high school football:

Week 3 Roundup: High school football powers starting to rise to the top

Gorman, Palo Verde and Foothill expected to continue their hot starts Friday night

By Ray Brewer (contact), Case Keefer (contact)

Published Friday, Sept. 9, 2011 | 7:45 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Sept. 10, 2011 | 1:53 a.m.

Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer look ahead to another week of high school football and detail why the Northwest division appears to be the strongest in town. Palo Verde, Arbor View, Centennial, Cimarron and Cheyenne have all looked impressive in the early season.

Scores around the valley

Coronado 17, Del Sol 0, Thursday night

Arbor View 32, Cimarron-Memorial 20

Moapa Valley 18, Virgin Valley 0

Liberty 37, Green Valley 17

Bishop Gorman 55, Spring Valley 0

Rancho 37, Desert Pines 27

Valley 27, Chaparral 24

Legacy 45, Mojave 7

Las Vegas High 45, Sunrise Mountain 14

Canyon Springs 50, Eldorado 0

Foothill 28, Silverado 13

Centennial 48, Faith Lutheran 7

Clark 40, Pahrump Valley 26

Cheyenne 36, Shadow Ridge 13

Desert Oasis 56, Sierra Vista 14

It’s just the third week of the high school football season, yet some teams are starting to show they have what it takes to make deep playoff runs.

In the Sun’s game of the week Friday, Arbor View hosts Centennial in a crucial Northwest Division battle of two teams that won playoff games last year. Both are expected to be back in the thick of the postseason.

Perennial powers Bishop Gorman and Palo Verde highs are also in action Friday and expected to win by multiple touchdowns. Two-time defending state champion Gorman plays a Southwest Division game against a host Durango team not at full strength, meaning the Gaels could duplicate last week’s 54-0 victory against Desert Oasis.

Palo Verde, which beat league rival Arbor View last week, plays at Mojave in a battle of two schools that opened together in 1996 but have went in opposite directions. Palo Verde is one of the state’s best programs and Mojave has only made one playoff appearance. Additionally, Mojave has never beat Palo Verde.

Foothill has opened with two wins and plays at Desert Oasis tonight in its final tune-up before Southeast Division play. The Falcons have won playoff games in each of the last two seasons and appear ready to continue the streak.

Check back all night as the games go final. There aren’t many marquee games on tonight’s slate, but one the beauties of high school football are anything can happen on any given night. That’s why they play the games.

• Bishop Gorman records second straight shutout in win against Durango

• Virgin Valley wins third straight by rallying past Shadow Ridge in fourth quarter

• Green Valley coach Brian Castro notches first career win

• Pahrump Valley snaps 30-game losing streak with win against Western

• Spring Valley’s victory over Clark special in its own way

• Bonanza’s Brett Doyle accounts for 3 touchdowns in win against Sierra Vista

• Moapa Valley defense doesn’t budge in win over Sunrise Mountain

• Foothill slips by Desert Oasis in final minutes, 28-24

• Palo Verde keeps rolling with win against Mojave

• Silverado uses rushing from Thurmon, stellar defense to beat Valley

• Coronado handles Chaparral, 42-14

• Del Sol overcomes slow start, penalties for lopsided victory against Eldorado