Desert Pines has been one of the top Nevada prep football programs over the past decade, but it has seen a lot of changes.

The Jaguars are on their third coach in as many seasons, have lost young, talented players to other power programs in state and out of state and at times have struggled with depth.

You wouldn’t have noticed that Friday night, as the Jaguars rolled to a 62-7 road win at Durango in coach Dwyane Walker’s first game leading the program.

Walker, who was previously an assistant with the team and is also a coach with the school’s track program, was hired in July. Longtime coach Tico Rodriguez stepped down after the 2023 season and last year’s coach, Jose Flores, took a coaching job in California (Damien High).

On Friday, Desert Pines got five touchdown passes from Portland Yandall with receptions from three-star sophomore Michael Taylor, Marcus Williams, Keenan Thomas, Malik Lee and Mario Velasco Fletcher. Williams added a rushing touchdown and Peyton Yandall recovered a fumble for a touchdown.

The Jaguars will look to be competitive in a fun 5A Mountain League with Arbor View, Canyon Springs, Legacy, Green Valley and Las Vegas High.

Breaking bread

Sierra Vista hosted California’s St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy on Friday in a game with family connections. Sierra Vista offensive coordinator Shay Fields, who played college football at Colorado, shared the field with his dad LeonShay Fields, who is the assistant head coach at St. Pius X-St. Matthias.

The Mountain Lions lost 36-20 on Friday, but on Thursday night they hosted St. Pius X-St. Matthias for a team dinner. Sierra Vista coach Thomas Raybon said it was a great opportunity to showcase other aspects of high school sports like respect and camaraderie.

“It was a great opportunity not only for a football team but our football program to have that family aspect, it meant a lot,” Raybon said. “It was for Shay to coach against his dad when he’s been coached by him. … It was good all around.”

Snapping losing skids

Valley and Rancho both went winless in 2024. On Friday, both teams celebrated wins in their season openers.

Valley scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns and defeated Cimarron-Memorial 22-9 to snap a 20-game losing streak. The Vikings’ last win was 32-6 over Western on Aug. 25, 2023.

Rancho scored a touchdown in the second quarter and held on to beat Lake Mead Academy 7-6. The Rams were on a 12-game losing skid and their last win was Oct. 20, 2023, against Western.

Other top performers

* Las Vegas High quarterback Tanner Vibabul had four passing touchdowns and a rushing score in a 54-14 rout of Basic to give the Wildcats a 2-0 start to the year.

* Mater East quarterback James Monaghan threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns to help the Knights roll past Chaparral 38-12.

* SLAM! Nevada, now in 4A, defeated former 3A rival Virgin Valley 36-33 behind Greg Cortez’s 165 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns and touchdown catch in Mesquite.

* Spring Valley opened its season with a 45-27 win over rival Bonanza in the “Banner Game” behind King Kahalewai’s four touchdowns.

* Sloan Canyon showed it can be a contender in 4A after defeating Northern school Lowry 43-7. Cade Hoshino threw for 205 yards and five touchdowns, Brandon Quaglio had three touchdown catches and Arizona commit Simote Tupou had two sacks.

Up next

* Bishop Gorman opened its season with a 52-0 win at Centennial in a league game. Now the Gaels face the out-of-state portion of their schedule Saturday at Kahuku (Hawaii).

* Liberty (0-1) hosts Hawaii team Kailua at 7 p.m. Saturday as part of the Ninth Island Classic. Coronado (1-0) takes on Mililani at 7 p.m. Friday as part of the event.

* Arbor View opened its season with a loss to Mililani on Friday and continues its nonleague schedule by hosting Millard South, a top team from Nebraska, at 6 p.m. Friday. Also Friday, Sloan Canyon hosts Foothill, Faith Lutheran goes up north to play Damonte Ranch and Canyon Springs hosts Carson High.

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

Week 2 scores

Bishop Gorman 52, Centennial 0

Mililani (Hawaii) 28, Arbor View

Skyridge (Utah) 45, Liberty 27

Foothill 34, Mojave 28

Desert Pines 62, Durango 7

Coronado 36, Losee 6

Las Vegas High 54, Basic 14

Bakersfield Christian (California) 28, Faith Lutheran 20

Snow Canyon (Utah) 31, Shadow Ridge 21

Northview (California) 35, Green Valley 10

Highland (Idaho) 30, Legacy 0

Canyon Springs 47, Clark 6

Reno High 25, Palo Verde 19

Dana Hills (California) 10, Desert Oasis 6

Sloan Canyon 43, Lowry 7

Mater East 38, Chaparral 12

SLAM! Nevada 36, Virgin Valley

St. Pius X-St. Matthias Academy (California) 36, Sierra Vista 20

Del Sol 44, Western 2

Spring Valley 45, Bonanza 24

Valley 22, Cimarron-Memorial 9

Rancho 7, Lake Mead Academy 6

Hurricane (Utah) 25, Moapa Valley 28

Pahrump Valley 54, Cadence 0

Boulder City 33, Sunrise Mountain 0

Army-Navy Academy (California) 49, The Meadows 22

Pahranagat Valley 28, Eureka 26

Week 3 schedule

All games at 6 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Friday

Millard South (Nebraska) at Arbor View

Simi Valley (California) at Shadow Ridge

Carson High at Canyon Springs

Centennial at Desert Hills (Utah)

Queen Creek (Arizona) at Mojave

Foothill at Sloan Canyon

Snow Canyon (Utah) at Sierra Vista

Spring Valley at Silverado

Valley at Bonanza

Clark at Boulder City

Cheyenne at Del Sol

Laughlin at Tonopah

Beatty at Beaver Dam

Spring Mountain at Sandy Valley

Mililani (Hawaii) at Coronado, 7 p.m.

Faith Lutheran at Damonte Ranch, 7 p.m.

Red Mountain (Arizona) at Desert Pines, 7 p.m.

Victor Valley (California) at Leacy, 7 p.m.

Democracy Prep at Eldorado, 7 p.m.

Virgin Valley at Mater East, 7 p.m.

Canyon View (Utah) at Moapa Valley, 7 p.m.

Rancho at Lincoln County, 7 p.m.

Chaparral at Pahrump Valley, 7 p.m.

Western at Sunrise Mountain, 7 p.m.

Nogales (California) at Lake Mead Academy, 7 p.m.

Needles at Monument Valley (Arizona), 7 p.m.

The Meadows at Tri-City Christian (California), 7 p.m.

Indian Springs at Round Mountain, 7 p.m.

Saturday

SLAM! Nevada at Highland (Idaho), noon

GV Christian at North Tahoe, noon

Kailua (Hawaii) at Liberty, 7 p.m.

Bishop Gorman at Kahuku, 10 p.m./7 p.m. (Hawaii Standard Time)