BEAUMONT, Texas — Wednesday morning the University Interscholastic League released their conference cutoff numbers for the upcoming realignment on February 3.
The two biggest stories for Southeast Texas could be Beaumont United and Orangefield.
If the cutoff numbers remain the same, keep in mind sometimes they do change a little, the Timberwolves are heading back to Class 6A after a two-year stint in 5A.
Beaumont United's enrollment number is 2230.5. The cutoff number for 6A is 2225. That means the Timberwolves are 6A by just five and a half students.
This is also the time of the year when people ask me how do you have half of a student?
It's simple, any student that goes to school less than four hours a day is counted as a half student.
Meanwhile, Orangefield is heading back to class 3A for all sports, and specifically 3A-Division I for football.
The Bobcats number came in at 529. The cutoff for 4A is 545.
And while Newton remains in 3a-Division II, the eagles are extremely close to dropping down to 2A.
Newton's enrollment number for this cycle is 260. That's just eleven more students than the 2A cutoff.
12-5A-DII could look much different as well. Barbers Hill (1945), Crosby (1926) and Kingwood Park (1937.5) would all move up to 5A-Division I if the 5A-Division II cutoff stays at 1925 on realignment day.
If that's the case Nederland and Port Neches-Groves could be making even longer trips during district play.
While most of the focus is given to football, these cutoff numbers mean the defending 5A Boys Basketball State Champion Beaumont United could be heading back up to 6A.
Head Coach David Green welcomes the challenge if that's the case.
"Well I look at it like this. I think Beaumont United can play in any classification. We have the kids. We basically, we play 6A now. And we we've had success with them. Not only in the past, this year is well. We beat some 6A teams. So we're just going to enjoy this year, try to go back and win a State Championship and when they day comes that we gotta start playing the 6A teams we'll be ready. We welcome the challenge."
Here's a look at the breakdown for our area schools. As mentioned earlier, cutoff numbers could shift slightly.
These specific cutoffs are for football. Enrollments are in parenthesis.
6A (2225)
West Brook (2326)
Beaumont United (2230.5)
5A-DI (1925-2224)
Port Arthur Memorial (2002)
5A-DII (1300-1924)
Port Neches-Groves (1596)
Nederland (1449.5)
4A-DI (880-1299)
Vidor (1229)
Lumberton (1215)
Little Cypress-Mauriceville (1024)
4A-DII (545-879)
Bridge City (849)
Silsbee (763)
Hardin-Jefferson (725)
Jasper (702)
West Orange-Stark (635)
Hamshire-Fannett (604)
3A-DI (360-554)
Orangefield (529)
East Chambers (454)
Buna (437)
Anahuac (413)
Kirbyville (382)
Woodville (365)
3A-DII (250-359)
Warren (351)
Kountze (346)
Newton (260)
2A-DI (164.5-249)
West Hardin (187)
2A-DII (105-165.4)
Deweyville (147)
Colmesneil (126)
Sabine Pass (126)
Hull-Daisetta (124)
Evadale (121)
1A-DI (6-Man) 59.5-104.9
Burkeville (76)
High Island (73)