NIAA board tables discussion on postseason format

Realignment is coming in the top two classes of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.

But how the postseason will look in the new format, beginning next school year, remains anything but certain.

At a meeting Monday in Reno, the NIAA Board of Control briefly discussed postseason formats before tabling the decision until March to collect more information.

The board in October approved realigning the current Class 4A and Class 3A, creating four six-team leagues in what will be called Division I, and leagues of six and seven teams in Division I-A. The current Class 2A will become Division III, and Class 1A will be Division IV.

A realignment tournament committee was formed and has drawn up multiple proposals, but they basically break down into two formats.

One format would have the top three teams in each league in Division I and Division I-A qualify for the postseason, giving the regular-season league champions a first-round bye.

The other format mirrors the current Class 4A format, allowing the top four teams in each league entry to the postseason.

“When we first met (as a tournament committee), we didn’t have a lot of the input and a lot of the feedback from the liaisons,” board member and Carson principal Ron Beck said.

The committee will meet again in January.

“The only true recommendation from the (Class) 4A South was that they wanted four teams instead of three,” Clark County School District athletic director Pam Sloan said. “The volleyball coaches would like all six teams (in each league) to qualify.”

NIAA assistant director Donnie Nelson said: “The general flavor is to leave things the way they are.”

Beck said he would like the committee to consider one other issue, too.

“I think the realignment committee needs to consider a public and a private state championship,” Beck said.

Under the new alignment, there will be only two Division I private schools — Bishop Gorman and Bishop Manogue.

Faith Lutheran would be in Division I-A. The other private schools in Southern Nevada all are Class 1A or 2A members with enrollments less than a quarter the size of Gorman’s.

“Class 2A has no problem at all with the private schools,” said Needles athletic director and Class 2A liaison Bill Darrow, who doesn’t favor a separate championship for private schools. “We’re basically talking about one school here. Who would they play?”