Bishop Gorman head football coach Brent Browner, center, celebrates with his team after Bishop Gorman defeated Liberty, 56-14, during the Class 5A Southern Region final at Liberty High School in Henderson, Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.
Sunday, Aug. 6, 2023 | 2 a.m.
There will be a few more high school football state champions throughout Nevada this year.
When a new season begins Aug. 17, many Southern Nevada programs will be competing in a new league — and with new hope. Realignment created two more divisions in Nevada, meaning not all schools will be saddled with the seemingly impossible task of competing against perennial powers Bishop Gorman and Liberty to be the last team standing.
Class 5A has been split into three divisions, taking programs like Palo Verde and Legacy away from competing against the powerhouses to the Division III tier against the likes of Clark and Desert Oasis.
The new look and feel of the classification has no bearing on the Sun’s annual preseason top 10. Here’s the best of the best.
Members of the Bishop Gorman High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Charles Correa, Micah Alejado and Elija Lofton.
Bishop Gorman
Last year: Won the Class 5A state championship; finished in the top 5 nationally
Players to watch: QB Micah Alejado, RB Micah Kaapana, LB Charles Correa, WR Audric Harris, TE Elija Lofton
Why Gorman: Gorman scored a touchdown on its initial three plays of last year’s state title game, using a five-touchdown effort by Kaapana in a blowout win. Kaapana, who is verbally committed to Michigan, returns for his senior season to lead a college-ready Gorman lineup that is again a heavy favorite to win the state title. Those returners include Alejado, the reigning state player of the year who passed for 3,575 yards and 54 touchdowns last season. MaxPreps ranks Alejado as one of the top five returning quarterbacks nationally. Gorman, which produced 13 Division I players last season, again has a lineup of players being heavily recruited. That includes the tight end Lofton, who is committed to Miami and the Arizona-commit Harris at wide receiver. Correa, who had 14 tackles for loss in 2022, leads the defense at linebacker. It’s a unit that recorded six straight shutouts last season, and is primed for a duplicate effort.
Members of the Liberty High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Kahekili Paaoao, Jayden Robertson, Jay Beasley and Andre Porter.
Liberty
Last year: Advanced to the 5A Southern Regional championship game
Players to watch: RB Isaiah Lauofo, WR Jayden Robertson, QB Tyrese Smith, TE/LB Jae Beasley, TE/LB Andre Porter
Why Liberty: Liberty has built its program over the past decade into a national brand in an attempt to dethrone Gorman, which the Patriots did in 2019. With 39 seniors and many college recruits, they will again give Gorman its toughest challenge. Liberty will be tough to slow down offensively, with Lauofo (1,333 yards and 11 touchdowns) at running back, and an accomplished passing game of Smith (1,735 yards and 15 touchdowns) at quarterback and Robertson (31 catches for 561 yards and three scores) as his top target. Defensively, the UNLV-commit Beasley and Porter at linebacker are a great starting point for what is expected to be a strength. We’ll learn a lot about Liberty on opening night, when the Patriots are in Southern California to face St. John Bosco, a top-5 team nationally.
Members of the Arbor View High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Ethan Medcalf, Christian Thatcher and Daniel Boyd.
Arbor View
Last year: Won nine games in Class 5A, including one in the postseason
Players to watch: LB Christian Thatcher, OL Daniel Boyd, WR Jayden Williams, OL Ethan Medcalf, K Jeau Vinatieri
Why Arbor View: Arbor View is consistently one of the elite programs in Nevada, regularly making a playoff run and sending players to college football. This year will be no different, especially with the junior linebacker Thatcher leading the way. Thatcher, who has scholarship offers from many Power 5 programs, has 232 tackles in his initial two seasons and is on pace to be the state’s all-time leading tackler. The Aggies have capable players at many spots, including Boyd and Medcalf on the line, wide receiver Williams (400 yards and three touchdowns in ’22) anchoring the passing game, and kicker Vinatieri on special teams. Vinatieri, the nephew of NFL great Adam Vinatieri, made 10 of 14 field goals last season.
Members of the Desert Pines High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Greg Burrell, Damari Washington and Jaylen Allen.
Desert Pines
Last year: Went 8-3 and advanced to the Class 5A Southern Regional semifinals
Players to watch: RB Greg Burrell, OL Gabe Gough, DB Jaylen Allen, WR/KO Trey Jackson, WR Massiah Mingo, DB DaMari Washington
Why Desert Pines: Desert Pines has some of the best individual talent in the Las Vegas area, especially with Burrell at running back (980 yards, 10 touchdowns in ’22) and Allen in the secondary. Each is verbally committed to UNLV. The Jaguars also have two dynamic sophomores in Mingo, who had 600 receiving yards and eight touchdowns last season, and Jackson, who was first-team all-state. Gough, a junior, will be a three-year varsity starter on the line. The Jaguars do have one noticeable hole: player depth. That was apparent last season, when Desert Pines only trailed Gorman 14-3 at halftime and still lost by 38 points. The Jags also gave Liberty a close game before losing 16-7. In both contests, one could argue they faded in the second half because of the thin roster.
Members of the Shadow Ridge High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Aaron Coverdell, Coen Coloma and James Hadley.
Shadow Ridge
Last year: Advanced to the Class 4A state championship game
Players to watch: QB Coen Coloma, LB James Hadley, LB Diego Madrid, OL Jackson King, RB Evan Cannon, DE Aaron Coverdell
Why Shadow Ridge: The Mustangs posted a 20-5 record over the past two seasons in the Class 4A, with three of the defeats coming to Silverado — twice in the state championship game — to earn a promotion to the top classification. It’s a move that’s well deserved, as the Shadow Ridge program is one of Nevada’s finest. It has consistency in the head coaching spot with Travis Foster (there since 2014), a full roster on three levels, great community support, and a triple-option attack that’s not easy to defend. While the Mustangs don’t have the quantity of athletes of the teams ahead of them in the rankings, they surely won’t be a walkover. Shadow Ridge rushed for 4,400 yards last season, including 1,000 yards with 17 touchdowns from Coloma, who is back for his third season running the offense. Cannon had three touchdowns and 200 yards in the state title game and should thrive receiving the bulk of the carries, especially with King (6-foot-5, 260 pounds) blocking up front. The linebacker pair of Hadley (93 tackles in ’22) and Madrid (96 tackles), combined with Coverdell on the defensive line, gives the Mustangs a more than capable defense for the challenge of facing the state’s best.
Members of the Faith Lutheran High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Clayton McCarrell, Caden Chittenden and Cale Breslin.
Faith Lutheran
Last year: Went 6-4 in the Class 5A; lost in the first round of the playoffs
Players to watch: OL/DL Clayton McCarrell, K Caden Chittenden, RB Cale Breslin, TE Cade Keith, QB Garyt Odom, QB Alex Rogers, LB Mitchell Bailes, DB Micah Mumford
Why Faith Lutheran: Faith Lutheran could be considered the favorite to win the state championship in the new Class 5A Division II, especially with junior running back Breslin (853 yards and eight touchdowns in ’22) leading a core of players with multiple years of varsity experience. The group of returners also includes Bailes (65 tackles last season) at linebacker, McCarrell on both sides of the line, and Keith at tight end. The Crusaders will also have an edge in the kicking game with senior Chittenden, who went 17 of 22 on field goals last season with a long of 56 yards. Odom and Rogers are competing for snaps at quarterback.
Members of the Green Valley High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Herbert Ware and Jack Thow.
Green Valley
Last year: Reached the Class 5A playoffs
Players to watch: QB Jack Thow, DE Herbert Ware, WR Trey Glasper, OL Puka Aleaga, WR Theo Edquilang, LB Gavin Blondeaux
Why Green Valley: The Gators were playoff qualifiers in each of the past two seasons in the top classification, meaning they should be a state championship contender after being realigned to the second tier of Class 5A. Green Valley expects to be accomplished in the passing game with Thow (62% completion rate in ’22) throwing to juniors Glasper and Edquilang. The defense is led by Ware (three sacks last season) and Blondeaux, a senior and state champion wrestler. The Gators also have one of the city’s top freshmen in Aleaga, who at 6-foot-4, 325 pounds projects to be a standout.
Members of the Foothill High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Tarrell Mack-Lovely, Travis Kenzevich and Mason Dew.
Foothill
Last year: Reached the Class 5A playoffs
Players to watch: QB Mason Dew, WR Travis Kenzevich, WR Tarrell Mack-Lovely, LB Hayden Findley, LB Tyler Nelson
Why Foothill: Foothill also instantly becomes a contender in the second tier, where the Falcons are transitioning from having one of the town’s toughest schedules last season to rising to the top of the Class 5A, Division II. The defense projects to be one of the stingiest in the new classification, with Findley (64 tackles last season) and Nelson anchoring the unit at linebacker, and Kenzevich and Mack-Lovely on the back end. Mack-Lovely is one of the notable returners in the valley, coming off a season where he had 41 receptions for 591 yards and six touchdowns. He’ll be paired again with the quarterback Dew, who passed for 2,064 yards and 21 touchdowns last season against top competition.
Members of the Silverado High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Tristan Hudson, Jayland McGlothen and Marcus Council.
Silverado
Last year: Won the Class 4A state championship
Players to watch: DL Jayland McGlothen, RB Marcus Council, RB Tristan Hudson, WR/FS D’Angelo Hagans, OL/DL Aisaiah Feagai
Why Silverado: Silverado, the back-to-back Class 4A state champion, has a new challenge: competing in the state’s highest classification after being elevated in realignment. It could be a tough ask because the Skyhawks graduated most key contributors from their championship runs, where they could have competed with most Nevada teams — regardless of classification — the past two seasons. But the new roster isn’t void of players who received meaningful reps last season, including Council (207 rushing yards and five touchdowns) and Hagans (15 catches for 274 yards and five scores). And UNR verbal commit McGlothen is a force on the defensive line, where he recorded a state-best 18.5 sacks in 2022. Silverado is also well coached, with Andy Ostolaza’s staff featuring at least two other former head coaches.
Members of the SLAM! NV High School football team are pictured during the Las Vegas Sun's high school football media day at the Red Rock Resort on July 20, 2023. They include, from left, Reese Womble, Andre Cade and Damian Nevil.
Slam Academy
Last year: Lost in the Class 3A state championship game
Players to watch: WR Chrysten Tabangcura, DE Andre Cade, RB/S Damian Nevil, OL/DL Reese Womble, TE Matt Boles Jr., QB Alaijah Young
Why Slam: The Bulls’ breakthrough season in 2022 surprised many opponents in Class 3A, where teams are mostly from small-town Southern Nevada communities such as Pahrump and Mesquite. Slam, a Las Vegas charter school that started its program in 2019 and doesn’t have a home field, was tough to match because of the athleticism of its skill position players. The same should be true this fall, where Bulls coach Mike Cofer — the former NFL kicker — feels he has some of the classification’s best players in Tabangcura (447 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in ‘22) and Nevill (44 tackles).
