2016 Region Outlooks: 3A DI Region I

Photo by Artie GuerreroThe UIL realigned the districts for the 2016 and 2017 football seasons in February. Realignment doesn't just change district races – championships can be decided with new groupings competing once the playoffs begin. We’ll take a closer look at the frontrunners in each region throughout the spring doldrums. Previous Outlooks:6A Region I / 6A Region II / 6A Region III / 6A Region IV / 5A Region I / 5A Region II / 5A Region III / 5A Region IV / 4A DI Region I / 4A DI Region II / 4A DI Region III / 4A DI Region IV / 4A DII Region I / 4A DII Region II / 4A DII Region III / 4A DII Region IVClass 3A Division I Region I This region returns the state champion. Brock reached the pinnacle of high school football in just its second year sanctioned by the UIL. Chad Worrell’s program knocked off three-time defending champion Cameron Yoe in the championship game. The final four teams left in 2015 are still in this region, leaving it largely unchanged heading into 2016. Teams like Shallowater, Muleshoe and Wall hope to stop Brock’s rise as the next perennial power. Brock The Eagles are known for winning championships, just not in football. That changed in 2015 with a 16-0 season and a 43-33 win over Cameron Yoe. Worrell’s program capped off the perfect season with a come-from-behind win that included 22 fourth-quarter points to defeat the three-time defending champion. Brock doesn’t even have three years of official varsity football under its belt. The early championship announces the Eagles on the scene as one of the next powerhouses to lay claim to small-town regions. Brock will enter the season as the favorite to repeat as Class 3A Division I champions despite needing to replace production from Leddy French, Cooper Warren and others. The talent will always be in Brock. Shallowater Shallowater lost two early season non-district games to Greenwood and Idalou before rebounding to win nine straight games and reach the regional finals. A District 2 championship was the highlight of the season for head coach Kyle Maxfield and the Eagles. The same goals lie ahead in 2016, but Shallowater is now in District 1, also the home of Muleshoe, one of the final four teams from the region last season and a team Shallowater beat by 14 points in the playoffs. It was a non-district win over Snyder that sparked the 2015 run and Maxfield will undoubtedly hope that early-season tests will do the same this year. Wall Head coach Houston Guy and his program stormed through the first 12 games of the season before running into Brock. The 45-14 loss in the third round of the playoffs was the only blemish for Wall on the season. District 2 is Wall’s to lose once again in 2016 following a season that consisted of playoff victories over Boyd and Littlefield. The Hawks notched impressive non-district victories against Lago Vista, Llano and Cisco. Muleshoe Muleshoe is one of four returning district champions from the region. It’ll be tougher to accomplish the same feat in 2016 with the addition of Shallowater to District 1. The Mules lost two games last year – a non-district game to Sweetwater and the playoff loss to Shallowater. The playoff loss to Shallowater sets up an interesting district race and gives both teams great tests late in the season before the playoffs.

——