HS Appeal Denied, Must Travel 200 Miles for Games

San Angelo Central High School's formal appeal of its new district was denied Tuesday by the University Interscholastic League.

San Angelo Independent School District issued the following statement in regards to the UIL's decision:

"We are certainly disappointed by this outcome. Our expectation was that the UIL would take the long distances traveled by our students in all sports, plus the amount of classroom time they would miss due to that travel under more serious consideration when rendering their final decision. We will remain steadfast in supporting our students, staff and parents as SAISD overcomes this setback. The tradition of academic and athletic excellence at Central High School will continue."

SAISD Executive Director of Athletics Brent McCallie added, "That disappointment is for our kids and community and our fans and our parents."

McCallie said the focus of the appeal was on travel and loss of school time.

"We think that's what it's all about," he said. "(SAISD Superintendent) Dr. (Carl) Detlof, he elaborated on that quite well and did a good job with all that. But there was a lot of discussion among the committee. I do believe the people on that committee understand the hardship that we have."

Central's new district consists of mostly Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex area schools — Euless Trinity, Haltom City, Hurst L.D. Bell, North Richland Hills and Weatherford.

Abilene High, which is about 90 miles away, is the only school in Central's district within 200 miles of San Angelo.

Central also appealed its previous biennial realignment in 2016 — which placed all sports except football with schools in Waco, Killeen and Copperas Cove — pointing to similar concerns about "safety, road conditions, and a loss of instructional time," Dethloff said at the time.

That appeal was also denied.

McCallie said one or two appeals were overturned by the UIL two years ago, but none of the first seven were overturned on Wednesday before the SAISD representatives headed back to San Angelo.

And now things are set in stone for the Bobcats in the next two years.

"We will meet with the 3-6A folks and we'll start to get that district all organized and get ready for the fall season in '18," McCallie said.

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