This is the time of the year high school football players have been waiting for. The playoffs are here. It's win or turn in your pads.
The Desert Region begins the postseason with its quarterfinal round tonight, including Foothill visiting Silverado in a matchup expected to be closely contested. Foothill's strength is its defense; Silverado's rushing game produces about 400 yards each week.
The other three Desert Region games won't be close, as 10-time defending state champion Bishop Gorman is expected to have no troubles with Coronado, and Southeast League champion Liberty battles Clark, which is making its first playoff appearance in more than a decade.
The last Desert game features host Green Valley against Durango. Earlier in the season, the Gators beat Durango, 39-3.
In the class 3A, Virgin Valley hosts rival Moapa Valley, and Boulder City plays at Cheyenne in the state quarterfinals. Both games should be close, as Boulder City edged Cheyenne by five points in August, and Virgin Valley downed Moapa Valley two weeks ago by nine points.
The Mountain Region closes the regular season tonight, as Centennial needs a win against Cimarron-Memorial to secure the Northwest League's No. 1 seeds. In the Northeast League, Legacy and Canyon Springs are playing for the No. 3 seed.
Check back as scores become final. Send game information on Twitter using #sunstandout.
Gorman crushes Coronado
Bishop Gorman, the 10-time defending state champion, started its title defense with a 52-7 victory against visiting Coronado in the Desert Regional quarterfinals.
Gorman went three-and-out on its first possession "then got going after that," coach Kenny Sanchez said.
The Gaels rushed for nearly 400 yards, including multiple touchdown runs from Micah Bowens, Ikaika Ragsdale and Cam Barfield. Wide receiver Rome Odunze also had two scores.
Coronado scored late in the game against the Gorman reserves, closing the first season under coach Fred Biletnikoff Jr. with a playoff berth.
"Coronado was better than any team in our league," Sanchez said.
Las Vegas beats Mojave
A year ago, the Las Vegas High football team was upset in the season finale by Mojave and missed the playoffs.
This year has been different. Much different.
The Wildcats beat Mojave 42-0 Friday to finish the season with a 9-1 record and a No. 2 seed from next week's Mountain Regional playoffs.
"Not a lot of people expected us to be 9-1," Wildcats coach Erick Capetillo said.
Ja'shawn Scroggins passed for three touchdowns, finding Victory David twice and Miles Davis once. Devyn Perkins had a kickoff return for a score, Jay Curtis had a long touchdown run, and Shaun Hansen connected with Jaelin Gray for a touchdown.
Las Vegas hosts Palo Verde in the Mountain Region quarterfinals next week.
Hawthorne powers Green Valley
Noah Hawthorne had three rushing touchdowns today for the Green Valley High football team in a 34-6 victory against visiting Durango in the Desert Regional quarterfinals.
Colin Rerecich opened the scoring with a touchdown reception from Garrett Castro, helping the Gators reach next week's semifinals against Bishop Gorman.
"I am proud of the guys for winning a home playoff game," coach Brian Castro said.
Carlen Wallace also scored for Green Valley.
"We played well at times," Castro said. "Durango came out and did some things a little different and moved the ball here and there. They did a good job of eating the clock."
Liberty D shines
Lehi Ausage had two of the Liberty High football team's five interceptions today against Clark in a 66-7 Desert Region quarterfinal victory.
Ausage now has a school-record 11 interceptions on the season. Tyler Williams also had a pair of interceptions.
Daniel Britt passed for four touchdowns, including two to Maurice Hampton. Moliki Matavao and Germie Bernard had the others. Zyrus Fiaseu and Britt had rushing scores.
Liberty plays Foothill in next week's semifinals.
Arbor View ousts Palo Verde
Darius Brown had a 59-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter for the Arbor View football team to break a tie against visiting Palo Verde in a 35-21 victory. Tai Tuinei iced the game for the Aggies when he recovered a fumble in the endzone.
The Aggies will enter next week's Mountain Region playoffs as a No. 2 seed and on a five-game winning streak.
"We have been playing our best ball of the year the last three or four weeks," Arbor View coach Matt Gerber said. "Our kids are battling. They are getting better."
Daniel Mitchell led Arbor View with 98 rushing yards and D'Andre Washington had 73 yards and a touchdown on six carries.
Arbor View hosts Canyon Springs in next week's playoffs.
Centennial charges into playoffs
Colton Tenney passed for 311 yards and five touchdowns today for the Centennial High football team in a 41-0 victory against Cimarron-Memorial, leading the Bulldogs to a No. 1 playoff seed in next week's Mountain regional.
Gerick Robinson had five receptions for 177 yards and two touchdowns, Aaron Shields had 88 receiving yards and a score, and Giovanni Monroe had a 68-yard touchdown reception. Emilio Valdovinos also had a touchdown.
Centennial will host Legacy next week.
"They are really good at the skilled positions," Centennial coach Dustin Forshee said of Legacy. "We have to be able to move the ball and match physicality."
Virgin Valley has monster fourth quarter
Wyatt Delano carried the ball 41 times for 210 yards for the Virgin Valley football team, helping the Bulldogs score 22 unanswered points in the fourth quarter of a 42-20 victory against visiting Moapa Valley in the state quarterfinals.
Meb Hollingshead completed 8 of 18 passes for 130 yards and two touchdowns, scoring strikes of 50 yards to Will Barnum and 30 yards to Kyler Sudweeks.
Stetson Ludvigson had two of Virgin Valley's four interceptions, returning one for a touchdown.
Virgin Valley advances to the state semifinals next weekend at Churchill County.
"The kids are definitely stoked," coach Matt Woods said. "Churchill will be a big challenge."
Just like Moapa Valley was. It was the second time in three weeks that Virgin Valley beat its primary rival, this time with the reward of advancing in the postseason.
"We knew it was going to be a good game," Woods said.