Douglas High’s Ava Coons battles for possession during a game last fall. Douglas and Carson girls soccer will be in Class 4A this fall after realignment by the NIAA.
Photo by Ron Harpin.
By now, surely you’ve heard of all the changes coming to the Northern Nevada prep sports landscape for the 2023-24 year.
Most of the discussion centered around football and the decision to split Class 5A into three divisions.
Carson and Douglas will meet in Class 5A Division III where the top team has a chance to be promoted to Class 5A Division II at the end of the fall calendar.
However, there will be more changes in regards to other local high school teams.
Carson, Douglas fall sports changes
The first change will come for girls golf, where Class 5A has become strictly a Southern Nevada classification.
Carson and Douglas girls golf will compete at the Class 4A level alongside the usual suspects — Bishop Manogue, Damonte Ranch, Galena, McQueen, Reed, Reno and Spanish Springs.
For the Senators, the competition doesn’t really change.
However, after winning back-to-back state titles in Class 3A, the Douglas Tigers will now compete with the biggest schools in Northern Nevada.
For boys and girls soccer, Carson will move to Class 4A along with the rest of the largest schools in Northern Nevada.
While the northern region for soccer will remain at nine teams, the southern region will consist of two leagues of 10.
Douglas’ boys soccer team move up to the Class 4A level after a handful of years competing in Class 3A.
Boys and girls tennis teams in the North will play at the Class 4A level this fall.
Cross country and volleyball will remain the same as Carson and Douglas will stay at the Class 5A level for both sports.
The Senators are coming off a state title in girls cross country from last fall.
Dayton, Sierra Lutheran moves
For Dayton High School, the biggest move comes in football, where the Dust Devils will play at the 2A level this fall as an independent. Competing as an independent means the team is not eligible for the postseason.
Dayton will remain in Class 3A for every other fall sport.
Sierra Lutheran will move up to Class 2A across the board this fall.
Football will compete with Battle Mountain, Coral-Reno, Incline, North Tahoe, Pershing County, Silver Stage, West Wendover and Yerington.
The volleyball scene looks the same, as the Falcons will change to Class 2A.
Cross country won’t be any different either, jumping up to 2A.