Semifinals, championships lead this week’s high school football games to watch

By JUSTIN EMERSON LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

8 years ago

The Liberty football team performs a victory dance after defeating Coronado during a football game at Coronado High School in Henderson on Friday, Oct. 4, 2013. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Basic football players drink water during a football game against Green Valley at Basic High School in Henderson on Friday, Oct. 14, 2016. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @csstevensphoto

Legacy quarterback Roberto Valenzuela (5) tries to avoid being tackled by Sierra Vista defense during a football game at Sierra Vista High School in Las Vegas on Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016. (Chase Stevens/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @csstevensphoto

Arbor View running back Deago Stubbs (23) is unable to make a catch while Legacy safety Marcellus Mccoy defends in the first half of their prep football game against at Legacy High School in Las Vegas, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2016. (Josh Holmberg/Las Vegas Review-Journal)

Faith Lutheran’s Taimani McKenzie (10) runs for a touchdown after recovering a fumble against Shadow Ridge during the second half of a high school football game at Faith Lutheran High School, Friday, Oct. 21, 2016, in Las Vegas. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @davidjaybecker

Bishop Gorman quarterback Tate Martell runs with the ball against Palo Verde during the first half of a high school football game at Bishop Gorman High School, Thursday, Nov. 10, 2016, in Las Vegas. (David Becker/Las Vegas Review-Journal) Follow @davidjaybecker

With just nine Southern Nevada teams remaining in the NIAA playoffs, here are the five games to watch this week, including two state title games, a region championship and two region semifinals.

Basic (8-3) at Liberty (10-1) — The last time Basic and Liberty met, it was for the Southeast League title. This time it’s for the Sunrise Region title, and it’s a familiar matchup. Liberty has won the past six region titles, with the last two coming against the Wolves. This will be the fifth meeting between the two in the past three years, with the Patriots taking the previous four, including a 51-15 decision on Oct. 27. Friday’s winner will head north next week for a state semifinal game against either Damonte Ranch or Reed.

Legacy (8-2) at Arbor View (9-1) — The Longhorns are one win away from the first Sunset Region title game in school history, but that win needs to come against a school that man-handled them earlier this year. The Aggies won 55-21 on Oct. 20, and had it not been for Legacy running back Samuel Turner’s 227 yards and two touchdowns, it would have been worse. The Aggies have won nine games in a row after losing to now-nationally ranked Liberty to start the season, and are looking to return to the region title game for the fourth time in five years. Friday’s winner will play the Bishop Gorman-Faith Lutheran winner next week with a trip to the state title game on the line.

Faith Lutheran (6-4) at Bishop Gorman (12-0) — The Crusaders moved up to Class 4A this season after competing in Division I-A (now Class 3A) last year and immediately made their presence felt. They secured the No. 2 seed in the highly competitive Northwest League and clobbered Bonanza in their first playoff game. Unfortunately for them, playing in the Sunset Region means the path to a title goes through Bishop Gorman, and the Gaels have not lost to a Nevada team since 2008, and have not lost at all in more than three years. Winner takes on either Legacy or Arbor View in the Sunset Region championship, which doubles as a state semifinal game.

Spring Creek (11-0) vs. Desert Pines (11-1) — The Jaguars were the prohibitive Class 3A favorite coming into the season and have lived up to the billing so far. Their only loss was to Liberty, and they steam-rolled the Sunset League in the regular season and outscored their three postseason opponents by a combined 126-21. Saturday they play in their first state title game since 2014 and are still looking for their first championship. Spring Creek downed Chaparral 36-7 last week in its semifinal match, and the Class 3A state title game between the two will be Saturday at Bishop Gorman.

Spring Mountain (8-2) vs. Pahranagat Valley (11-0) — The last time Pahranagat Valley lost was the 2007 state semifinal game. Since that defeat, the Panthers have won a 8-man national-record 104 consecutive games and eight state championships. They are seeking No. 9 on Saturday when they play the Golden Eagles, the Nevada team that came closest to ending the streak this season when the Panthers won 36-18 on Sept. 23. That was Spring Mountain’s only loss to a Nevada team this year, and Saturday at Clark will be the fourth time in the last five years these two squads have squared off for the Class 1A title.

Visit nevadapreps.com for a full schedule and complete scoreboard.

Contact Justin Emerson at jemerson@reviewjournal.com or (702) 387-2944. Follow @J15Emerson on Twitter.