Crystal ball sees new team on top of pile

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2008 | midnight

Ray Brewer

Las Vegas High will win the large-school state football championship in 2009.

Sure, it's January and the season is eight months away, but it's never too early to look ahead.

Last year, I pegged Palo Verde to win the football title and it went undefeated before falling in the championship game to Reno's McQueen High by one point.

My crystal ball won't be wrong again, especially when you consider how easy Las Vegas' journey to the state title game will be.

Las Vegas has won five consecutive Sunrise Regional titles and a sixth straight crown would give them a spot in next fall's state title game. Nevada's large-school classification is broken into three regions — Sunrise and Sunset in the Las Vegas Valley and Northern in the Reno area — and the odd number will create an advantage for the Wildcats next fall.

Every three years, one region's championship game also serves as a state semifinals match-up. It's the Sunrise's turn in 2009, and with Las Vegas' domination against regional opponents not expected to change, don't be surprised if the perennial power makes another magical run.

Part of Las Vegas' dynasty can be traced to success against Henderson schools. Since the valley was split into regions in 2000, Las Vegas has never lost to a team from the Henderson-based Southeast Division. The Wildcats' success is similar in their Northeast Division, the region's other league, where they have only lost four games in nine years.

While Las Vegas lost several impact players from this year's team, which lost in the state semifinals, it return two of the valley's top underclassman.

Sophomore-to-be running back Ferrell Victor, who rushed for 221 yards and four touchdowns during the Wildcats playoff run this fall, and junior-to-be wide receiver Marquan Major, who had 59 receptions for 760 yards and four touchdowns in 2008, will be two of the region's top performers.

Las Vegas isn't the only team with a legitimate shot. The Sunset Region has four teams, including two from the Summerlin area, who will make noise in the playoffs.

Bishop Gorman, led by defensive linemen and top Division I recruits Xavier Grimble and Alex Turner, will be tough to beat. The same argument can be made for Cimarron-Memorial as it returns Stephen Nixon, the valley's top rusher in 2008 as a junior.

Sunset Region teams, however will have a long road. While Las Vegas will be hosting a home game, and surely cruising to another regional crown, the Sunset champion must travel to Reno to face the Northern Region champion in the harsh winter in the other state semifinal.

All this plays in favor of Las Vegas, which has won a Nevada-best 16 state crowns, including championships in 2001, 2005 and 2006.

OVERTIME: In addition to coming close with Palo Verde on my predictions last year, I also picked a team from Nevada to reach the Little League World Series and Lake Mead Christian Academy to capture the 1A state basketball crown. Lake Mead, after losing in four previous appearances in the championship game in the last five years, finally won the state title. Also, Paseo Verde Little League lost 4-3 in the Western Regional finals, one run shy of the series.

I have four more predictions for this year — Del Sol will capture the Southeast Division football crown, Liberty will win the Sunrise title in boys basketball, Foothill will take the regional girls basketball title and UNLV's basketball team will fail to make the NCAA tournament after being part of the field of 65 the past two years.

Sports Editor Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@hbcpub.com.