Friday night roundup: Centennial, Palo Verde showdown highlights first week of games

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

Published Friday, Aug. 29, 2014 | 7 p.m.

Updated Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014 | 1:43 a.m.

The first full week of high school football games in Southern Nevada certainly features some interesting matchups.

Palo Verde visits Centennial in a battle of old Northwest League rivals. Both teams are ranked in the Sun’s preseason top 10 and each has talented players in multiple positions. It could be a slugfest.

While it is expected to be one of the more closely contested games of the night, it’s not the best rivalry.

That honors goes to the “Cleat Game” between Chaparral and visiting Eldorado. It’s been played since the 1970s and one of those games players wait all year to be part of. Both teams have suffered through long playoff droughts, giving the game added significance because it could be the lone bright spot to the season.

Another game of interest is four-time defending state champion Liberty opening its season at Basic. Liberty hasn’t lost to a Sunrise opponent in more than four seasons.

Other games appearing to be evenly matched include: Del Sol at Valley, Bonanza at Pahrump Valley, Clark at Boulder City, and Cheyenne at Cimarron-Memorial in the Duel of the Desert.

A handful of local teams have out-of-state games this week.

All eyes again will be on five-time defending state champion Bishop Gorman. The Gaels will put their No. 1 national ranking on the line at Servite California in Anaheim, which is also nationally ranked and has one of the nation’s top quarterbacks. Early reports project more than 20,000 at the game, which will be televised by Prime Ticket.

Two others have games today in Southern California — Rancho at Calabasas (Calif.), Green Valley at Charter Oak. Saturday, Faith Lutheran and Mojave will play against Idaho schools during an event at Idaho State.

They’re all trying to equal Coronado. The Cougars opened their season Thursday with a 41-26 win at Huntington Beach, Calif. They trailed 13-0 after six minutes, but scored 27 unanswered points to take the lead for good.

We’ll keep you posted all night. Send us game scores, updates and photos on Twitter using the hashtag at #sunstandout.

Let the games begin!

• • •

Stories about other high school football games around the valley:

• Del Sol prevails in close game against Valley, 14-12

• Zach Hymas has big night in Moapa Valley victory over Spring Valley

• Clark erases 10-point second-half deficit to beat Boulder City

• Green Valley gets defensive in thrilling win over California foe

• Pahrump scores 41 unanswered to open game, overwhelms Bonanza

• Eldorado scores late to win ‘Cleat Game’ against Chaparral

• Young but dangerous: Desert Pines smashes Desert Oasis

• Virgin Valley settles down after inauspicious start against Western

• Maliek Broady runs wild in Sierra Vista rout of Sunrise Mountain

• Gorman gets spark from sophomore duo, wins at Servite

• Cimarron-Memorial’s defense stingy against Cheyenne’s rushing attack

• Liberty defense produces multiple TDs, holds Basic to less than 100 yards

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