Expect blowouts in opening round

It's playoff time. Well, in most places.

Eight Sunset Region schools hit the field tonight with the hope of eventually traveling north on Thanksgiving weekend for a state semifinal game.

The small schools start tonight and Saturday.

Sunrise Region fans still have to wait a week. Because the Sunrise winner advances straight to the state final (no collecting $200, though), those playoffs don't start until Nov. 13.

It's fine, because there's still a mess in the Southeast League. If you haven't yet, check out all the playoff scenarios on Nevadapreps.com. I'll warn you that they're really confusing, so don't read me and those in the same hour.

Here are this week's four to score, some playoff, some not. For the rest of the playoff picks, head to Nevadapreps.com.

• Cheyenne (5-5) at Bishop Gorman (10-0): Congratulations, Cheyenne. You graduated 20 or so seniors and lost a coach, then lost another coach, and still made the playoffs.

Your reward is ... a trip to Notre Gorman.

In nine games against Nevada teams this year, the Irish, er, Gaels have outscored the opposition 501-29.

That's not a misprint. Say it with me: 501-29.

Cheyenne is one of the few teams that has the speed to keep up with guys such as Shaquille Powell and Victor Belen, but I'm not so sure about the strength to hang with guys such as Xavier Grimble.

Gorman's past five games all have been decided by 50 or more points. That streak breaks. The winning streak doesn't. Gorman by 28.

• Spring Valley (6-4) at Legacy (10-0): It must be nice to be a Longhorn.

Look at the Sunset Region bracket. Notice that Palo Verde and Bishop Gorman are in one half, and Legacy is in the other. Cimarron-Memorial is no pushover, and if the favored teams win, Cimarron would get a rematch with Legacy next week.

Still, staying away from both the Panthers and Gaels until the final is a nice thing. Being 10-0 with a great running back in Deshae Edwards and a solid quarterback in Devin Wiedemann isn't bad, either.

Spring Valley isn't exactly riding into the postseason on a high note with two straight losses. Big doses of Taj Allen running the ball and keeping the Grizzlies' defense on the sideline might be the key to victory.

Legacy is on a roll. Just like butter. Legacy by 10.

• Foothill (5-4, 3-2 Southeast) at Basic (8-1, 4-1): Welcome to the Southeast League, where just about anyone can still finish just about anywhere.

Foothill doesn't have a playoff spot locked up yet after it got stomped by suddenly imaginative Silverado last week.

Basic could win the title outright or be in a two-way tie for first, a three-way tie for second or a four-way tie for first.

The Wolves' defense, led by linebacker Devin James, has been great in the past two games. Make it three. Basic by 12.

• Green Valley (3-6, 1-4 Southeast) at Silverado (6-3, 2-3): Guess who can still make the playoffs?

Nope, not Green Valley. The Gators are done after this week.

Silverado needs a victory here and a victory by its good friends at Basic, and the Skyhawks -- whose season looked derailed before last week -- would be headed to Las Vegas High next week.

Kyle Simmons at quarterback might be the answer for Silverado. It sure beats running into the middle of the line all the time.

Green Valley ... has some rebuilding to do. The Skyhawks will be scoreboard-watching. Silverado by 8.

Last week: 8-1 (overall), 6-3 (with points).

Season: 69-19 (overall), 64-24 (with points).

Contact Fielder at fielder@nevadapreps.com.