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Just because the Nye County School District in general and Pahrump Valley High School in particular want Trojan athletic teams to remain in Class 3-A doesn't mean it will happen.

So, don't get all excited about the report that the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association will receive a petition from PVHS principal Kent Roberts, requesting a change in status.

In the 2008-2009 school year, NIAA realignment is to take effect, and Pahrump Valley is supposed to be assigned to Class 4-A's Sunset Region Southwest District, along with Las Vegas Sierra Vista, Durango, and Spring Valley, among others.

Trojan teams are currently in the Southern Nevada Class 3-A League, along with Las Vegas Faith Lutheran, Boulder City, Mesquite Virgin Valley and Overton Moapa Valley. And that's where the administration wants PVHS to remain.

In the petition -- due Monday and sent to NIAA executive director Eddie Bonine -- the administration contends that it "is in the best interests of PVHS and other schools in the state for us to remain a 3-A school.

"The primary factor in our argument is that of geography," the petition, signed by PVHS principal Kent Roberts, states. "Pahrump Valley High School is located in the Nye County School District, which is still classified as rural.

"Schools in the Clark County School District are reluctant to schedule games with us due to travel time. Also, if PVHS were to be moved up, the Southern 3-A League would be most likely reduced to three schools, as Faith Lutheran has indicated that it would petition to move up if we become 4-A."

The petition continued, "The remaining 3-A schools would then see their travel times and expenses increase as they look for games against schools of similar size. Also, the 3-A Southern Conference would be left with just three schools, which is not enough to maintain the viability of the conference."

It is also PVHS's view that, despite the school's relatively large enrollment (more than 1,200), it has "not been dominant in the 3-A division, much less at the state level. The only state titles won by PVHS last year (2006-2007) were in girls' golf, cheer, and girls' track.

"While our student-athletes do hold their own in the 3-A division, we are far from being a juggernaut," said the petition. "Our athletes simply to not have enough access to all the special training and instructionm that student athletes have in Las Vegas.

"For those two reasons," the petition concludes, "we believe that we should remain in the Southern 3-A League, at least until the next realignment review." The next review will likely occur in 2010-2011, and realignment will become effective in the 2012-2013 school year.

For the record, Pahrump Valley, since 1997, has won four girls' golf championships, as well as three in fast-pitch softball and two in girls' basketball.

The boys' track, soccer and wrestling teams have been prime contenders for state titles, but have yet to claim the first-place hardware. In the 2006-2007 school year, the wrestling and baseball teams finished second in state tournaments, while the girls' basketball team was Nevada runnerup.

Scheduling will remain a problem for PVHS in almost every sport, given the reluctance of Las Vegas 4-A schools to travel over the Spring Mountains, or for that matter, to even play the Trojans at home.

Why else can any one explain why the PVHS football team has to travel to Phoenix (Ariz.), as well as San Diego, Chino and Yucca Valley in California to play non-league games this fall. Four lengthy trips out-of-state is hardly fair to Trojan football fans, nor is the fact they are playing only three home games in 2007.

Will Pahrump Valley remaining in Class 3-A remedy that particular problem? No, to be perfectly frank. In recent years, it has been easy for Trojan fans to travel to Liberty, Canyon Springs, Arbor View, Spring Valley, and Chaparral for football games. Sure, the competition in most cases was tough, but they were not any more difficult to compete against than a Chino Don Lugo or a Yucca Valley

Note One: Phoenix Christian was 11-2 in 2006, outscoring opponents 447-100; under coach Jim Rattay, the Cougars are 51-12 and have won two state 2-A championships.

San Diego is a beautiful city by the ocean and football fans can make a weekend of it, enjoying the weather and the sights.

Note Two: One of its pride and joys is Torrey Pines High School, one of the premiere football programs in southern California.

Note Three: Pahrump Valley will be in Class 4-A in the 2012-2013 school year, regardless of what happens with the petition that is probably already in possession of the NIAA board of control.

If the current petition is denied by the NIAA, Trojan fans should not despair. We don't want to see it happen, because of PVHS's strong relationship with the Southern 3-A League, but we agree with the view that Trojan athletes, coaches and administrators have to start preparing -- now -- with the inevitable move to Class 4-A.