Schools that compete in Division I-A South will have some different partners next year, with the new teams to be determined after the spring sports season.
When the NIAA realigned for the 2012-13 school year it created a rubric system for its Division I and Division I-A in southern Nevada. If a school had fewer than 15 points in a two-year cycle, it was subject to move down to Division I-A. On the opposite end of the spectrum, if a Division I-A school of 1,200 students or more has 150 or more points it will move up to Division I.
On Monday, the NIAA Board of Control approved up to four Division I schools moving down to Division I-A at the start of the 2014-15 school year.
Under consideration to drop are Del Sol (2,169 students), Rancho (3,154), Desert Oasis (2,169), Spring Valley (2,381) and Sierra Vista (2,893).
Rancho currently has 11 points but is expected to move above 15 points on the strength of its baseball and track and field teams. The Rams' baseball team reached the Sunrise regional semifinals a year ago, losing to Coronado, the eventual state champion that beat Bishop Gorman twice.
Currently, Desert Oasis has 11 points, Spring Valley (nine), Sierra Vista (six) and Del Sol (zero).
Meanwhile, Faith Lutheran and Boulder City have surpassed the 150-point total in Division I-A, but since their enrollment is below 1,200, the schools will remain in the lower level. Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley also have the right to refuse to move due to their enrollment.
"On one hand, I like the fact that it is getting more kids in athletics in the south," said Lowry High School vice principal/athletic administrator Ray Parks. "But on the other hand, it makes it so much more difficult for our kids to win state championships. That primarily is due to the fact that schools with large student populations have a much higher percentage of athletes."
In the 2012-13 school year, Cheyenne, Clark, Faith Lutheran, Pahrump Valley, Western, Chaparral, Desert Pines, SECTA and Sunrise Mountain dropped down to join Virgin Valley, Moapa Valley and Boulder City to form the new Division I-A South.
In that time, Faith Lutheran won state championships in girls golf in 2012 and 2013, football (2013), volleyball (2013), girls basketball (2013), baseball (2013) and girls track and field (2013). Desert Pines (2012) and Clark (2013) won the last two boys basketball state championships and Mojave won the boys state track and field title in 2013.
The Division I-A North is not affected with changes and the league will remain at nine teams with Lowry, Elko, Spring Creek, Churchill County (Fallon), Dayton, Fernley, Sparks, South Tahoe and Truckee. Wooster is a football only member of the Division I-A.
Last November, North Valleys High School in Reno asked the NIAA to allow them to move from Division I to I-A. Even though the Division I schools gave the blessing to the move it was met with stiff opposition by the Division I-A administrators.
North Valleys has a current enrollment of 2,115 and Churchill County, Elko, South Tahoe and Sparks are the only other schools over 1,000 in the Division I-A North. Lowry was around 980 on count day.
There are currently 24 southern Nevada schools in Division I and 13 in Division I-A, including SECTA, which does not compete in football. The move would create 20 in Division I and 17 in Division I-A.
The change could allow each of the two current Division I-A leagues (Sunrise and Sunset) to divide into two, potentially creating a larger region playoff field and more postseason opportunities.[[In-content Ad]]
