high school football:

Friday Night Roundup: Palo Verde shuts out rival Las Vegas

Palo Verde running back Jaren Campbell #21 dives for a touchdown while being taken down by Las Vegas defenders on Friday, September 19, 2014.

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Published Friday, Sept. 19, 2014 | 7 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014 | 1:14 a.m.

Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer go all around the valley on this week's podcast, mentioning a couple surprise 2-0 teams along with usual conversation on powers like Bishop Gorman and Liberty. They also dive deep into this weekend's stacked schedule, which includes Las Vegas visiting Palo Verde and a showdown between two of Division 1A's best running backs in Mojave's Ty Flanagan and Sierra Vista's Maleik Broady.

They were the unquestioned best two high school football teams in the Las Vegas area about a decade ago.

Palo Verde was the perennial power in the Sunset Region, while Las Vegas dominated the Sunrise. More times than not, they would cross paths in the playoffs, providing memorable back-and-forth games with a state championship on the line.

The rivalry renews today at Palo Verde to highlight this week’s slate of games. It’s the first meeting between the schools since 2008 when Palo Verde beat Las Vegas in the state semifinals.

With the emergence of Bishop Gorman and Liberty over the past five seasons, the seemingly regular playoff meetings between Las Vegas and Palo Verde have ended.

Today, we take a trip down memory lane. Both teams are still ranked in the top 10 and eager for a marquee regular-season victory to give them momentum for the rest of the season.

From 2001 to 2009, either Las Vegas or Palo Verde, and most years both teams, advanced to the state semifinals.

Palo Verde won the state championship in 2004 with a 21-7 victory against Las Vegas. The following season, Las Vegas avenged the loss with a 6-0 home victory on a windy fall day in the state semifinals, winning the state championship the following week.

Las Vegas won the Sunrise title in 2001 and from 2003 to 2008, capturing the state title in 2001, ’05 and ’08. They beat Palo Verde 41-7 in 2003, but lost by three points in the state title game to Reno High.

This year’s edition of Palo Verde (1-1) has the toughest nonleague schedule in Southern Nevada, playing four teams ranked in the Sun’s preseason top 10 to start the season. It was blanked by Centennial three weeks ago to open the season, but rebounded the following week with a last-second win against Green Valley.

Las Vegas forced three first-quarter turnovers last week against Legacy and held the Longhorns scoreless until the fourth quarter to improve to 2-0 on the season. Needless to say, Palo Verde will be a step up in competition.

This isn’t the only game of interest tonight.

Gorman plays its fifth straight national opponent when it hosts high-scoring Santa Margarita of California. Last year, Gorman beat Santa Margarita in overtime.

Liberty also plays an out-of-state opponent, traveling to Arizona to face Hamilton High. Liberty nearly beat Hamilton, a regional power, last season.

In the Division I-A, Mojave plays host to Sierra Vista in a battle of undefeated teams. It’s a battle of two of the area’s best running backs in Mojave’s Ty Flanagan and Sierra Vista’s Maliek Broady.

We’ll keep everyone posted all night as scores become final. Send your fan photos and game information to the Sun on Twitter using #sunstandout and #702hsfb.

• • •

Stories from games across the valley:

• Dominick Wilson scores almost every point as Shadow Ridge rolls 25-14

• Pahrump remains undefeated at home, easily handles Western

• Desert Pines holds Chap scoreless in second half to grab win

• Balanced rushing attack helps Mojave claim showdown with Sierra Vista

• Liberty puts up a fight on defense but can’t get offense going in shutout loss

• Green Valley rushes for more than 300 yards to beat Silverado

• Coronado rides defense, passing game to shutout of Bonanza

• Arbor View downs Basic, looks ahead to Coronado

• Defense emerges as Eldorado downs Durango to win third straight

• Virgin Valley bounces back, throttles winless Rancho