Highland Park discovered its future foes on the gridiron and hardwood Monday when the UIL unveiled new district alignments for the 2026-28 school years.
The biennial realignment released pertains only to football, volleyball and basketball, with districts for other UIL sports set for release later this spring.
HP recently completed a two-year cycle competing in Class 5A Division I District 7 (Region 2) in football alongside Burleson Centennial, Cleburne, Joshua, Midlothian, Red Oak and Tyler.
But HP’s district will take on a vastly different look in 2026-27 with the Scots shifting to District 6 (Region 2) and matchups with Carrollton programs Creekview, Newman Smith and R.L. Turner, as well as Richland and Birdville of North Richland Hills and Garland Naaman Forest.
The new look is similar in volleyball and basketball (District 12) where the Carrollton-Farmers Branch and Birdville ISD programs remain, but the Scots and Lady Scots will instead be joined by Colleyville Heritage and Grapevine rather than Naaman.
HP had spent the past two years grouped with C-FB, Lewisville The Colony and Frisco ISD programs Wakeland, Reedy and Lone Star in basketball and volleyball.
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“The biggest change for us is going to a seven-team district in football,” said Jeremy Gilbert, HP director of athletics. “We were kind of shocked by that, and it left us scrambling for non-district games because we not only needed another one by losing a district game, but we already had a game set up with Richland and now that’s a district game.”
But the Scots were able to set up games with Tyler and Argyle to round on the non-district slate for the next two years.
Logistically, football fans will be doing flips upon seeing the new alignments.
Gone are hour-plus treks west (or east) for road games, at least not for district action, with commutes to Standridge and the Birdville and Garland stadiums all estimated between 25-35 minutes.
The new district also means HP could have more Thursday night games as a result of district foes having to share a stadium.
Travel for volleyball and basketball, meanwhile, remains similar if not shorter.
Competitively, HP figures to get its biggest test on the gridiron from Richland.
The Royals have qualified for the playoffs in each of the past four seasons, including advancing to the third round in each of the last three.
Birdville, meanwhile, has posted just one season above .500 in its past six. And while the C-FB ISD programs found success advancing to the playoffs in their previous configuration, it has been some time since the Mustangs, Trojans or Lions won a postseason game.
Plenty is left to be decided on the basketball court this season with Birdville having the strongest showing amongst incoming programs a year ago.
In volleyball, Grapevine and Colleyville have had strong seasons in the past, including a state-ranked campaign for the Lady Mustangs in 2025.
“The Carrollton schools are close and from previous experience we know they’re really just class acts to work with and compete against,” Gilbert said. “And we know Grapevine and Colleyville are going to be very competitive. It’s an exciting time and it’s fun for us to be able to face some new teams and see some fresh faces.”
Listed below are the new districts Highland Park will grouped in for 2026-28:
FOOTBALL
District 6-5A
Carrollton Creekview
Carrollton Newman Smith
Carrollton R.L. Turner
Dallas Highland Park
Garland Naaman Forest
North Richland Hills Birdville
North Richland Hills Richland
VOLLEYBALL/BASKETBALL
District 12-5A
Carrollton Creekview
Carrollton Newman Smith
Carrollton R.L. Turner
Colleyville Heritage
Dallas Highland Park
Grapevine
North Richland Hills Birdville
North Richland Hills Richland
