5 games to watch in Southern Nevada high school football this week
All games at 6 p.m. Friday unless otherwise noted
Green Valley at Basic
The Wolves having home-field advantage may be the only obvious edge for either team.
Basic (1-1) lost its season opener 34-20 to Legacy on Aug. 16 before bouncing back with a 17-7 win over Las Vegas High last week. Quarterback Jayveon Rose is off to a strong start with 462 passing yards and five touchdowns. Wide receiver Donovan Glover has also stood out with 16 receptions for 212 yards and three touchdowns. The duo may need to connect early and often to defeat the Gators.
No. 10 Green Valley (1-1) surprised Herriman (Utah) with a 22-21 win in Week 1 before falling to Wayne Hills (New Jersey) 24-20 last week. Quarterback Ben Parker has thrown for 391 yards and three touchdowns so far and the Gators’ defense has impressed.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if this year’s “Henderson Bowl” rivalry game comes down to the wire.
Bishop Gorman at Mater Dei (California), 7 p.m.
This may be the most anticipated high school football game in a decade. For good reason.
The Monarchs are the top-ranked program in the country, according to USA Today and MaxPreps. The Gaels, the defending mythical national champions, are ranked second.
The two teams are also bursting with talent. They have a combined 21 players committed to NCAA Division I football programs.
Mater Dei (1-0) defeated fellow California powerhouse Centennial 42-25 in its season opener. Gorman is 2-0 with impressive victories over Kahuku (Hawaii) and St. Thomas Aquinas (Florida), extending its winning streak to 27 games. Both teams are coming off a bye week.
Neither side has a true weakness. The Monarchs will try to rattle Gaels first-year starting quarterback Melvin Spicer IV, while Gorman’s defense — which has six interceptions in two games — will try to force Mater Dei quarterback Ashton Beierly into mistakes.
The Gaels lost all three of the previous meetings between the two teams. They should come into the game motivated by that fact.
Desert Pines at Legacy
The No. 6 Jaguars will take on the No. 7 Longhorns in yet another game that could go either way.
Desert Pines (1-1) is coming off a 30-26 road loss to Ayala (California). The Jaguars’ offense is averaging 30 points per game behind running back Marcus Williams, who has 300 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries.
Legacy (1-2) will match that firepower with quarterback Aidan Crawford, who has thrown for 698 yards and six touchdowns in three games. The Longhorns will have a shot at pulling off the upset if he has another strong performance.
Palo Verde at Arbor View
The No. 3 Aggies (2-0) appear to have a chance to go deep into the playoffs this fall.
Sophomore Thaddeus Thatcher, who has thrown for 785 yards and nine touchdowns in two games, might be the best quarterback in the state. He led Arbor View to a 49-7 victory over Legacy last week.
The Panthers (0-2) need to do whatever they can to limit Thatcher since their offense is averaging just 12 points per game.
Liberty at Mission Viejo (Calif.), 7 p.m.
The No. 2 Patriots (0-2) have had their hands full with elite opponents all season long. This game will offer no relief.
Liberty’s next opponent may be even better than its first two: Skyridge (Utah) and Mililani (Hawaii). The Diablos (2-0) are ranked 15th nationally by MaxPreps. They’re scoring 38 points per game while giving up just seven.
The Patriots have scored 35 total points through two games this season. Quarterback Elijah Espinoza, who has 211 passing yards and a touchdown on the year, will need a huge performance to give his team a chance.
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.
