Top 5 high school football playoff games for Week 12

All games at 6 p.m. Friday

Coronado at Bishop Gorman

Being a league champion or earning a No. 1 seed in the postseason isn’t anything new for Bishop Gorman, but having a first-round bye in the playoffs is.

But don’t expect Gorman (10-0), the No. 1 team in the country, to show any signs of rust in the Class 5A Division I state semifinals Friday. The Gaels last played Oct. 20, a 49-7 win over Coronado in Gorman’s first game ranked in the top spot by MaxPreps and USA Today.

Coronado (5-5), the No. 5 seed in the Division I playoffs, upset No. 4 Desert Pines 35-12 in a first-round matchup last week, avenging a 41-point defeat Oct. 5.

Shadow Ridge at Liberty

Aside from Gorman, the only team that challenged Liberty in 5A Division I league play was Shadow Ridge. The Mustangs lost 35-32 at Liberty on Oct. 19 while rushing for 307 yards.

The sixth-seeded Mustangs (6-4), who upset No. 3 Arbor View last week, gave the Patriots fits with their triple-option offense. While Shadow Ridge averages 285.5 rushing yards per game, its defense was key in the win over Arbor View with two interceptions and a fumble recovery.

Liberty (9-2) has won six straight since its loss to Gorman on Sept. 14. The Patriots rolled past Silverado 48-6 last week behind three passing touchdowns and a rushing score from quarterback Tyrese Smith.

Green Valley at Basic

If the regular-season meeting between the Henderson rivals is a sign of what will happen in Friday’s 5A Division II Southern League semifinal, the second meeting between Green Valley and Basic could be an all-timer.

Basic (7-2) held on for a 19-17 win over Green Valley in the “Henderson Bowl” on Oct. 13. The Wolves emerged from a three-way tie with Foothill and Faith Lutheran to win the league title and No. 1 seed, including a bye, in the playoffs. Green Valley (4-6) survived in triple overtime against Sierra Vista 40-39 in a first-round matchup last week.

Faith Lutheran at Foothill

Foothill and Faith Lutheran rolled in their 5A Division II first-round matchups last week, with the No. 2 Falcons defeating Durango 33-6 and the third-seeded Crusaders winning 44-6 over Las Vegas.

Foothill (9-2) won at Faith Lutheran 28-17 on Oct. 13, when a pair of fumbles by the Crusaders (7-3) proved to be costly. Foothill quarterback Mason Dew leads the state with 3,316 passing yards.

Desert Oasis at Palo Verde

The regular-season meeting between Desert Oasis and Palo Verde wasn’t close, as the Panthers (4-4) rolled to a 40-7 home win Sept. 21. But the Diamondbacks (4-5) have won three of their last four games and gave 5A Division III Southern League champion Legacy a tight game.

Palo Verde, the No. 2 seed, enters Friday’s 5A Division III Southern League semifinal after having a bye last week. Desert Oasis, the No. 3 seed, defeated No. 6 Spring Valley 24-7 last week behind three touchdowns from quarterback Vincent Hales.

Alex Wright Las Vegas Review-Journal