2016 Region Outlooks: 3A DII Region II — Who emerges from a wide-open region?

[caption id="attachment_22750" align="aligncenter" width="3000"]Photo by Tom Sooter Photo by Tom Sooter[/caption] The 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 IV / 3A DI Region I / 3A DI Region II / 3A DI Region III / 3A DI Region IV / Class 3A DII Region IClass 3A Division II Region II Few regions took a bigger hit to its esteem like Class 3A Division II Region II. Two-time defending state champion, Waskom, was moved to Region III along with West Rusk. Those two teams faced each other for the Region II championship in 2015. Waskom won the region for the past two seasons. Howe, another defending district champion, moved to Class 3A Division I. That leaves two defending champions – Hooks and Alba-Golden – in the region lost in the bi-district round. Paul Pewitt reached the regional semifinals in 2015 and return to a suddenly wide-open region. Henrietta joins a year removed from playing for the Region I championship. Daingerfield drops down from Division I. Henrietta District realignment smiled upon the Bearcats. Not only was Henrietta moved out of Region I, now the home of Canadian, but it also moved the two-time Class 3A Division II champion out its new home. Few regions at the small-school level lack a true favorite. Region II has no favorite with the absence of Waskom and West Rusk. Henrietta lost to Idalou in the Region I championship last season. The Bearcats went 13-2 on the season, with the other loss coming to Cisco in district play. Head coach Byron West’s squad earned a mountain of experience last year and will see the new region as a breath of fresh air. Daingerfield The Tigers hope a drop in division equals more playoff success. Daingerfield’s 5-7 record isn’t overly impressive until it is examined. Daingerfield started the season 0-5 before turning it around with a 4-1 district record and a bi-district championship. The Tigers closed the season 5-2 with an 8-0 district loss to Redwater preventing a district championship. Daingerfield beat Sabine in the bi-district round before Sunnyvale ended its season.

Hooks Head coach Chris Birdwell’s team won District 7 and only lost one game in the regular season. It’ll still feel like a little bit of a disappointment for the first-year head coach because his team fell in the bi-district round to Arp. Arp is another team moved away from Region II. A defending district champion must be placed in the conversation of region favorite. Hooks, along with Alba-Golden benefit from the exit of teams like Waskom, West Rusk and Arp. Gunter is another team to watch in the region.