Top 5 Southern Nevada prep football playoff games to watch this week

All games at 6 p.m. Thursday

Class 5A

No. 8 Centennial at No. 1 Shadow Ridge

The Mustangs (8-2) had won eight straight — including a 18-12 victory over the Bulldogs on Oct. 3 — before their loss to Bishop Gorman last week.

Shadow Ridge relies on its rushing attack. Quarterback Isaiah Ruiz is an effective runner, as is running back Trevin Young. Linebacker Aaron Smith, with seven tackles per game, leads a defense that allowed 16.9 points per game during its winning streak.

Centennial (5-4) closed the regular season with a 52-41 win over winless Losee. Running back Brogan Church stands out on an offense that does not put a lot of points on the board. Linebacker Bailey Hucalo, with eight tackles per game, leads a defense that will need to tackle well to keep this game close.

No. 5 Green Valley at No. 4 Desert Pines

The Gators (5-4) defeated the Jaguars 19-18 on Oct. 3, but Desert Pines seems to have found more of an offensive rhythm since then.

The Jaguars (4-5) lost three of their last four regular-season games, but averaged 36 points per game in that span. Running back Marcus Williams and quarterback Jerome Dequeira have given opponents headaches. Linebacker Peyton Yandall will try to rally a defense that’s been less than solid this season.

Running back Sonny Uranich helped Green Valley close the regular season with a win, rushing for 277 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries last week against Legacy. The Gators will be hard to stop if he and quarterback Michael Lewis are sharp.

No. 6 Faith Lutheran at No. 3 Desert Oasis

The Diamondbacks (5-4) defeated the Crusaders 30-27 on Sept. 26, though Faith Lutheran (3-7) may have momentum on its side this time around.

The Crusaders started the season with high hopes, but they struggled until they made a late charge and won two of their last three games. Running back Justin Robbins rushed for 103 yards in Faith Lutheran’s 30-24 upset over Foothill last week and will need another strong showing to push his team to victory.

The Diamondbacks have averaged only 17 points per game their last three times out, but quarterback Vincent Hales and wide receiver Anthony Sarracino are capable of waking this offense up. Desert Oasis’ stout defense will pose a challenge for the Crusaders.

No. 7 Mojave at No. 2 Las Vegas

The Wildcats (9-1) will be looking for redemption after losing their first game of the season last week against Arbor View. The Rattlers (5-5) have won four of their last five games, with their lone loss in that stretch coming to Gorman.

Las Vegas will enter this matchup as the favorites thanks to dual-threat quarterback Tanner Vibabul. Wide receiver Dasean Deayon is also a key contributor for the Wildcats.

Mojave quarterback Ra’Jahn Butler passed for 159 yards and two touchdowns in the team’s win over Palo Verde last week, while wide receiver S’marion Coleman added 113 yards and a score. The Rattlers might need a repeat performance from those two to beat Las Vegas.

Class 4A

No. 6 SLAM! Nevada at No. 3 Spring Valley

Spring Valley (7-2) has won four straight, though last week’s win came via a forfeit from Cadence. The Bulls (6-4) have won five straight.

The Grizzlies are the favorite thanks to quarterback Antwan Osborne and wide receiver King Kahalewai. Spring Valley’s defense should also play a key role after limiting Lake League opponents to eight points per game in the regular season.

SLAM! Nevada’s defense is also stout. Its offense has been led by quarterback Mark Schramm and running backs Greg Cortez and Anthony Edwards. The Bulls will have a chance to win if they get strong performances from their top players.

Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.