Take a night off and just see what happens.

That’s the general consensus among coaches in the newly reunited District 19-3A.

For the last two years, China Spring and Gatesville had been removed from its traditional district foes in Connally, La Vega, Lorena and Robinson and shipped to 7-3A in Region I.

But in February, when the UIL announced its realignment for the next two years, the old guard was back together. And it makes for an incredibly balanced district.

La Vega receiver Devin McGowan
Duane A. Laverty / Waco Tribune-Herald

Gatesville quarterback Jake Truss
Duane A. Laverty / Waco Tribune-Herald

Robinson linebacker Philip Hurtado
Duane A. Laverty / Waco Tribune-Herald

China Spring running back Michael Armstrong
Duane A. Laverty / Waco Tribune-Herald

Lorena defensive back Chandler Snodgrass
Duane A. Laverty / Waco Tribune-Herald

Connally running back Stanley Barnes
Jerry Larson / Waco Tribune-Herald

“It’s going to be very competitive again,” Lorena coach Ray Biles said. “I don’t see one team running away from everybody. ... I see six teams that if one of them gets hot, they can run the table.”

Four of the six schools in the district reached the playoffs last season, with Lorena making a four-round run in the Division II playoffs after claiming the District 19-3A title.

That marked the fourth year in a row that at least one team from this group reached at least the state quarterfinals.

In 2006, Robinson made the Division I state championship game, falling one point short to Liberty-Eylau, 35-34.

A year later, it was China Spring’s turn, as it battled into the Division II title tilt before falling to Celina, 21-14.

La Vega bounced back in 2008 to reach the Division I final, only to see an early 10-0 lead go by the boards in a 17-10 defeat at the hands of Prosper.

Throw in Gatesville’s undefeated 2000 Division I championship season, and these schools have certainly made their mark on the state in the last decade.

“One thing that gives you confidence is that if you’re able to get out of the district, you can make a run three or four (rounds) deep,” Robinson coach Brian Lewis said. “Lorena didn’t look like a four-round playoff-type team last year, but they got in and made a run and had chances to go even further.”

Success often comes with continuity, and Lorena’s Biles, China Spring’s Mark Bell and La Vega’s Willie Williams have roamed the sidelines at their schools for more than a decade.

Continuity is key

All told, the district’s coaches have logged 59 years at their respective schools, with Williams serving as the dean entering his 21st season leading the Pirates.

“It really says a lot about the coaches in this area,” Williams said. “Not only are they good role models and good people, but they get there and stay. There’s a good camaraderie amongst the coaches.”

Connally welcomed a new coach this season in Mike Rabe, while Kyle Cooper at Gatesville went through the fray in this district in his first season in 2007.

Now in his fourth, Cooper said the fans in Gatesville are happy to be back among Central Texas foes.

“I think athletics, and football in particular, draws people of a competitive nature,” Cooper said. “Gatesville’s been playing these folks, and there’s a lot of history there, so fans are excited to go back over there and renew some of those rivalries.”

A playoff classic

One of the rivalries that burned the hottest provided one final classic memory of the district before it split.

In 2007, La Vega was the undefeated district champion and began its march through 17-3A with a 42-13 pasting of China Spring.

But eight weeks later, in the Division II regional final at Floyd Casey Stadium, these two schools were staring each other down again.

With about a minute left in the game, China Spring had the ball at La Vega’s 9-yard line, trailing 28-24.

Cougar quarterback Dustin Eskew took the snap and was flushed out of the pocket by a pair of blitzing Pirates. Eskew found room to run on the right sideline leaping over the top of another defender and crashing into the end zone just inside the pylon for the winning score.

The breathtaking upset was a lasting memory and propelled the Cougars to their state title game appearance.

La Vega is the popular choice to win the district this season, while China Spring, Gatesville and Lorena are all in the mix for playoff spots.

Connally is trying to get over the hump after coming up just shy of the postseason last year, and Robinson is trying to rebound from a pair of uncharacteristically rough seasons.

It’s a balanced and competitive league of rivals, but almost as intriguing is that each team has slightly different philosophies, especially on offense.

La Vega and Connally will typically pound the ball on the ground. Lorena and Robinson prefer to spread the field but typically like to stay balanced with the run and pass.

China Spring and Gatesville are pass-happy, but the Cougars will also line up in a tight formation and run right at opponents for plays at time.

The variety of offenses these teams will face week to week creates a nightmare for defenses, but they can take solace in the fact that there are no secrets between the league’s coaches.

“We pretty much understand the mindset of what’s going on at their place, and they know what we’re doing,” Biles said. “We’re not going to try and reinvent the wheel or pull a whole bunch of trick plays out of the bag.

“It’s just going to come down to execution. Every Friday night, you better come out ready to play. If you come out flat, it’s over. You’re done.”

jorts@wacotrib.com

757-5717

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