Realignment shakes up Gonzales football

GONZALES — After the dust settled from all the shakeup UIL caused with this biennial edition of the football realignment, the Gonzales Apaches and the Nixon-Smiley Mustangs had two very different reactions.

With the Apaches set to move down to Class 4A-District II, speculation from the Gonzales coaching staff was that they’d move in a district with Cuero and head south. As soon as the packets were released, Apaches’ head football coach Kodi Crane was shocked at the results.

“I’m thumbing through [the packet] and finally find [football] and I’m looking at Region 4 and I’m not there,” he retold. “My first initial reaction, because we’re moving to Division II this year, is when we’re not there that they must have messed up and put us in Division I. and I’m looking at [Gonzales High principal] Mr. [Michael] Garcia and he looks and he finds it over in Region 3.”

Crane asked around and of the people he’s conversed with, nobody hasn’t recalled a time when Gonzales has not been in Region 4.

Even with the change of regions, nothing will really change. Region 3, as Crane describes, is known for their speed and athleticism. The current state champion in 4A-DII is Region 3’s West Orange-Stark.

What does come as a shock is the fact that Cuero and Gonzales are again not in the same district. Last two seasons the Gobblers/Apaches rivalry took place during the non-district portion because Gonzales was in a different classification in 4A-DI. But now that they were in the same class, Crane was sure that they’d be put in the same district.

The Gobblers were placed in District 15 with Aransas Pass, Ingleside, Sinton, Sweeny and Wharton. Meanwhile Gonzales under Region 3 was placed in District 10 with Caldwell, Columbus, Giddings, La Grange and Smithville.

Nixon-Smiley didn’t get the shock treatment that Gonzales had when the realignments were announced. The Mustangs district remains largely intact with the likes of Stockdale, Poth, Karnes City and Natalia. The only change is the now District 15-3ADII will lose Blanco and gain Dilley in the process.

“We’ve had Dilley on our schedule for the last several years, so it’s not a huge change,” Mustangs’ athletic director Carlton McKinney noted. “Then to get Blanco out of there is a positive for everyone in the district. They were head and shoulders the best team in our district, so I think it levels the playing field.”

Indeed the playing has been leveled as Blanco went 10-0 in the last two years of district, with a total record of 26-2. In 2014 the Blanco Panthers lost in the state semifinals to Newton. In 2015 they lost to East Bernard (a state semifinalist) in the regional round.

“Everyone has a fair shot at getting into the playoffs and actually vying for a district championship,” McKinney said.

Meanwhile, the Apaches are placed in a tough district. Of the six teams in the new District 10-4ADII, five schools reached the playoffs with two making it all the way to the third round.

“It’s a tough district, there’s no sizing it any different,” Crane said. “That’s exactly what we told our kids. Our kids have the mentality that it doesn’t matter who, we’re going to go beat their tail and we like that. But we got to prepare for this district because it’s going to be really tough.”

Crane explained that even though only four teams will make it to the playoffs, five teams in the district are legitimate playoff contenders with a rebuilding Smithville looking to step up with their athletes.

“It’s going to be highly competitive,” he noted. “We’re excited for the opportunity and the challenge. It’s time to go.”