we don't want to get out of Region II, we don't mind playing Southlake. We would not be afraid to play North Shore if that happens. It is not really about the travel that bothers me.

It is the fact that we are 125 - 150 miles north of all of these schools. We are actually consider to be located in the southern portion of Northeast Texas.

I have heard everything about Lufkin being geographically screwed and I don't disagree with that fact. I just don't think it would be that hard to find one(1) other school in the Golden Triangle to fill out that 7th spot, it doesn't need to be Lufkin.

We lost lots of ticket revenue by going south a couple of years ago. The majority of the these schools will not travel to Lufkin for games, the only exception has been The Woodlands. I doubt it would be any better if it were the Golden Triangle schools, I guess we will just need to sell the visitor side out with Lufkin folks to make up the difference. We never had that problem with Longview, Tyler and Marshall schools, always a sell out at Abe Martin.

The bottom line is we don't belong in Region III or down on the coast and I resent the fact that we could get geographically forced down into a district we don't belong by the U.I.L. I still believe the Humble schools will move up to Region II and the Klein schools will move to Region III and Lufkin will be in an 8 team district with the Humble and Conroe school districts. While the Klein and Spring schools will re-unite.

I really think we are going to be surprised with some of the changes in 5A tomorrow.

[EasTex9]

First of all Kingwood and Humble or only 1hr 30 mi to 1hr 45min from Lukin - MapQuest is wrong - I make the drive often. Secondly, LaPorte is closer to Beaumont and Baytown than Deer Park - I graduated years ago from LaPorte. LaPorte and Deer Park are arch rivals. But Lufkin lost all of it's rivalries 2-years ago, so why not put LaPorte with them as they did several years ago?

All for naught as well will all see how the UIL thinks tomorrow.;)

[KT2000]

I wouldn't think Lufkin fans, coaches or players would shy away from a tough district. After all, they competed and thrived in what was the toughest district in the state when the East Texas schools were all together.

Lufkin really is in a no win situation alignment wise because of where they are on the map as others have pointed out.

Placing them with north side greater Houston schools makes the most sense of the available options to me.

I'll be surprised if they do end up in the Triangle district with North Shore/Baytown.

[dragons08]

11 hours 10 min

[AllenEagle06]

11 hours 10 min
It comes out at 9 am tomorrow? Crap, I was hoping for an earlier time. Now I have to wait through the longest day of school ever.

[dragons08]

It comes out at 9 am tomorrow? Crap, I was hoping for an earlier time. Now I have to wait through the longest day of school ever.
i start school at 8..i wont find out till after school..unless yankeeman can check em out in comp science, and tlel me at lunch..maybe one of my teachers will let me??

[AllenEagle06]

i start school at 8..i wont find out till after school..unless yankeeman can check em out in comp science, and tlel me at lunch..maybe one of my teachers will let me??
I start at 9:10 so I might be able to squeak a peak before I leave home. I'd have to get up earlier though, that's always a drag.

[DragonBand06]

i start school at 8..i wont find out till after school..unless yankeeman can check em out in comp science, and tlel me at lunch..maybe one of my teachers will let me??
Check on the computers in the library during lunch.

[dragons08]

Check on the computers in the library during lunch.
dont know my password

[DragonBand06]

dont know my password
did you ever change it from the default?

[DragonBand06]

2 hrs...

[g-town07]

gah this is killing me
and its great because my 1st period computer class gets OUT at 9
so im gonna miss it haha

[TexasHSFootball]

alright.. its Groundhog Day its February 2nd, its Realignment Day.. the rat saw its shadow, now lets get it on