Nevada high school football recap: Liberty, Arbor View, Bishop Gorman roll

Last season is looking more and more like an anomaly for the Liberty football team.

A year after going 5-7 and having their first losing season since 2008, the Patriots are proving that they’re getting back to old form as the second-best team in the city behind Bishop Gorman.

Liberty continued its strong start Friday night with a 22-6 home win over Desert Pines. The Patriots have allowed 19 total points in their last three games following a 45-27 loss to Skyridge, the third-ranked team in Utah by MaxPreps, on Aug. 22.

The Patriots defeated 31-13 Casteel (Arizona) last week and Kailua (Hawaii) 33-0 on Aug. 30.

“I’m super happy with the way the defense has been playing,” Liberty coach Rich Muraco said. “After the first game, we kind of struggled against a team that was very good. … (Defensive coordinator) Kaipo Batoon has done a great job mixing up coverages and pressures and (the defense) has been the heart and soul of our team so far this early part of the season.”

Against Desert Pines (2-2), three-star junior running back Ezra Sanelivi rushed for two touchdowns, and junior quarterback Selby Griego threw a 35-yard TD pass to Jashawn Crayton. Liberty led 7-6 at halftime following a scoreless first quarter.

It helps having a back like Sanelivi, who has college offers from Big 10 and Big 12 programs. Muraco credited Griego for settling in as Liberty’s quarterback, following an up-and-down 2024 at the position, and being able to extend plays as a runner. But Muraco added there is still more room for growth in the passing game.

“I look at it like in order to beat the elite teams in town, we got to be balanced,” Muraco said. “We got to do multiple things. That’s what we’re working towards. The other side of me is like maybe we should line up a certain way and just feed (Sanelivi) the ball more, but I don’t want to wear him out. It’s a balancing act as we put a game plan together.”

Liberty hosts Farrington (Hawaii) at 7 p.m. Friday in its final nonleague game. Then the Patriots play at Foothill the following week to begin 5A Sky League play, where other top teams like Faith Lutheran and Coronado come up later in the season.

“We don’t want to peak in Week 4 or 5, we want to peak in the playoffs,” Muraco said. “Every day of practice, in the weight room, every game, we just want to get a little bit better. I feel like that’s happening. It’s a long way to the playoffs, but I feel like we’re going to be prepared going into league play.”

2 win Friday

Before Arbor View’s football team played Centennial on Friday night, the Aggies had earned a win. That’s because the Aggies’ opponent in their second game of the year, Millard South (Nebraska), had to forfeit its 49-7 win at Arbor View on Aug. 29 due to a self-reported rules infraction.

Arbor View (2-2) then turned around later Friday night and rolled to a 45-6 road win at Northwest rival Centennial (2-2). The game went to a running clock in the second quarter.

“I’m mostly proud of the adversity that we’ve gone through so far this season, these guys continue to get after it and continue to try and meet the standard we set as a staff,” Arbor View coach Sam Norris said. “We were able to do some good things tonight, in regards to being physical, defense getting to the football and offense covered on third down.”

Arbor View had Utah commit Thaddeus Thatcher back after he missed the Aggies’ 50-31 loss at Lincoln (California) last week. Thatcher completed 14 of 16 passes for 283 yards and four touchdowns. Jayden Williams and Kai Cypher each had two touchdown catches, and Zac Fares and Kamareion Bell each added a rushing touchdown.

“Defense really got us going by the way they set the tone,” Norris said. “Offensively, Thaddeus played real well. He basically showed (what) everyone has already seen of him. He was able to navigate the stuff we’re doing offensively and (did) a good job getting us to convert and going through his progression.”

Arbor View next plays at Faith Lutheran at 7 p.m. Friday in its final nonleague game before starting 5A Mountain League play. The Aggies’ grueling nonleague schedule also included a 28-20 loss against Mililani (Hawaii).

Getting a look at other top teams around the country could benefit Arbor View throughout league play and as the Aggies look to challenge Bishop Gorman and could get another tough game against Liberty.

“We got to keep our focus on us and how we prepare, how efficiently we practice during the week and hopefully reap those rewards on a Friday night,” Norris said.

Gorman could jump to No. 1

The focus of the high school football universe will be on Fertitta Field on Friday night when Bishop Gorman hosts Mater Dei (California) at 7 p.m. The Gaels (4-0) defeated East St. Louis (Illinois) 35-10 on Friday night.

The game lost a little bit of luster when Mater Dei, ranked No. 1 nationally by MaxPreps and USA Today, lost to Centennial (Corona, California) 43-36 on Friday night after the Monarchs trailed 28-0 in the first quarter. That’s Mater Dei’s first loss to a team not named St. John Bosco (California) since 2015.

Bishop Gorman, ranked No. 2 nationally by USA Today and No. 3 by MaxPreps, is likely to jump to No. 1 when the new rankings are released Monday. The Gaels are 0-4 all-time against Mater Dei, which includes a 31-15 loss last year that was their only loss and ended their chance at a fifth national championship.

A win Friday would put the Gaels in the driver’s seat for that national title, with one more nonleague game at No. 16 Santa Margarita (California) on Sept. 27.

“It’s awesome. It’s awesome for high school football in general,” Gorman coach Brent Browner said. “They’re a great team, No. 1 in the nation, it’s going to be a slugfest. Like anybody, we’re ready, they’re ready.”

Up next

One of the biggest rivalry games in the city takes place Friday night when Green Valley (1-2) hosts Basic (2-2 ) at 6 p.m. in the Henderson Bowl. Green Valley won last year’s game on a missed Basic field goal, and the Wolves won in 2023 after blocking a field goal to snap their five-game losing skid in the series.

Both teams will be looking to get bad tastes out of their mouths after Green Valley lost to Desert Oasis 14-13 and Basic fell to Palo Verde 29-21 on Friday.

In another top game, Arbor View and Faith Lutheran (1-3) meet at 7 p.m. Friday in both teams’ final nonleague game.

League play gets underway for a few teams. Desert Oasis (2-2) hosts Coronado (1-2) at 6 p.m. to start 5A Lake League play, and Mojave (1-3) plays at Shadow Ridge (3-1) at 6 p.m. in both teams’ 5A Desert League opener.

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.