Sports

It was not easy, but the undefeated Van Vandals advanced to the Class 4A, Division II, Regional Semifinals with a hard-earned 35-25 Area round victory Nov. 19 over the upset-minded Sunnyvale Raiders in Rockwall.

The first domino of the 2022-’24 redistricting and realignment cycle fell recently with districts across the state submitting current enrollment figures. Numbers submitted by Van Zandt County schools included: -Canton: 652 -Edgewood: 329 -Fruitvale: 115 -Grand Saline: 318.5 -Grand Saline: 318.5 -Martins Mill: 139 -Van: 746 -Wills Point: 774 According to information posted by the UIL, “Conferences 2A through 5A shall consist of a minimum of 200 schools, to the best extent possible, such that the enrollment ratio in grades 9-12 between the largest school and the smallest school in that conference is approximately 2.0.” The UIL’s online information notes that there shall be no attempt to perpetuate or avoid “old rivalries”, leaving the possibility of Wills Point being separated from county foes Canton and Van on the gridiron for a second consecutive redistricting cycle (the schools could still meet in non-district).

This year’s District 12-3A race was as competitive as ever as Edgewood, Grand Saline, Prairiland, Rains, Paris Chisum, Commerce and Lone Oak battled down to the wire for a top-four finish and spot in this year’s playoffs.

The Van Lady Vandals were the gold standard among county volleyball programs throughout the 2021 season, powering their way to a District 14-4A title before notching impressive playoff wins over Kaufman, Paris and state-ranked Farmersville.