With Vandegrift growing exponentially, they made the transition into 6A. The move into 6A will be effective in the 2016-2017 academic year. The district that the Vipers moved into is 25-6A, which includes Lake Travis, Westlake, Lehman, Vista Ridge, Hays and Leander.

While this is good for the future of the athletic department, it could take a while for the Vipers to be contenders for state championships, especially with the district that they were placed in. Vandegrift was easily one of the top schools in 5A, as they won the Lone Star Cup in the 2014-2015 academic year, but the competition only increases in 6A.

The Vandegrift football team has been very successful the past few years, advancing to the State semifinals and quarterfinals the past two seasons. With star running back Travis Brannan and top receiver Paxton Segina leaving, there is some uncertainty lurking at those positions.

While the Vipers will likely fill the gaps well, they will have to rise to the level of Lake Travis and Westlake, who were both State finalists in 2015. The good news for the football team is that if they do qualify for the playoffs, they will likely be Division II, which is the State playoffs for smaller 6A schools.

While the district will likely be very strong at the top of the standings with two 2015 State finalists, it will likely not be the deepest. Vista Ridge had a solid season in 2015, advancing to the 5A semifinals. However, Leander, Hays and Lehman all did not qualify for State playoffs in their respective districts, which is good for Vandegrift’s playoff chances.

In basketball, the Vipers will likely be in the middle of the pack. Vista Ridge is known as one of the best 5A teams and Westlake is one of the best 6A teams, but Vandegrift is probably next after those two. Both Leander and Lake Travis are solid, but very beatable. Vandegrift is 1-1 against Leander this season, and defeated Lake Travis in the scrimmage between the two. Hays and Lehman are both awful this season, with a combined district record of 4-20, and should cause few problems for the Vipers.

One area where Vandegrift will be the leader of the district is the academic side. Vandegrift is known as one of the best academic schools in Austin, if not the best in Austin. Vandegrift is known for being successful in areas that do not receive as much spotlight.

Moving into 6A is not an easy transition by any means. Some schools can’t adapt to the transition for a good five years. This move will help the Vipers in the long run, as they have been successful in their first few years as a school, but it will be interesting to see how they fare in the first few years in 6A.