While the Class 5A Division I teams are battling for survival in semifinal games Friday, most other divisions will see regional championship action. The winners will advance to the state title game.
5A Division II Southern League final
Top-seeded Faith Lutheran (10-0) is favored to keep its perfect record when it hosts third-seeded Shadow Ridge (9-3). The Crusaders won the regular-season meeting 35-20 in September.
Faith Lutheran will likely use a balanced rushing/passing attack, led by quarterback Alex Rogers, who has completed 93 passes for 1,714 yards and 21 touchdowns. Running back Cale Breslin (113 carries for 734 yards and 11 TDs) also will be instrumental for the Crusaders, who have scored 30 or more points in seven games.
Shadow Ridge will counter with a strong ground game led by the division’s top running back, Tyrell Craven (99 carries for 1,300 yards and 21 TDs).
Faith Lutheran’s defense has allowed only one opponent to score more than 20 points.
5A Division III Southern League final
Centennial (5-5) got off to a rough start, but has recovered to win five of its past six games. The top-seeded Bulldogs will host third-seeded Desert Oasis (8-3). Centennial prevailed in October’s regular-season meeting 55-21.
Quarterback Ashton Hunt will lead a pass-heavy Bulldogs offense that averages 34 points.
The Diamondbacks, who stunned Las Vegas 36-28 in the quarterfinals, have been fairly stingy on defense (21 points per game). Another strong performance could keep the score close.
Then it would be up to standouts such as quarterback Vincent Hales (185 passing yards per game) to outlast Centennial.
4A Desert League final
Mojave and its dominant defense will host Losee for the championship.
The top-seeded Rattlers (10-1) have recorded six shutouts, and they can also score. Running back Antwan Hawkins (50 carries for 604 yards and eight TDs) will lead an offense that favors the run and averages 33 points.
But second-seeded Losee (10-2) is scrappy and has developed a knack for finding ways to win. Kieran Daniel (143 carries for 1,385 yards and 18 TDs) is the league’s top running back, and the team has multiple receivers capable of converting big plays.
If Daniel and the Lions’ offense can outwit Mojave’s defense, this game could be decided in the final minutes. The Rattlers won the regular-season meeting 32-21, and they will have home-field advantage. But they will need an elite performance to pull off another victory.
4A Mountain League final
Canyon Springs lost its first four games, but has recovered convincingly to earn the No. 2 seed and host fourth-seeded Eldorado for the title.
The Pioneers (7-5) have been buoyed by an efficient offense that has averaged 38 points in the past three games. Quarterback Tysean McCraney (58 completions for 617 yards and six TDs) and running back Bakari Wilson (57 carries for 481 yards and four TDs) have stepped up to lead a balanced offense.
But Eldorado (5-6) is in the midst of a breakthrough season and compares closely with the Pioneers in terms of offensive and defensive statistics. Running back Tristan Savea (80 carries for 505 yards and seven TDs) should figure heavily into any success the Firehawks might generate.
Canyon Springs won the first meeting 14-6 and will be playing on its home field. Otherwise, this game is a toss-up.
3A state semifinals
Class 3A does not declare a regional winner. Instead, the top two teams go directly to the state playoffs, which begin Saturday. SLAM Academy and Virgin Valley are those teams.
SLAM (7-4) enters as the South’s top seed. Led by quarterback Alaijah Young (101 completions for 1,218 yards and seven TDs) and running back Damien Nevil (83 carries for 784 yards and four TDs), the Bulls have won seven of their past eight games.
They will face the South’s No. 2 seed, Churchill County (7-4), at 1 p.m. Saturday at Basic High School. The Greenwave have won four straight games.
The other semifinal will feature No. 2S Virgin Valley at No. 1N Truckee at 1 p.m. Saturday. Virgin Valley (9-3) claimed a 13-6 win over Moapa Valley in regionals last week, but the Wolverines (11-0) are favored to win the championship.
Bulldogs quarterback Koby Perry (75 completions for 1,163 yards and 16 TDs) and running back Drew Dixon (190 carries for 1,26 yards and 16 TDs) will have to find a way to penetrate a Truckee defense that has allowed just six points per game.
Contact Jeff Wollard at [email protected].
Schedule
All games at 6 p.m. Friday unless otherwise noted
5A Division I state semifinals
No. 4 Liberty at No. 1 Bishop Gorman
No. 3 Coronado at No. 2 Arbor View
5A Division II Southern League final
No. 3 Shadow Ridge at No. 1 Faith Lutheran
5A Division III Southern League final
No. 3 Desert Oasis at No. 1 Centennial
4A Desert League final
No. 2 Losee at No. 1 Mojave
4A Mountain League final
No. 4 Eldorado at No. 2 Canyon Springs
3A state semifinals
No. 2S Virgin Valley at No. 1N Truckee, 1 p.m. Saturday
No. 2N Churchill County vs. No. 1S SLAM Academy, 1 p.m. Saturday at Basic High School
2A state semifinals
No. 2S Lincoln County at No. 1N Pershing County, 1 p.m. Saturday
No. 2N Incline at No. 1S Needles, 1 p.m. Saturday
1A state semifinals
Saturday at Fernley
No. 2N Carlin vs. No. 1C Tonopah, noon
No. 1N Eureka vs. No. 1S Pahranagat Valley, 3:30 p.m.
