In likely their final season in Class 5A, the Bastrop Bears went out on a high note.
Even with a 41-21 loss in the playoffs to New Bruanfels, Bastrop’s 2009 season will be remembered as the final in 5A and one in which the Bears returned to the playoffs

after a four year absence, won a district title and flirted with perfection.
The underclassmen and coaches at Bastrop now await their fate in the upcoming UIL biennial redistricting scheduled for Feb. 2, 2010.
With the season now over, the speculation can begin as to where Bastrop will end up.
This much is known – Bastrop is headed to 4A.
The only question is where will the Bears end up.
As I see things, there are two ways Bastrop could go.
Cedar Creek will not play varsity athletics in team sports until 2012 and will enter into a 3A district and play junior varsity sports for the next two years.
I mention this because I feel this may play a part in deciding where Bastrop ends up in February.
Another factor that could play influence is where Del Valle ends up.
Del Valle is expected to move up to 5A as enrollment has increased over the last two years.
This means the likely destination for Bastrop is District 17-4A with Elgin, Manor, Hays, Lehman and Lockhart.
The wild card in this is San Marcos, which competes in 17-4A in all sports except football.
That should change. I see Bastrop and San Marcos entering this district, leaving an eighth spot for possibly Dripping Springs or Hutto.
Which brings me back to Cedar Creek and their role in this redistricting.
The UIL will do another redistricting in 2012, Cedar Creek’s first season playing varsity team sports.
Cedar Creek will have 4A enrollment numbers in 2012 and will take the place of Dripping Springs or whomever that eighth team may be this time around.
The UIL is fully aware that teams with 2-8 records are making the playoffs in 4A because of four teams from each district making the playoffs.
I think we will see most districts in 4A being seven or eight team districts.
Another possibility is forming a district with San Marcos, Seguin, New Braunfels Canyon, Hays, Lockhart, Lehman, Dripping Springs and Bastrop.
I don’t see that happening though because of Elgin and Bastrop being in the same county and the UIL historically doesn’t separate schools in the same county.
And remember, Cedar Creek is the wild card that may be the deciding factor on where Bastrop ends up this year.