Three teams in southern Nevada that have played Class 2A football in recent years are dropping down to play as eight-man independents this season.
Nevada Preps, a section of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, recently reported the Mountain View Saints, who have struggled in recent years to fill out a team in the 2A ranks, were granted independent status in football for the 2019 season. Laughlin and The Meadows were also granted independent status.
It’s probable that the Saints will be a Class 1A school in the next realignment cycle as the school’s enrollment has declined and should be below the 1A/2A threshold, Nevada Preps reported.
Mountain View, once a member of the 1A Southern League, has struggled mightily in recent years as a 2A school.
Once the 2A state runner-up in 2013 for the third time in four years, the Saints have won just seven games since. The team’s last win came in the final game of the 2015 season.
Needles’ athletic director, and Southern League president Bill Darrow was quoted in the RJ article as saying, “Mountain View is the most deserving of the independent status. They have the 2A’s blessing, and they will be leaving the 2A after a year.”
Pahranagat Valley plays two of those teams on their schedule this year, Laughlin Sept. 6 and The Meadows Sept. 27.
As football independents, these teams will not be eligible for playoff action in the 1A ranks.
However, all three schools will still compete in the 2A Southern league in all other sports during the 2019-2020 school year.
