When the University Interscholastic League realigned this offseason, the Somerville football team had to be happy about dropping down a classification. Instead of matching up against schools with rosters twice their size, the Yeguas will be playing on a more even field this season.

That doesn't mean the field will be any easier.

The UIL dropped Somerville into one of the region's toughest districts in Class A. The new District 27-A includes Shiner, which won nine games last season and made the Class A Division I quarterfinals. Flatonia and Louise both reached the area round of the playoffs. Burton had a winning record in district last season and is primed for more success under first-year head coach Clinton Smith. And Ganado is dropping down to Class A and expected by many to contend for a playoff berth.

"I'm not familiar with coaching against the teams, but I'm familiar with their history," Somerville head coach Larry Cone said. "Shiner has been a perennial playoff team. Flatonia has been historically good and Burton may surprise some people."

The Somerville offense produced games of 58, 52, 46 and 42 points last season. Unfortunately, those high-octane bursts of offense only led to a 2-8 record, and the Yeguas missed the playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Coach Cone attributed last season's struggles to lack of depth and poor conditioning, something he aims to change in 2008.

"We want to be competitive in every ball game," Cone said. "Last year we ran out of gas in the second half. We're playing with 22 or 23 kids, and everyone else is playing with twice that. We've been working hard on conditioning, what we call 'AXE' [agility, explosion and endurance]. We've been flipping tires, running through wires. It's a killer workout, but our kids are fighting through this well."

The Somerville offense returns four starters, including junior quarterback Cody Holliday and senior wide receiver Jonathan Armijo, who is the vocal leader of the team. Holliday threw for eight touchdowns last season, completing 61 of 136 passes for 1,088 yards. Armijo caught 16 passes for 468 yards and five touchdowns.

Tight end Jeff Foster also caught five touchdown passes and gives Holliday another big target, reminding Cone of former Somerville player and current North Texas wide receiver Sam Roberson.

Running backs Ricky Bruno and Tony Negrete provide a potent 1-2 combination in the backfield, but it's the versatility of Holliday that makes the Yeguas' spread offense so dangerous.

"When he's on, he's not only a run threat, he's a pass threat," Cone said. "Holliday had a great offseason. He plays every sport we have and is one of the hardest-working kids in the weight room. He's grown a couple inches and put on about 15 pounds and is one of the fastest kids on the field. I think big things will happen for him in the next couple of years."

On defense, Somerville has a solid core of players to build around.

Cornerback P.J. Pleasant may have the best hands on the team, something he showed by intercepting a pass and returning it for a touchdown against Bellville this summer in the state 7-on-7 tournament.

Safety Matt Coronado brings an imposing presence to the field and often doles out big hits across the middle. Freshman Matt Holliday, the quarterback's younger brother, will probably start at the other safety spot as the coaching staff tries to get him on the field any way it can.

The defense will be led by Negrete. He played mostly outside linebacker as a junior last season but will switch to middle linebacker to take full advantage of his football instincts.

"He's got those intense-type eyes," Cone said. "He's always watching the field and knows where to go. He's got those eyes that remind me of [NFL Hall of Fame linebacker] Mike Singletary out of Baylor."