Faith Lutheran and Clark will be playing in another division next year

Faith Lutheran and Clark high schools will have new homes next year.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association at their April 6 meeting nullified its previously approved alignment for next year, approving any Division I-A school that reaches 150 points in the Nevada Rubric to move to Class 4A next year.

As reported earlier in the year, the NIAA is also changing the names from Division I and Division I-A to Class 4A and Class 3A for next year.

Clark (185) and Faith Lutheran (353) both have surpassed the 150-point threshold. Two other schools, Spring Valley (116) and Sierra Vista (119) are close and could also move.

“I think the movement of Sierra Vista and Spring Valley is highly unlikely,” Donnie Nelson, assistant director of the NIAA said. “They are close and it is possible, but to do it they would have to finish in the state finals for a sport.”

If a Division I school scores fewer than 16 points, it would move to Class 3A for next year. The only team close to that is Bonanza, who has 15 points now, but is expected to make the playoffs in baseball and this will keep them in Class 4A.

The NIAA also changed the alignment cycle from a 4-year cycle to a two-year cycle, so if a school meets the criteria they would either move up or down at the end of the cycle.

In the past, because Pahrump Valley had an enrollment of less than 1,200 students it was a protected school, but this year the numbers were higher than 1,200 which removes that protection and so Pahrump Valley could do well and find themselves back in Class 4A at the end of the two-year cycle.

“Of course, that would mean Pahrump would have to win a lot of state titles in this two-year period and that’s a lot,” Trojans athletic director Ed Kirkwood said. In this cycle Pahrump only has 13 points.

Nelson did say Pahrump could be protected again.

“To get their protection back, their enrollment must be under 1,200 students at count day for two years in a row,” Nelson said.

This may not happen for awhile for according to the middle school their enrollment has been steady.

Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com