UIL Realignment’s bi-annual festivities provide plenty of fireworks that reverberate across the Lone Star State.

Despite all the guesswork that’s done by many (yours truly included), the UIL always manages to throw a few curveballs our way every time.

Let’s take a look at Class 4A and see who won the day and who came away from realignment shaking their head.

Winners

Dallas & Houston ISD: Both Dallas ISD and Houston ISD decided to opt up all of their Division II schools to Division I and both inner-city districts were given their own district at the 4A-Division I level. This means both districts will get four teams in the playoffs and will be guaranteed a district champion.

Lindale: The Eagles, who have been to the playoffs in back-to-back seasons as a 5A program, drop down to Class 4A Division I with a veteran squad and one of the top running backs in the state. Add in the bonus that big, bad Carthage has moved down to Division II and the door is open for a big time run from the Eagles in 2020.

Celina: One of the old powers in DFW has a chance to get back to state title contention as Celina not only moves down to 4A-Division II, but the Bobcats get placed in Region I where they will be the heavy favorite after going 7-5 the past two seasons in one of the toughest districts in the state at the 4A-Division I level.

Manor New Tech: The Titans have won just two games in their first two seasons of varsity football and they are moving up to 4A-Division II, so how are they winners?? Well, despite being with powerful Wimberley and Geronimo Navarro, Manor New Tech has a chance to compete for a playoff spot in a district that features Austin Eastside Memorial (who NTHS has beaten the past two years) and newcomers Austin Achieve and San Antonio YMLA.

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Losers

Carrollton Ranchview: Unlike their larger CFBISD brothers in Class 5A, things didn’t go quite as well for the Wolves, who are not only faced with some difficult travel in all directions of the DFW area, but they are also faced with difficult competition in 7-4A Division I. Headlining the new loop is powerful Argyle and Melissa, along with a tough road trip to the northeast up to Paris, and 5A drop-downs Terrell and Kaufman.

Beeville Jones: After going 11-1 in the first year of Chris Soza’s second stint as head coach, Beeville Jones is placed in what might be the toughest district in the state at the 4A-Division I level. Corpus Christi Calallen needs no introduction as they drop from 5A and immediately are the favorite along with Corpus Christi Miller, who was 12-1 a year ago playing at the 5A-Division I level. Don’t forget about Alice and Port Lavaca Calhoun, who both were 9-3 a year ago at the 5A level, and, for good measure, add in another 5A drop down in competitive Tuloso-Midway.

Canton: The Eagles get aligned into a five-team loop that is mostly in East Texas, but they trade out Rusk and Wills Point for two much tougher opponents in old rival Van and Mexia, who comes up from Central Texas. Canton will likely have to fight with Bullard and Brownsboro for a playoff spot, but the bad news is if they get third or fourth, the bi-district matchup is extremely tough with Texarkana Pleasant Grove and Gilmer looming.

Port Isabel: The Tarpons get a win in that they don’t have to find seven non-district games like they have the past two seasons, but there’s no more guaranteed playoff spots in this eight-team district in South Texas. Port Isabel’s RGV bunkmates Raymondville and Rio Hondo will battle tough Coastal Bend teams like Sinton, Rockport-Fulton, Corpus Christi West Oso and Ingleside for one of the four playoff spots.