Who has the most prep football state titles? It’s not Gorman

Seven high school football teams will hoist Nevada state championship trophies this month.

Some will be adding to lengthy football histories, while others will be beginning to create their legacies.

Here are the five schools with the most high school football state championships:

5. Las Vegas High (16)

The first high school in Las Vegas, which opened in 1905 in downtown and moved to its current campus on the East side in 1993, won 13 of its state titles before 1960. The Wildcats won three 4A state titles early in the 21st century, with their most recent championship coming in 2006.

Las Vegas’ 1944 title stands out. The Wildcats went 8-0 and did not allow a single point. Coach Harvey Stanford’s 34-man squad outscored opponents 215-0 and did not allow consecutive first downs all season.

4. Moapa Valley (17)

Moapa Valley is the standard in Class 3A and has the hardware to prove it. The Pirates won three six-man football state titles in the 1940s before moving up in classification, and their longest streak of state titles is three (1966-68).

In 2014, Moapa Valley snapped a streak of four 3A title game losses by rallying from a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to beat Desert Pines 42-36 in overtime. Moapa Valley’s last title came in 2021 when the Pirates beat rival Virgin Valley in front of a raucous crowd at Allegiant Stadium with fans from the two teams’ small towns.

3. Reno High (19)

Reno racked up five straight state titles from 1924-28, tied for the third-longest streak in state history, though the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association has an asterisk by the 1928 title saying “Reno claims title but apparently used illegal players.”

In 1938, Reno and Las Vegas were deemed co-champions after the state title game ended in a 6-6 tie. The teams shared the 1951 title after the game ended in a 13-13 tie. Reno’s lone title in the 21st century was the 4A title in 2003.

2. Bishop Gorman (20)

While Gorman is first in many state records, the school does not have the most state titles. Gorman opened in 1954 and won its first football state title in 1970. The Gaels won six state titles from 1970-83.

Gorman’s title in 2007, the year the school moved from its old Maryland Parkway campus to Summerlin, started the school’s run of dominance with 14 of 16 state titles in the top classification. McQueen (2008) and Liberty (2019) are the outliers during the Gaels’ run.

Gorman’s streak of 10 state titles from 2009-18 is a state record, and a streak of 55 straight wins (2013-17) is second in the state.

The Gaels won their 20th state title in 2023 to break a tie for second with Reno. They went 12-0 and rolled to a 56-11 win over Liberty for the 5A Division I state title. The Gaels were also named national champions by MaxPreps and USA Today for the fourth time in program history.

1. Pahranagat Valley (23)

Drive 90 minutes north of Las Vegas up U.S. Route 93 and you’ll find the small school in Alamo with a big trophy case. Pahranagat Valley is a powerhouse in Class 1A and won its first state title in 1978, which began a streak of three straight.

Pahranagat Valley won eight straight titles from (2008-15), the second-longest streak in the state. Its 104 consecutive wins (2008-16) are also a state record and recognized by the National Federation of State High School Associations as a national record for eight-man football.

Other schools with 10 or more state titles: Bishop Manogue (13), Truckee (13), Yerington (12), Boulder City (11), Virgin Valley (11) and Pershing County (10).

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.