Wednesday, September 23, 1998

Angelo's decision for two 5A schools could have far-reaching impact

By AL PICKETT

Sports Editor

A decision last week by the San Angelo school board could have an impact which reaches far beyond the San Angelo city limits.

In a controversial 4-3 vote, the San Angelo school board voted to establish two 5A high schools in the Concho City. The plan calls for 700 students to be taken from Central and moved to Lake View High School, giving both high schools approximately 1,800 students in grades 10-12.

Central is currently a Class 5A school, while Lake View is in Class 4A.

Central head football coach Gary Gaines said there is no timetable established as to when the changes will take place.

"No one knows," he said. "There are still studies to be completed."

Fans of high school athletics in Abilene, Midland and Odessa have wished for this move ever since Big Spring was dropped from 5A to 4A following the 1985-86 school year.

That move left District 4-5A with seven teams for 12 years, forcing the traditional cross-town rivalry football games to be moved from the 10th playing date because Central didn't have a cross-town district rival. The Bobcats and Chiefs have never met in a football game.

San Angelo has resisted the establishment of two equal-size Class 5A high schools for years until fire destroyed Lake View High School last May. The discussion of what size to build a new high school also brought about renewed talk of boundary changes. School officials say boundaries will be changed in all of San Angelo, affecting elementary, junior high and high school enrollments.

"If I knew the UIL would make this an 8-team district, that would make it easy for all of us," Gaines said.

This year, Central was moved to District 3-5A with the Lubbock and Amarillo schools for football only. The Bobcats are still members of District 4-5A in all other sports.

Locally, coaches are excited about the prospects of San Angelo eventually having two 5A high schools, presumably making District 4-5A an 8-team district.

"If we can get them back in here, it would be great," Cooper head football coach Randy Allen said. "I can't imagine why they wouldn't. It would be a great district, with four towns and two schools in each town. I can't think of a better situation."

Abilene High head football coach Steve Warren agreed.

"It would be a good deal for everyone concerned," he said. "I don't think the UIL would ever touch this district if that happens."

Gaines, however, said District 3-5A must still get a sixth 5A school in the next realignment for that to happen. Amarillo Palo Duro, Canyon Randall or Wolfforth Frenship are all possibilities to move up in the next University Interscholastic League realignment in 2000.

District 3-5A currently has five schools - Amarillo High, Amarillo Tascosa, Lubbock High, Lubbock Coronado and Lubbock Monterey - plus Central in football only.

District 4-5A includes Abilene High, Cooper, Midland High, Midland Lee, Odessa Permian, Odessa High and Central (in all sports other than football).

Al Pickett can be reached at 676-6772 or picketta@abinews.com.