Spiro football reslotted into Class 2A II by OSSAA for 2024-2025 competitive cycle

While the 2023 version of the Spiro bulldogs saw their season come to a close on the road against Prague in the first round of the class 2A state playoffs, starting with the 2024 season it will be out with the old and in with the new as far as District opponents are concerned.

The Oklahoma Secondary Schools Activities association has released the new two-year pairings for football districts that will be implemented next year and the Bulldogs placement find them in class 2A-II along with 31 like-sized schools .

The splitting up of the 2A classification, much like was done in 6A football during the last cycle, puts the 32 teams in 2A-II not only at a much better position to make the playoffs and be competitive, but the split means there will be a state championship also awarded to the 32 teams in the new 2A-II ranks.

For the bulldogs this also means no longer having to compete with larger schools like Eufaula, Idabel, Heavener,and Hugo which might enhance the possibility of making the playoffs in a better position.

Sxteen teams, half the classification, will make the playoffs in 2024. Those 16 teams will clash in a traditional four-week playoff bracket to name a 2A-II champion.

In addition to Spiro, the other holdovers in the district will be Antlers, Valiant, and Wilburton. The new schools the Bulldogs will have to face in conference play include Atoka, Keys (Park Hill) , Morris, and Vian.

The combined regular season won- loss record for the new teams coming into the district was 15-22 this fall. The four teams that are making their exit went a combined 26-13 in the 2023 regular season.

Depending on how the schedule falls, the possibility of lengthy road trips to visit an opponent now include trips to Atoka, Morris, Keys, Antlers, and Valiant. Trips to Vian and Wilburton are much more manageable for the program.

The Bulldogs dodged a bullet this year, with Idabel, Wilburton. Hugo, and Valiant all playing in the home stadium. Eufaula and Heavener were both manageable treks with Antlers being the longest and most taxing road game.

Coaches at all eight schools in the new District will begin assembling their non-conference rates as soon as the dates for conference games are in place.