Liberty Patriots players celebrate their 24-9 victory over the Arbor View Aggies at Liberty High School in Henderson Friday, Nov. 4, 2022.
Friday, Nov. 4, 2022 | 4 p.m.
The Liberty High football program has never lost a home playoff game in its 20-year history, including in 2019 when the Patriots became the first Nevada team to beat Bishop Gorman in more than a decade.
Liberty’s impressive streak will be challenged tonight by Arbor View, which enters the regional semifinals with just one loss and full of confidence because it has the athletes on both sides of the ball to hang with Liberty.
Sure, Liberty beat Arbor View twice last season by double digits. But each game was close, with Liberty pulling away late. Arbor View’s players and coaches feel they have tightened the gap and that this season will be different.
Arbor View has a major Division I recruit at wide receiver in David Washington, a tough defense led by standout linebacker Christian Thatcher and plenty of speed at the offensive skilled positions.
It’s not the only game that is expected to be close, as the winning teams in all classes advance to the state semifinals.
In the class 3A, Virgin Valley and Slam Charter likely won’t be decided until the final quarter, with winner advancing to next week’s state semifinals. And in the class 4A, a battle of Henderson schools — Coronado at Basic — will probably be the closest game of the night.
That won’t be the narrative elsewhere.
Defending state champions Bishop Gorman (class 5A), Silverado (4A) and Moapa Valley (3A) enter the second round of the playoffs with impressive resumes.
Moapa Valley has won a program-best 25 straight games, Silverado has only given up 23 points in nine games, and Gorman has outscored six local opponents 405-0.
Gorman will arguably have its stiffest local challenge to date against Desert Pines but should face little pushback. Silverado is expected to win by the mercy rule of a running clock against Sierra Vista, and Moapa Valley is virtually impossible to beat at home in November in the playoffs and should have enough to beat Boulder City.
Check back later for finals. Send scores on Twitter using #sunstandout.
