The Smithville Tigers didn’t catch much of a break Monday at the University Interscholastic League’s biennial redistricting.

Gone, much to the delight of Tiger fans, are Class 3A powerhouses Sealy and Bellville.

But that didn’t make it any easier.

Smithville joins familiar district rivals La Grange and Giddings in the new District 23-3A, along with Rockdale, Caldwell and Navasota.

“I think it’s a good draw for us,” said athletic director Justin Wiley. “We lose Bellville, Sealy and Columbus, but pick up Caldwell, Navasota and Rockdale.”

Of the six teams in the new District 23-3A, five were playoff teams.

The only one that wasn’t – Smithville.

Navasota was a Class 3A, Division I quarterfinalist, losing to the eventual state champion Gilmer by seven points.

It was Gilmer’s closest margin of victory in the playoffs.

Caldwell went three rounds deep in the Class 3A, Division II playoffs and also lost to the eventual state champion, Carthage.

Rockdale was an area finalist and La Grange was a Class 3A, Division II semifinalist, also losing to Carthage.

While the new district wasn’t as much of a surprise to Wiley, moving to Region III was.

“I was kind of hoping we would have stayed in Region IV, but we didn’t,” he said. “That seemed to be the trend for a lot of Austin schools.”

Wiley was referring to the UIL’s movement of the Austin area schools in Class 5A and 4A north to Region II, instead of the traditional Region IV.

“Like I said earlier in the week, it’s out of my control,” Wiley said.