By Brian Gosset
X – @gosset41
X – @gmsportsmedia1
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS – The UIL announced its biennial realignment for the 2026-2028 school years on Monday morning – with new districts in football, volleyball and basketball.
The “District Of Doom” 11-6A football consisted of Duncanville, Waxahachie, DeSoto, Cedar Hill and Lancaster – but the latter three schools headed down to Class 5A Division 1 – leaving Duncanville wondering who might join them. The Panthers have gone to the state championship game six of the past eight seasons – falling to Galena Park North Shore 10-7 in the D1 final in December.
In a surprise move, another 6A giant North Crowley is headed east to Region 2 and 11-6A to join Duncanville along with Waxahachie, Crowley High, Dallas Skyline, Mansfield, Mansfield Lake Ridge and Red Oak.
As for me, I predicted that NC would stay in its current district of 3-6A and get Aledo into the mix. Instead the NC Panthers will play Duncanville for the next two seasons. There is some recent playoff history with the two schools – North Crowley beat Duncanville 36-34 in the 6A D1 state semifinals during 2024. NC went on to beat Austin Westlake to finish off 16-0 and win the program’s second state title and first since 2003.
North Crowley went 12-2 this past season before losing to Allen in the Region 1 championship. HC Ray Gates left after four seasons for an assistant job at the college ranks with North Texas. Demarcus Harris was promoted to head coach shortly after.
NC, Crowley, Mansfield and Lake Ridge were all in the same district during the past two seasons.
