Mineral Wells Area News

By DAVID MAY

Special to Mineral Wells Area News

Mineral Wells High School will drop a level in athletics competition for the 2024-26 years after submitting student enrollment figures that fell four students short of the cutoff to remain in Class 4A-Division I.

That means beginning next season the Rams and Lady Rams will compete in Class 4A-Division 2. MWHS submitted student enrollment of 953 students – UIL determined the cutoff to remain Division-1 was a 957-student enrollment. Rather than being one of the smaller schools in the upper division, the Rams will compete as one of the largest schools in the second classification division.

The University Interscholastic League announced its conference cutoff numbers and submitted school district enrollment figures on Friday. Regions and districts for each classification will be announced beginning Feb. 1.

Among regional schools also dropping a level in Class 4A are Burkburnett and Benbrook. Area teams staying in 4A-Division 1 include Stephenville, Decatur and Springtown. 

Graham (689), Sanger (849) and Gainesville (872) are among regional teams that will also compete in 4A-2 and could be in a district with Mineral Wells (953), Benbrook (885) and Burkburnett (942). But don’t hold us to that – the UIL does what the UIL does.

Millsap High School provided enrollment total of 322, which will keep the Bulldogs competing in 3A-Division 2.

Likewise, Santo High School will stay in 2A-Division 2 after providing an enrollment figure of 157 students.

With a student enrollment of 75, the Gordon Longhorns will remain in 1A-1. Strawn will stay in 1A-2 after turning in an enrollment of 49 students.

Graford High School reported 107 students, which will push it up a classification into Class 2A-2 for basketball, just two students above the 105 cutoff to remain Class 1A. Graford will be one of the smallest Class 2A-2 schools.

Reporting 103 students, Perrin High School barely avoided moving up a class from Class 1A-1. Two more students would have lifted the Pirates into Class 2A.

For more information about the UIL classification numbers and school enrollments used to classify the schools click here.