2A Division to be split

With last Friday's win over Trinity, the Buffalo Bison clinched a playoff spot in District 21AA, along with Corrigan Camden and New Waverly, schools which boast over twice our enrollment. The 2A designation presently includes schools with enrollments ranging from 200 to 429 students, but that is about to change. Last week the UIL announced the results of a decision which could have a profound effort on local 2A districts, at least as far as football is concerned. The superintendents of each 2A district in the State of Texas voted on whether or not to separate the 2A schools into two groups --Large 2A and Smaller 2A -- in an effort to allow schools to compete against other schools with near-equal enrollment. 5A and 1A had already been similarly divided, with positive results.

The change affects only football, and goes into effect in February when the bi-annual district realignment is announced. The exact numbers where the lines will be drawn has not been determined, but the parameters are expected to be approximately 200-291 students is a Small 2A, and 292- 429 is a Large 2A.

A school's official enrollment was determined on the state-specific "snapshot" date, which this year was October 15. On that date, Buffalo ISD reported 251 students, Centerville 211 and Leon 223. If the enrollment window for Small 2A holds, all three schools would be in the division.

Superintendent Jackie Thomason summed up what this means for BISD. "It may involve a little more travel, but I think for Buffalo it's a good thing because it allows us to play people more comparable in size, week in and week out. I think there is more parity, it is a more fair approach, and we'll be able to be competitive year in and year out within those type numbers." Mr. Thomason experienced the same situation at the 1A Division when he was at Wortham, and pointed out that there could be some differences in the makeup of the district in basketball or other areas of competition.

CISD Superintendent Cathy Nichols knows that the enrollment lines are not yet set in stone, and is watching to see if Centerville will still be in the 2A division when the range is announced. "We're one of the littler 2A schools, and if they had not done the two divisions, we would prefer to go down to 1A. I'm glad that they did that."