Henderson schools have easy road to playoff glory

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Thursday, Aug. 27, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.

The high school football season could end for one Henderson area team in an unfamiliar place this fall — the state championship game.

The Henderson-based Southeast Division usually struggles in the playoffs with teams combining to capture just one state title, Basic’s in 1960.

But this year might be different.

The large-school classification’s three region structure will favor the Southeast league’s Sunrise Region this fall. While the Sunset and Northern region champions are playing in one state semifinal on Thanksgiving weekend, the Sunrise Region’s championship game will serve as the other semifinal to make the road to the state title game easier to navigate.

The Northeast Division makes up the other half of the Sunrise with region power Las Vegas High winning the last six titles. Southeast Division schools have never won the region in its nine-year existence.

But with Las Vegas expected to come back to the pack this fall, Henderson teams are eyeing a spot at state. Silverado and Del Sol, which has lost in the last three regional title games to Las Vegas, are programs who could wind up in the state finals, several Southeast coaches said.

“This is the quickest ride to state if you can put it together at the right time,” Del Sol coach Preston Goroff said. “You only get this opportunity once every three years.”

Green Valley High lost in the championship game in 1995, while Foothill (2001) and Del Sol (2006) have advanced to the state semifinal thanks to the three region format.

Silverado, which won the league title in 2007 and returns 17 starters, is considered by the league’s other coaches as the area’s best shot to advance in the postseason.

“Everyone knows about that group Andy (Silverado coach Ostolaza) has over there,” Green Valley coach Matt Gerber said “They are loaded. Right now they are separated from everyone else. After that, it is a toss up because everyone has some question marks.”

Basic, Del Sol and Green Valley each finished at 5-1 in the league last year with Basic winning the league title on a tie-breaker. Del Sol eventually beat Basic in the regional semifinals.

“I think it will be a lot like last year with four or five teams who can win (the league),” Basic coach Jeff Cahill said.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com.