The opening week of the football season had its issues, including games canceled for various reason, but games being played across the valley is cause for celebration.
Jason Orts
Nevada Preps coordinator
Email: jorts@reviewjournal.com
Jason Orts is a born-and-raised Texan who has more than a decade of experience covering high school sports there. The last six of those came as the high school sports coordinator at the Waco Tribune-Herald, where he also covered a myriad of Baylor University sports. Orts was the sports editor of the University Star at Texas State University prior to beginning his professional career.
Check out the best performances from Friday’s high school football, soccer and girls volleyball action.
Jovantae Barnes ran for 139 yards and four touchdowns to help Desert Pines beat Palo Verde 38-13 in the first-ever Class 5A game for both teams.
Jayden Maiava threw for 285 yards and three touchdowns in his Liberty debut, and the 2019 state champion Patriots opened with a 42-14 win over Arbor View.
Bishop Gorman hosts fellow national power St. Louis (Hawaii) to open the season, hoping to get payback after the Crusaders beat the Gaels 31-19 in 2019.
Eight of the 11 teams that make up Class 5A won at least one playoff game in 2019, and all of them reached the postseason.
Southern Nevada’s top 11 football programs reside in the new Class 5A, but Bishop Gorman and Liberty stand head and shoulders above the rest.
All 17 Class 4A teams were forced to sit out the 2020-21 school year, leaving nearly every team unsure how its players will respond to playing on Friday nights.
The Gaels won their second straight state title in 2019 and third in four years but were replaced by a core consisting mostly of freshmen for the shortened spring season.
The new Class 4A, made up of 17 schools from the Clark County School District, appears to be a competitive race with no clear favorite entering the football season.
Moapa Valley had several underclassmen who gained valuable experience in the spring, including the feeling of a rivalry win over Virgin Valley in the Hammer Game.
Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley were the only Clark County School District teams that were allowed to play in the spring, giving them an advantage as the season nears.
Eldorado hopes for redemption after the Sundevils lost to Bishop Gorman in the final minutes of the 2019 state boys soccer championship match.
The Meadows was 4-1 in the spring, including a 4-0 run to the Class 2A Southern League title, and has set its sights higher for this football season.
Faith Lutheran finished 23-0-1 to win its first girls state soccer championship in 2019, but a new Class 5A full of perennial powers will make a repeat difficult.
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