News Summary
The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) is set to unveil its final HRM rankings, which are crucial for playoff placements in Class 5A and 4A high school football. Key matchups are anticipated, including a potential semifinal clash between No. 1 Bishop Gorman and the No. 4 seed. Recent losses by competing teams have intensified the playoff race, especially as programs finalize their lineups ahead of the upcoming postseason. The rankings will also impact the 5A Southern Region playoff field, showcasing the intensity of competition among local teams.
Las Vegas, Nevada – The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association (NIAA) is set to release its final HRM rankings on Sunday at noon, which will play a critical role in determining playoff placements for the Class 5A and 4A Southern Region high school football teams, along with a new four-team Open Division state tournament. This announcement comes as high school teams wrap up their regular seasons, with playoff spots at stake.
In the Open Division, the No. 4 seed is anticipated to face No. 1 Bishop Gorman (9-1) in the semifinals scheduled for November 14. Currently, No. 2 Liberty (9-1) and No. 3 Arbor View (8-2) are expected to compete in the other semifinal match. As the release of the rankings approaches, Shadow Ridge, Foothill, and Las Vegas High are all contenders for the No. 4 seed, although each team comes off recent losses during their final regular season games.
Prior to the weekend, Shadow Ridge held the No. 4 position with a 3.6667 HRM score, followed by Foothill at No. 5 with a score of 5.3333, and Las Vegas ranked No. 6 with a 5.6667 score. However, during their last games, Shadow Ridge suffered a 43-0 defeat to Bishop Gorman, Foothill was upset 30-24 by Faith Lutheran, and Las Vegas experienced its first loss of the season with a 57-28 setback to Arbor View. These defeats have added a layer of complexity to the decision-making process regarding the No. 4 seed, as all three teams are now re-evaluated in light of their recent performances.
The NIAA utilizes a combination of Harbin points, rubric points, and MaxPreps rankings to determine HRM scores, which ultimately influence playoff placements. Prior to their final games, Shadow Ridge accumulated 21.757 Harbin points, Foothill had 17.232 points, and Las Vegas had 19.409 points. While Desert Oasis follows with the next highest total of 14.961 points, it is not projected to exceed any of the teams that lost last weekend. Furthermore, Shadow Ridge was ranked 8th in the state according to MaxPreps, with Foothill at 11th and Las Vegas at 12th.
Despite the heavy loss faced by Shadow Ridge, they remain favored to secure the No. 4 playoff spot based on their HRM score advantages over their competitors. In fact, Desert Oasis’ HRM score is currently at 8, and it is positioned behind Desert Pines, Centennial, and Green Valley, which have scores of 8.6667 and 9.6667, respectively.
In addition to the Open Division assessments, the NIAA will finalize the playoff field for the 5A Southern Region, which will include teams ranked 5 through 12. Mojave has likely locked in its place following a favorable 34-10 victory over Palo Verde. In contrast, Coronado (3-7, 11.3333 HRM score) lost to Liberty, complicating their playoff prospects, while Faith Lutheran (3-7, 14 HRM score) secured a crucial win and is now positioned to possibly break into the top 12.
Faith Lutheran’s impressive performance featured a player scoring three touchdowns and a pivotal defensive pick-six. Meanwhile, in the 4A division, No. 8 Clark (8.6667 HRM score) appears to have secured a likely playoff spot thanks to their win against Bonanza, while No. 7 Valley (8.000) faced a setback that could jeopardize its playoff chances further.
The overall competition for the last remaining playoff spots within both the 5A and 4A leagues continues to be intense, with upcoming games set for Thursday due to the Nevada Day holiday. The playoffs for the 5A and 4A Southern Regions will commence on Thursday, while the teams in the Open Division will be off until their semifinals on November 14. In a related note, the postseason bracket for the 3A Southern League playoffs has been established, with Virgin Valley and Moapa Valley securing the top seeds.
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Additional Resources
- Review Journal: Prep Football Recap
- Wikipedia: High School Football in the United States
- Las Vegas Sun: Southern Nevada High School Football Top 10
- Google Search: High School Football Rankings
- Review Journal: Prep Football Roundup
- Google Scholar: High School Football Performance
- Review Journal: Arbor View vs. Las Vegas Battle
- Encyclopedia Britannica: High School Football
- Review Journal: Southern Nevada Players to Watch
- Google News: Southern Nevada High School Football
