Fairfield keeps basketball district, changes football league

Nothing surprises John Bachtel when it comes to the UIL.
The Fairfield athletic director and head football coach has seen it all. When the UIL released its biennial realignment and reclassification on Thursday, he hardly batted an eye.
"We've been in (a district) with Salado," Bachtel said.
While the Eagles won't be traveling down Interstate 35 to play a district football game, they will travel a little farther these next two years. Fairfield and cross-county rival Teague are now members of District 9-3A-Division I with Crockett, Diboll, Huntington and Westwood.
"My first thought is we will have a lot of traveling," Bachtel said. "It looks like a good district though. I've been talking with the new district coaches. They are good guys."
Bachtel also said that he has some familiarity with most of the schools in the new football district.
"We are in with Westwood in all the sports except football, so we know those guys and the kids," Bachtel said. "Crockett used to be in our district other than football as well. Crockett was actually in our district when we first got here in 2008-09. We used to play Diboll when I first became the head coach. So we know everyone except Huntington."
One big shock to Bachtel was the absence of Groesbeck and Mexia from Fairfield's football district. The Limestone County schools will be heading west with Grandview, Maypearl, West and Whitney.
"I am shocked that Mexia and Groesbeck are not in our district," Bachtel said. "Those are good rivalries. We will still play Mexia in non-district."
The Eagles also will no longer play Eustace, Kemp or Malakoff in district play. Kemp moved up to 4A-DII, while Eustace and Malakoff stayed in the new 7-3A-DI with Commerce, Mineola, Mount Vernon, Rains and Winnsboro.
While Fairfield will no longer be in the same district with Mexia, the Eagles will face the Blackcats in non district play. Their other non district opponents are Brownsboro, Buffalo, Maypearl and McGregor.
The basketball district for Fairfield remains the same with the exception of Franklin being moved into another district. The Eagles and Lady Eagles will still face Buffalo, Elkhart, Groesbeck, Mexia, Teague and Westwood in District 20-3A play.
Franklin is now a member of 19-3A alongside Cameron Yoe, Lexington, Little River Academy, Rockdale, Rogers and Thrall. Lorena moved up to 4A, and McGregor and Troy are now members of 17-3A.
"The district other than football is going to be the same except Franklin left," Bachtel said. "They were good competition. Hopefully we will see them in the playoffs."