Nevada high school football realignment changes impact Bishop Gorman

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s HRM points rating system used for Class 5A and 4A Southern Region football teams lasted just one year.

The NIAA made a drastic change to its realignment structure and postseason format for 5A and 4A Southern football teams, which included the creation of an Open Division, a 10-team league with only Southern teams.

The move passed by a 10-0 vote at a special Board of Control meeting Wednesday at Centennial High School. It will go into effect for the 2026 season.

The change will get rid of the NIAA’s HRM points rating system that was used this postseason for 5A and 4A Southern Region teams. The top four 5A teams — Arbor View, Bishop Gorman, Foothill and Liberty — made the Open Division state tournament.

Teams in the Open Division next season will play nine league games with the possibility to play one nonleague game. Class 5A will be comprised of 10 teams, and they also will play nine league games and could play one nonleague game. Class 4A will be comprised of 17 teams split between two leagues.

The top six teams in the Open Division standings will play in a state tournament, with the top two seeds receiving a bye. That will be the same format in the 5A Southern Region playoffs, with the region champion playing the Northern champion.

In 4A, the top four teams in each league will play in an eight-team Southern Region tournament with crossover based on standings. The region champion will play the Northern champion in a state championship game.

The NIAA used Harbin and Rubric points and MaxPreps’ state rankings to combine into an HRM score to determine who qualified for the Open Division and 5A and 4A Southern Region playoffs this year.

Despite issues raised about the HRM, the board voted to use its past season’s final HRM rankings to determine who will be placed in the Open Division, 5A and 4A for next season.

‘Created credibility issues’

Clark County School District principals voiced their displeasure with the HRM system at Wednesday’s meeting during public comment and on the board, after the NIAA made multiple revisions to the final HRM rankings because of an issue with MaxPreps’ rankings and an unreported forfeited game.

“It created credibility issues within the NIAA and the structure that we currently have,” said Eldorado principal Christina Brockett, a board member. “It creates that mistrust. It creates people speculating, and we can’t explain it.”

The issues with the HRM system started when the final rankings were initially released Oct. 26. Shadow Ridge was in the No. 4 spot and would play in the Open Division.

The NIAA then made a revision after MaxPreps made an update to its rankings, but the NIAA wasn’t aware of that, which impacted several teams’ HRM score.

Las Vegas was moved into the No. 4 spot later that day after the revision. Then, 24 hours after the initial revision, another change was made after Foothill did not report a game that was ruled a forfeit win, which impacted several teams’ HRM scores.

Foothill was moved into the final spot in the Open Division. The second change moved Liberty from No. 3 to No. 2 in the final HRM rankings, swapping places with Arbor View.

Reduced national stage

Bishop Gorman’s national presence will be drastically impacted by the reduction of out-of-state games. During public comment at Wednesday’s meeting, Gorman athletic director Grant Rice said the Gaels will play in the league and not opt to play as an independent to play more out-of-state games.

“Bishop Gorman is a member of the NIAA in good standing. We always have been, and that will not change,” Rice said. “We don’t plan on going independent. If you create a 10-team league, we will play in it and our one out-of-state game. This will not force us out.”

Gorman is ranked No. 6 nationally by MaxPreps and No. 8 by USA Today, with wins against out-of-state opponents Santa Margarita (California), Kahuku (Hawaii), Lone Peak (Utah) and East St. Louis (Illinois). Santa Margarita is ranked No. 7 by MaxPreps.

If not for a 27-24 home loss to Mater Dei (California) on Sept. 19, the Gaels would be in the driver’s seat for a fifth mythical national title.

“If we go to a 10-team league, we are taking a step 20 years backwards, and it’s sad. It would be a sad thing,” Rice said during public comment. “It might not affect some schools, but there are many schools that it will affect. It will affect their students.”

Projected leagues

The top 10 5A Southern teams from the final HRM rankings will go into the Open Division. The final eight 5A teams and the top two 4A teams would make up 5A.

In 4A, the remaining teams with an even-numbered final ranking would play in the Desert League, and the teams with an odd-numbered ranking would play in the Mountain League. There will be an appeals meeting at a to-be-determined time for teams to appeal their placements.

Based on the NIAA’s final HRM system, the 10 Southern teams that would be in the Open Division are: Bishop Gorman, Liberty, Arbor View, Foothill, Shadow Ridge, Las Vegas High, Desert Oasis, Desert Pines, Green Valley and Faith Lutheran. There are no Northern teams in the Open Division.

The 10 5A Southern teams would be: Mojave, Centennial, Coronado, Canyon Springs, Palo Verde, Legacy, Losee, Basic, Sloan Canyon and Silverado. Sloan Canyon and Silverado would move up from 4A.

The 4A Desert League would consist of: Sierra Vista, SLAM! Nevada, Valley, Durango, Sunrise Mountain, Del Sol, Cheyenne and Rancho. The 4A Mountain League would be: Spring Valley, Mater East, Clark, Eldorado, Bonanza, Chaparral, Cimarron-Memorial, Cadence and Western.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.