Raring to go

Besides being its first football game in school history, Centennial High's game tonight against Valley will likely be an emotional affair for coaches and players on both sides.

That's because when the visiting Vikings take the field tonight at 7 p.m., they'll be up against their former varsity coach -- new Bulldogs head coach Greg Murphy.

"It's going to be mixed emotions for me," said Murphy, who left Valley after a five-year stint that included two Sunrise Division titles. "I care a lot about those kids, so I wish them the best of luck. But we're definitely going into the ballgame to win. We want to set the tempo for years to come."

Likewise, first-year Valley coach Greg Sellers, a former Murphy assistant, said he has mixed feelings about tonight's matchup.

"Murph and I have a great relationship," Sellers said. "I learned a lot from him, and he really worked hard to take care of this program before he left. This program was dead before he got here, and now we have 53 kids on the varsity roster."

Last year, the Vikings earned the division's fourth seed, although not the way they would have liked. Valley made the postseason, but only after Las Vegas High forfeited four contests.

Tonight's game could set the tone for Valley for the upcoming season.

"Even though we have great respect for him, we're playing to win," Sellers said. "We want to make a statement that we can compete for a playoff spot."

His relationship with Murphy aside, Sellers also has another personal tie to the new school in the northwest part of town. His younger sister, Marty Kulezsa, coaches the Bulldogs' new girls volleyball program.

Murphy was also just one of several Valley teachers who followed former principal Carol Leavitt to Centennial this year.

"It's kind of a homecoming for everybody," Sellers said. "A lot of those teachers were our friends, and we want to go out and beat those guys."

Valley senior Tyler Kurtz, a two-way starter at offensive tackle and defensive end, said he is looking forward to the opportunity to play against his former coach, although he's trying to keep his focus on the game itself.

"There are a lot of players here who played for him, as we're looking to go out and play hard," Kurtz said. "It's definitely going to be different from a regular game, but I'm going to try to put it out of my head until it's over."

For his part, Murphy -- who originally scheduled the game before taking his new post -- knows that rooting for players on both sides of the ball will be a unique experience in his coaching career.

"The whole experience is going to be enjoyable, to see kids have success on both sides," Murphy said. "We still have a good relationship with people over there, so it is going to be emotional."

Because the Bulldogs will play their inaugural season as an independent, tonight's game will have no playoff implications. There are, however, five divisional contests on week one's slate -- a change from past years.

The Sunset Division will feature four conference games: Bishop Gorman at Palo Verde, Durango at Western, Mojave at Cimarron-Memorial and Clark at Bonanza. Additionally, Rancho will play at Silverado in the Sunrise Division's lone league contest.

Unlike Centennial, new schools Foothill and Desert Pines will play their first games on the road, with the Falcons traveling to Henderson rival Basic and the Jaguars visiting Las Vegas High.

The lone Sunset-Sunrise matchup has Cheyenne at Eldorado, while Chaparral and Green Valley will open their seasons against opponents from Utah. The Cowboys will host Copper Hill, while the Gators will play at Snow Canyon.

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