Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Cheyenne gets nod in Week 4 tuneup

OK, folks, here is your last chance to tune up the car before the real race begins.

Tonight brings the last round of non-conference game before teams get into division play next week. That is when the games really count, as any coach will tell you.

Of course, here at Prep Picks Central, they all count and we must be ready from the opening kickoff. We forecasted 11 winners last week -- a good number, but we always know there is plenty of room for improvement.

Unveiling our Week 4 predictions ... Today's Games, 7 p.m.

Bishop Gorman (1-2) at Cheyenne (2-1)

The skinny: So what's going on at Cheyenne? The Shields fall flat against Rancho, then struggle to beat a middling Western team. This team is too good to be playing like this. Gorman broke out with 70 points against Liberty, but the Gaels will find the going tougher this week.

The pick: Cheyenne 20, Bishop Gorman 12

Mojave (1-2) at Durango (1-2)

The skinny: Pass the smelling salts to John Mausbach, whose Blazers were rolled last week at Eldorado in a shocker. It is about time for Durango to show that the preseason hype was at all warranted. Major props to Mojave for getting off the mat against Valley, but the Blazers simply cannot afford to lose here.

The pick: Durango 31, Mojave 6

Foothill (3-0) at Western (1-2)

The skinny: There is no more confident team in the state than Foothill. The only danger for the Falcons on their visit to Western is overlooking the Warriors with division play on tap next week. Something tells us Foothill coach Ray Fenton already thought of that.

The pick: Foothill 27, Western 0

Bonanza (0-3) at Rancho (3-0)

The skinny: Overachieving Rancho is the most pleasant surprise in town. The Rams ripped an Arizona team last week. Underachieving Bonanza simply cannot defend anyone. The Bengals gave up 41 points to a winless Silverado team last week. Seems pretty clear to us.

The pick: Rancho 39, Bonanza 16

Green Valley (1-2) at Palo Verde (3-0)

The skinny: The Northwest Division is not the beast it was last year, with the exception of Palo Verde. The Panthers look to be in top form, especially with an improved offense. Jarrell Harrison's crew should have more than enough to take care of the Gators, who have lost their past two games by a combined 80-14 score.

The pick: Palo Verde 24, Green Valley 0

Sierra Vista (1-2) at Coronado (2-1)

The skinny: More than might be expected, this is a very important game for the Lions and Cougars. Both need momentum heading into division play as they prepare to fight for a playoff berth. With a veteran group leading the way, Coronado is off to a strong start and that will continue here.

The pick: Coronado 20, Sierra Vista 13

Leuzinger, Calif. (0-1) at Las Vegas (3-0)

The skinny: This is a good test for the Wildcats before they head into a surprisingly competitive Northeast Division schedule. Las Vegas looked dominant in taking apart Green Valley last week, but Leuzinger lost by just 10 to traditionally strong Servite in its opener. We'll go with Vegas in a close one.

The pick: Las Vegas 21, Leuzinger 14

Silverado (1-2) at Desert Pines (1-2)

The skinny: Frankly, both these teams have looked a little flat overall. The Silverado offense is putting up points, but we already saw an athletic Cheyenne team take apart the Skyhawks. Desert Pines has that athleticism, but the young Jaguars still look a bit lost. This is a coin flip game.

The pick: Desert Pines 28, Silverado 22

Liberty (0-2) at Valley (0-3)

The skinny: From what we have seen thus far, these may be the city's two worst teams. Valley is disappointing when you look at how many returning players there are. Poor Liberty is not only losing as a first-year school, but the Patriots are getting embarrassed as well.

The pick: Valley 34, Liberty 12

Eldorado (1-2) at Cim.-Memorial (2-1)

The skinny: An interesting clash of styles between Eldorado's high-tempo offense and Cimarron's solid defense. Both teams are looking to validate strong starts, and really, they both need to. Give me a pick between offense and defense, though, and we'll take defense.

The pick: Cimarron-Memorial 11, Eldorado 8

Clark (0-3) at Centennial (2-1)

The skinny: We're thinking the Bulldogs will find the going a bit easier against Clark than they did against one of southern California's best last week.

The pick: Centennial 40, Clark 6

Basic (3-0) at Chaparral (2-1)

The skinny: The Wolves' biggest opponent right now is complacency. They must guard against thinking that they can put up 40 points every week. The reality, however, is that they might do it for a fourth consecutive week.

The pick: Basic 33, Chaparral 11

Shadow Ridge (1-2) at Faith Lutheran (1-2)

The skinny: Credit where credit is due -- the Mustangs are better than your average first-year program. Faith Lutheran looked totally overmatched against a fired-up Boulder City squad last week.

The pick: Shadow Ridge 31, Faith Lutheran 7

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