Basic High School football coach Jeff Cahill takes receives the Henderson Bowl trophy from quarterback Anthony Vega (1) after Basic defeated Green Valley 19-17 at Green Valley High School Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, in Henderson.
Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023 | 11:07 a.m.
Jeff Cahill has been the Basic High football coach since 2008. He’s also a graduate of the school.
Needless to say, he’s been front and center for many of the program’s meaningful moments over the years.
A 19-17 victory against Green Valley in the annual Henderson Bowl game on Friday could be at the top of the list, Cahill joyfully told players following their thrilling win in the final seconds.
Green Valley received the ball with less than a minute to play and needing to drive the length of the field to get into field goal range.
A catch and run by Green Valley’s Theo Edquilang brought the ball to the Basic 16-yard line with about 30 seconds to play. Green Valley ran a few plays attempting to score, the last of which resulted in Basic’s Zuri Whiters coming up with a crucial open-field tackle.
With the clock running, Green Valley raced its field goal team onto the field. They got the kick off, but having to accelerate the process resulted in a poorly executed attempt.
After the miss, Basic players sprinted to the opposite end zone to grab the Henderson Bowl trophy and start a celebration seven years in the making. Basic hadn’t won the rivalry game since 2016.
“This will go down as one of my most memorable games,” Cahill told his players.
There were many stars to Basic’s win, but Whiters’ efforts were most noticeable. In addition to the tackle to keep the clock running and rush the Green Valley field goal attempt, the senior recorded three interceptions.
There’s never been three interceptions in the history of the rivalry game, which started in 1991 when Green Valley opened as Henderson’s second high school.
Many Basic players grew up attending the game as elementary and middle school students. They dream of racing to grab the trophy and taking a picture with teammates.
“This means a lot, especially it being (our) senior year,” Whiters said.
The rivalry has blossomed into one of the most notable games in Nevada. The close game this year, where both teams had multiple chances to win, was a fitting way to continue the tradition.
“Back and forth game (with a) close ending — just another Henderson Bowl,” said Cahill, who was part of Basic’s team in 1991 when it won the first meeting in the series.
Green Valley led most of the first half, but Basic executed a fake punt to extend a drive late in the second quarter and Anthony Vega tossed a touchdown to Chrey Traylor for a 13-7 advantage.
Basic would never trail again — although Green Valley nearly rallied.
The Gators trailed 19-10 entering the fourth quarter, but cut the deficit with a short touchdown run from Ben Parker.
Green Valley got fumble recoveries from Elijah Nieves and Gavin Blondeaux in the second half, but couldn’t turn those into points.
That’s a credit to the Basic defense, Cahill said. Defensive lineman Antoine Taylor created so much chaos up front that it forced Green Valley into rushed throws.
“Our defense was great,” Cahill said. “Antoine is one of the best defensive lineman in the whole valley; he just doesn’t get the recognition because we are in Division II. He was a constant threat to them. I love that kid. And Zuri had the game of his life with three interceptions and that game-saving tackle.”
Basic improves to 5-1 games in the Class 5A, Division II. It plays undefeated Foothill next week in the Battle for Boulder Highway in the de facto league championship game. Faith Lutheran, which beat Basic earlier in the season, is also 5-1 in league.
The Henderson Bowl victory will give Basic plenty of momentum for the final weeks. The Wolves are riding a four-game winning streak — and giving Cahill plenty of memories. The veteran coach became emotional when describing how much this year’s team means to him.
“This team is special,” he said. “When we started the season, we weren’t quite sure how good we would be. We have taken steps forward and forward, and we aren’t done yet.”
