Friday
St. John Bosco (California) at Bishop Gorman, 7 p.m.
The Braves are MaxPreps’ top-ranked team and the Gaels are at No. 2, so this game will solidify one squad’s status while essentially ending the other’s hopes for a mythical national championship.
Gorman won both of the teams’ previous meetings (2014, 2016) and will have the home-field advantage, which actually means something at Fertitta Field.
The outcome will likely boil down to Bosco’s junior quarterback Koa Malau’ulu and his potent offense against Gorman cornerback Hayden Stepp and his team’s stifling defense. The Gaels made their season debut with a 41-0 romp over Losee last week, but inclement weather stopped the game at halftime and made it hard to adequately evaluate the team’s performance.
If Bosco comes out at anything less than 100 percent in its season debut, the Gaels will have a good look at a heavyweight victory.
Basic at Foothill, 6 p.m.
The “Battle for Boulder Highway” will be the season opener for both teams. The sixth-ranked Falcons will be favored, but anything can happen in rivalry games.
Foothill, which was rained out last week, is loaded with veteran returners. Junior QB Ryder Dobbs (1,846 passing yards and 24 touchdowns in 2025) will be at the helm, and a big night by him would probably result in a Falcons victory. He passed for 425 yards and eight touchdowns in last year’s 68-27 victory in the rivalry game.
The Wolves will counter with a strong defensive line and senior Andrew Rodriguez starting at quarterback. Basic used a run-heavy offense last year and will need to get Rodriguez more involved to win this one. Additionally, the defense will need to keep the score low while helping the Wolves win the turnover battle.
Sierra Vista at Desert Oasis, 6 p.m.
The “Bell Game” is a tight rivalry, and nothing about this year’s edition is certain except that the score is likely to be close. The Mountain Lions have won the last two, and will have another shot with the help of experienced veterans like senior running back Caleb Green. He and quarterback Marlo Busby led the team’s run-heavy offense last year and will have to be contained if Desert Oasis wants a win.
The ninth-ranked Diamondbacks have the personnel to keep the score low, as they possess a powerful defensive line. On the other side of the ball, new starting QB Preston Helsham and senior wide receiver Anthony Sarracino will lead a Desert Oasis passing game that is capable of putting up big numbers.
It’s the first game for both teams, and the outcome is likely to be determined by which team is prepared enough to make a handful of big plays or a nab timely turnover.
Legacy at Palo Verde, 6 p.m.
The eighth-ranked Panthers won this meeting 47-32 last year and will be slightly favored to win it again, largely on the strength of their defense.
Palo Verde used a balanced, methodical offense to beat Desert Pines 34-18 last week. While the Panthers will need to repeat that performance, their defense will need to stop the big plays that Legacy put up in its 57-16 win over Silverado last week.
Legacy has an potent backfield, and running back Cameron Turner will try to build on last week’s 150-yard, four-touchdown performance.
If the Longhorns can grab an early lead, they can force the Panthers out of their game plan to make the outcome interesting.
Saturday
Sloan Canyon at McQueen, 1 p.m. at UNR
Despite losing to McQueen in last year’s Class 4A state title game, the fifth-ranked Pirates are poised to turn things around this time.
Pirates QB Cade Hoshino, who threw for over 3,100 yards last season, is capable of taking control of games. And that includes this one. His team’s opening game against Central East (Calif.) was called early due to inclement weather, so he’ll be anxious to prove himself as a dominant force in Nevada football. He’ll be joined by 38 other players from last year’s 4A Southern Region championship squad, including wide receiver Brandon Quaglio and running back Jermaine Wilson Jr.
Ryder Tucker, who passed for 2,357 yards and 33 touchdowns last year, will be back, but McQueen lost a significant number of starters to graduation in the spring and may struggle to keep up in their season opener.
If Sloan Canyon can break the Lancers’ spirits with an early lead, redemption for last year’s title loss will be a realistic possibility.
Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.
