Las Vegas high school football rankings for a season like no other – Las Vegas Sun News

A high school football season like no other kicks off this month.

Most Clark County School District programs have opted to play an independent schedule this year, meaning they’ll compete against each other rather than the area’s private and charter schools. It also means they’re giving up a shot at a state championship through the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association.

The schedule for CCSD schools is structured so the final two weeks of games won’t be locked in until October, setting up the possibility for games involving schools that are equally matched. That, of course, could include the top teams facing off.

The rest of the structure is still being worked through — after all, this is the first year of the new normal.

Meanwhile, only three Southern Nevada teams remain in Class 5A of the NIAA: Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran and Somerset Losee. And all three will play in a state title game.

No, that’s not a typo.

The No. 1 and No. 3 seeds will meet for the Open Division championship, while the No. 2 seed takes on the Northern Region champion out of Reno for the Class 5A state title.

Confusing? Sure. But once Aug. 15 arrives, all that matters is the action on the gridiron.

Here’s our preseason top 10.

Bishop Gorman

Gorman is loaded — hence the No. 2 national ranking by MaxPreps in the preseason. The Gaels are led by senior defensive back Hayden Stepp, a five-star prospect committed to Oregon. The defense also includes senior linebacker Tamatoa Gaoteote, who had 117 tackles last season, including 17 for a loss, and senior defensive back Kamil Loud, a Cal commit. Four of the city’s top five players in the recruiting rankings for the Class of 2027 are from Gorman, including senior quarterback Chance Thomas, who is committed to Kansas. He’ll be throwing to junior Zyren Menor, who had 14 touchdown receptions last season. Gorman’s out-of-state schedule is ambitious, including hosting St. John Bosco of Bellflower, Calif., on Aug. 21 in a battle of two of the nation’s top teams. The next week, the Gaels are in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., to face Columbus, the high school that produced Raiders No. 1 overall draft pick Fernando Mendoza. It’s the first of three consecutive road games for Gorman, including a Sept. 18 showdown at Mater Dei of Santa Ana, Calif. Mater Dei handed Gorman its lone loss of 2025, keeping it from a national championship.

Arbor View

Arbor View’s skill-position players are arguably the best in the state — yes, even better than Gorman’s. That group is led by wide receivers Damani Warren (Texas A&M) and Kai Cypher (UNLV), and tight end Zac Fares (UCLA). Quarterback Thaddeus Thatcher (Oregon State) is a four-year varsity starter who passed for 2,600 yards and 29 touchdowns last season. The running game is led by senior Kamareion Bell, who rushed for six touchdowns last season. Arbor View has played in the last two state championship games. Making another run will be contingent on how quickly the inexperienced offensive and defensive lines develop.

Liberty

Liberty didn’t have the offensive playmakers last season to hang with Arbor View because of injuries to its top two running backs. Senior tailback Ezra Sanelivi is ready to go this season — and that’s troublesome for Liberty’s opponents. The BYU commit is a four-year starter, entering the season with 1,640 career rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. The Liberty offensive line is anchored by another veteran, senior tackle Braiden Armstrong (6-foot-2, 280 pounds). The passing game will be led by senior quarterback Selby Griego, who threw for 1,628 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. Division I prospect Rysen Dacosin-Arcala, who had six interceptions last season, anchors the defense. Liberty opens the season at Mililani of Hawaii, sticking to its mantra of playing a challenging out-of-state schedule.

Foothill

Foothill has one of the valley’s top passing attacks and isn’t afraid to air it out. The offensive unit is led by junior quarterback Ryder Dobbs, who passed for 1,846 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Dobbs’ top returning receiver is Nixon Gasperosky, who hauled in 35 catches for 605 yards and four touchdowns last season. Bryce Rodriguez, who had 20 catches for 233 yards last season, also returns. Marshall Siler (6-foot-3, 270 pounds) will lead the way on both sides of the line, while Ayden Soto is a key returner on defense. Foothill has momentum from reaching the Open Division playoffs last season as one of the state’s top four teams. The Falcons are confident about playing a meaningful game in the top bracket of the new CCSD format this season.

Coronado

Coronado took a swing last season, scheduling a who’s-who of out-of-state opponents, including nationally known IMG Academy. The ambitious slate resulted in a three-win season and a missed playoff berth. Still, it’s fair to say this isn’t a losing program — something the Cougars aim to prove this season. Senior running back Matthias Rantissi, who was lost for the season to injury after Week 1 in 2025, returns to lead the offense. Ezekiel Rivera, who plays on both the offensive and defensive lines, and linebacker Rocco Casella are three-year varsity starters — the kind of experience other schools lack. Rivera led the team with 7.5 sacks last season. Layton Bachhuber and Bradley Starr are primed for strong seasons at wide receiver and defensive back.

Sloan Canyon

Sloan Canyon, in its fourth year of existence, has quickly developed into one of the valley’s top programs. The Pirates went 12-1 last season, outscoring opponents 557-121, although they were upset by McQueen in the Class 4A state championship game. Those who say Sloan Canyon’s rise was the product of playing a lower-classification schedule could be mistaken. The Pirates convincingly beat Foothill — one of the state’s top four teams in the top classification — by three touchdowns. Sloan Canyon returns many key contributors, including quarterback Cade Hoshino and wide receiver Brandon Quaglio. Hoshino passed for 3,146 yards and 44 touchdowns last season; Quaglio had 1,300 yards and 23 scores. At running back, 1,000-yard rusher Jermaine Wilson returns for his senior season. Linebacker Tyson Sawyer-Mahoe (50 tackles in 2025) and defensive back Kahiau Kipapa lead the defense.

Mater East

The evolution of Mater East’s program includes a challenging schedule in 2026, one players and coaches are confident will bring success. That includes games against two teams in the preseason top 10, Bishop Gorman and Sloan Canyon. This is the seventh season the charter school has fielded a varsity team. The offense includes senior quarterback James Monaghan IV, who passed for 3,120 yards and 37 touchdowns last season. Junior wide receiver Justin McCullah, who has scholarship offers from the likes of Arizona and Georgia, is coming off a 1,110-yard, 13-touchdown season. Desert Pines transfer Mike Taylor, a tight end with scholarship offers from Arizona State, BYU, Florida and others, will also be a key target in the passing game. The defense is expected to be improved after giving up 50 points to Sloan Canyon in last season’s playoffs. It will be led by senior defensive back Demichael Burks, a BYU commit. Other players of note include Marcus Williams, S’Marion Coleman and Rajahn Butler, as the program has beefed up its roster for what it feels will be a run at the Class 4A state title.

Centennial

Many assume Arbor View and Liberty are destined to meet in the final game of the season. Centennial has other ideas — and the Bulldogs have the roster to do damage. Centennial is led by two seniors verbally committed to the University of Minnesota: safety Maxwell Miles and wide receiver Jayden Thomas. Thomas had 32 receptions for 610 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. The offense got a boost in the offseason when Blake Nadler, a three-star quarterback, transferred in from California. Laseth Bryant, a 6-foot-5 tackle committed to UNLV, anchors the offensive line. Linebacker Kolten Silbernagel, who had 83 tackles last season, leads the defense.

Faith Lutheran

There is a lot to like about the Crusaders — especially the last game they’ll play this season. Faith Lutheran is locked in as a state title game qualifier for the fourth consecutive season, and after falling short the first three times, this might be the breakthrough year. Senior Trey Fox and sophomore Ace Brimmer combine to form one of the area’s top secondaries. Senior quarterback Dominick Folino, who passed for 1,200 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025, returns to lead the offense. Additionally, Liam Radke is the unquestioned top kicker in the state. And the Crusaders have momentum on their side after a four-game winning streak last season carried them to the state title game.

Moapa Valley

Moapa Valley, a school of about 550 students in Class 3A, plays good football year after year. The Pirates would beat a majority of Las Vegas schools — and periodically have done so. Moapa Valley went 8-5 last season, losing its first three games and falling to rival Virgin Valley, before getting hot in the postseason and reaching the state title game. That run was ahead of schedule, a feat accomplished by a core group of younger players — many of whom return this season, making Moapa Valley a state favorite.

That group is led by senior running back Briggs Hickman, who rushed for 1,370 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. The veteran-led team also includes senior quarterback Kamden Drosos, senior defensive end Ryker Katich and senior linebacker Stetson Houston. Houston led the team with 86 tackles last season; Katich had 48 tackles and added 395 receiving yards and three touchdowns at tight end. Junior Felix Ramirez will anchor both sides of the line.