Nevada high school football realignment remains up in the air
No decision was made on the realignment of Class 5A, 4A and 3A high school football for the next two seasons at a meeting Thursday in Reno.
The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Board of Control has voted to file all decisions on proposed football realignments through a date to be determined. The realignment proposals were approved by the realignment committee last week.
Several board members have said they are not ready to approve the football realignment, which will cover a two-year cycle starting in the fall. Representatives from the North said they wanted to wait until there was a proposed format for the playoffs.
NIAA executive director Donnie Nelson said there will be emergency meetings for the realignment committee, to approve a football realignment and work on a playoff format, and the Board of Control for the ‘approve.
No date has been announced for those meetings, but Nelson said there will need to be a proposal for the board to vote in early March.
The realignment proposals for the remaining eight fall sports for 5A, 4A and 3A have been approved.
Board of Control Chairman Rollins Stallworth told the meeting that the NIAA would allow two state championships within one division, allowing for the possibility of an open division for top 5A football teams, which has was approved at a Realignment Committee meeting in December.
Football playoff formats were not on the agenda for Thursday’s meeting after the realignment committee voted to table the item after three football teams were approved to move from 5A to 4A in the week last.
The proposed new football realignment has 11 schools in 5A South. The Desert League includes Arbor View, Bishop Gorman, Green Valley, Las Vegas High, and Shadow Ridge, and the Mountain League would consist of Liberty, Coronado, Desert Pines, Faith Lutheran, Foothill, and Silverado.
The board approved applications for full membership from Southern Nevada charter schools Mater East Academy, Pinecrest Academy Sloan Canyon and Cristo Rey St. Viator.
Mater East will play 3A football and Sloan Canyon will play as an independent. Cristo Rey St. Viator does not play football.
Green Valley Christian’s call to move from 1A to 2A for all sports was also endorsed.
The master’s 2023-2024 calendar of activities has also been approved, with the first possible day of competitions for fall sports, including football, set for August 17.
The board also approved realignment proposals and playoff formats for 2A and 1A.
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