Celina High School is preparing for its inaugural year competing in the University Interscholastic League’s Class 5A division. The Bobcats will navigate a new competitive landscape over the next two school years, participating in 4-5A Division II for football and 9-5A for most other sports. This move places them in districts with Anna, Denison, Prosper Richland, and five Frisco Independent School District programs for football, while their other athletic teams will compete against Anna, Denison, Greenville, Lovejoy, McKinney North, Melissa, Nevada Community, and Sherman.
In football, Celina faces Anna, a program with a long-standing gridiron history. The two schools have shared districts for decades, with Celina historically holding a significant advantage, including six district wins by an average margin of 40.7 points during the 2010s. However, Anna has recently improved under head coach Seth Parr. The Coyotes defeated Celina twice during the 2022 season, including a regional semifinal victory, before losing a quadruple-overtime non-district game to the Bobcats in 2023. Anna transitioned to 5A last season and has reached the playoffs in both years, drawing early attention as a contender for the 4-5A Division II title this fall.
The Celina volleyball program, known as the Lady Bobcats, is looking to sustain its success after qualifying for the state tournament three times in the past five seasons. Their run included a state runner-up finish in 2021. They will now compete in a 9-5A district that includes Lovejoy, a ten-time state champion, and McKinney North. The Lady Bulldogs of McKinney North have recorded at least 20 wins in seven consecutive seasons and were state runners-up in 2024. Both teams are expected to return key players from their recent regional finals appearances and are projected to be significant factors in the 9-5A playoff standings.
In girls soccer, Celina enters 5A as the defending five-time consecutive state champion, boasting a 138-4-4 record over the past five seasons. They will join Lovejoy in the 9-5A district. The Lady Leopards of Lovejoy went 26-1 last season, allowing only four goals while reaching the regional finals for the second straight year. With perennial powerhouse Frisco Wakeland now in 6A, Celina and Lovejoy are positioned to compete for the Region II-5A Division II title, potentially meeting in both district play and the playoffs.