5A football championship games may return to Reliant

[KFDM COOP]

5A title games may return here

Cowboys home makes Reliant an option again

AUSTIN — The popularity of the Dallas Cowboys' new Arlington home may allow Reliant Stadium to host the Class 5A state championship football games for the second straight year.

With North Carolina and Texas set to play the first basketball game in Cowboys Stadium history on Dec. 19, the University Interscholastic League was forced to look elsewhere for a place to play its two 5A championships.

UIL executive director Charles Breithaupt said Monday the title games will take place at either Reliant Stadium or San Antonio's Alamodome.

On Monday afternoon, Reliant Park's Web site already touted the Dec. 19 championship game doubleheader with the note, “More information coming soon!†The entry, which has been taken down, was on the site in error, according to Reliant Park general manager Mark Miller.

Reliant Park officials, however, hope they will be able to put the notice back up soon.

“It's a great community event,†Miller said. “Everything we heard last year was very positive. We are very interested.â€

This will be the fourth year the UIL has played its two 5A championship games at a predetermined single site. The championships were played at the Alamodome in 2006 and 2007. Championship game sites for other classes are determined by agreement of the coaches involved the week the games are played.

Reliant Stadium played host to the 5A title doubleheader last year, with Katy beating Wylie for the Division II championship and Hightower falling to Allen for the Division I crown before a combined crowd of more than 40,000.

“I've always been an advocate of freedom of choice,†said Katy coach Gary Joseph. “If the UIL is going to take control, I prefer a closed stadium.

“I enjoyed Reliant. It's an easy ride for us, but San Antonio is easy, too. I felt our fans deserved an opportunity to watch us play close to home.â€

The 2008 games nearly fell victim to Hurricane Ike. Damage from the storm left Reliant Stadium's roof inoperable for the remainder of the football season. The UIL opted to keep the games at Reliant under the open roof, then dodged a shaky weather forecast in the days leading up to the games.

“They were very well attended,†UIL athletic director Cliff Odenwald said of last year's two games. “We were sweating bullets with the hole in the roof.â€

The UIL has stated its interest in playing the 5A title games in indoor facilities, ruling out centrally located college venues Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Floyd Casey Stadium in Waco and Kyle Field in College Station.

[badndn]

I say flip flop the 4A and 5A games between SA and HTown each year. Then they can televise them both (4A in SA, 5A in Houston and vice versa in 2010)

[SgtRey]

;D ;D  They should let Westbrook and Katy play there every year  ;D ;D ;D