Las Vegas Sun

March 19, 2024

kickoff 2018:

Friday Night Roundup: This is the earliest high school football has started in Las Vegas

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Wade Vandervort

Green Valley running back Maaliek Duncan runs in for a touchdown against Moapa Valley at Green Valley High, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018.

Updated Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018 | 12:36 a.m.

The Green Valley High football team will find themselves in the record books tonight. The same is true for Moapa Valley, its opening night opponent, and the 18 Southern Nevada teams with opening-night contests.

You see, it’s the earliest the season has begun, significantly ahead of some previous seasons in the 1990s or early 2000s when some schools wouldn’t play until the first Friday in September.

But with school now starting in mid-August, many programs have scheduled contests ahead of the traditional pace.

Green Valley Defeats Moapa Valley 34-20

Green Valley running back Maaliek Duncan (30) is interviewed after defeating Moapa Valley 34-20 at Green Valley High School, Friday, Aug. 17, 2018. Launch slideshow »

There should be some exciting finishes in Week One, especially at Green Valley.

The Gators return the likes of wide receiver Kalyja Waialae (31 catches for 582 and seven TDs in 2017) and running back Julian Hulse (800 yards and six touchdowns), but Moapa Valley is one of the favorite to win the class 3A state championship.

The game that will likely be best-attended is the annual “Bone Game” rivalry between Rancho and host Las Vegas. The Wildcats haven’t lost in the series since 1995. With Las Vegas leading Rancho 19-0 in the second half, a power outage stopped play. The game will resume at 9 a.m. Saturday.

Other games on interest include: Preseason No. 6 Basic at Durango, and Cimarron-Memorial at Cheyenne in the Duel in the Desert.

Three Las Vegas schools are playing team from California, including four-time defending Northwest champion Arbor View hosting Valley View, and San Diego High at Spring Valley. Legacy plays at Burroughs of Ridgecrest, Calif.

We’ll keep you posted all night as scores become final. Follow on Twitter using #sunstandout.

Here’s wishing all the athletes and their families a great season. Thanks for allowing us at the Sun to be part of the journey.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21