The University Interscholastic League (UIL) announced the realignment changes in football, basketball and volleyball, all of which impact our eight locally covered high school sports programs.
Starting in the 2026-27 academic year, the realignments for football will be intact for two years, while the realignments for basketball and volleyball will only be intact for a year.
The three schools that experienced class or division changes within the realignment were Sundown, Whiteface and Whitharral.
Sundown football is moving up from 2A Division 2 to 2A Division 1, joining District 3, which includes Abernathy, New Deal, New Home and Post.
“UIL threw us for a little bit of a loop putting us in a five-team district," Sundown Head Football Coach Brannon Rodgers said. “We were expecting a larger eight-team district, so we had to scram- ble to find a sixth game for our non-district schedule. It’ll be a tough district with a lot of good teams, and we’re glad to be a part of it."
Whitharral football is moving up from 1A Division 2 Six-Man to 1A Division 1 Six-Man, joining District 2, which includes Springlake Earth, Nazareth and Whiteface.
“We are looking forward to the challenge," Whitharral Head Football Coach Josh Watson said. “All three other teams in the district have very decorated teams and coaches. It will be good competition for the boys as well as myself."
The change reignites a rivalry between Whitharral and Whiteface, and it’s not just in football.
Whiteface is moving down from 2A to 1A in basketball, joining District 5, which includes Amherst, Anton, Cotton Center, Springlake Earth, Meadow and Whitharral.
“Basketball realignment wasn’t much of a surprise as we went back to the same district we were in. It added Springlake Earth into that district as well," White face Athletic Director Jason Blankenship said. “The football district was a good draw for us other than only being a four-team district. We will have a lot more pre-district games to fill. It's always in teresting to see what the UIL puts together on alignment day."
The remainder of the realignment changes for our locally covered teams came within districts, which had a minimal impact on Levelland.
In football, Levelland is in 4A Division 2 District 3, remaining with last season’s district opponents of Borger, Lubbock Cooper Liberty, Lubbock Estacado and Perryton. In basketball and volleyball, Levelland kept the nearly the same district, swapping out Frenship Memorial for Plainview.
While Sundown football departed from 2A Division 2, Ropes, Smyer and Morton all remained. They are all now a part of District 2, which also includes Plains, Seagraves and Sudan. Morton and Sudan are both new additions, while the rest of the teams shared a district last season.
“I appreciate the UIL giving us shorter district travel this time around; we’re in a very competitive district," Morton Head Football Coach Trevor Bulmer said. “Ropes has been a really good team for the last three years under Coach Riker. We know Sudan and Coach Cornelius are always going to be very competitive. We obviously have some familiarity with Seagraves, Plains and Smyer as well, having played all of them in scrimmages or nondistrict games this past year. I’m excited. It’s a good dis- trict with five coaches I have tons of respect for. It should be a fun two years."
In 1A Division 2 Six-Man football, Anton remained in District 3 with Amherst, Cotton Center and Lazbuddie, but added Hart and Lorenzo after Whitharral’s departure.
In 2A volleyball, Smyer is in District 2, which includes Abernathy, Floydada, Olton and Tulia. Ropes is in District 3, which includes New Home, Plains, Post and Tahoka.
In 2A basketball, Sundown, Smyer, Ropes and Morton, remained in District 5 with Plains and Seagraves, with the only change being the departure of Whiteface.