Unique Open/5A playoff format highlights prep football state semifinal games

When the Bishop Gorman and Faith Lutheran football teams meet this upcoming Friday night in an Open Division state semifinal, the losing team’s season will not be over.

The departure of the 30 Class 5A/4A CCSD football programs forced the NIAA and the three remaining 5A Southern schools — Gorman, Faith Lutheran and Losee — to come up with a creative solution for a playoff.

The result was a format where the top two 5A Southern teams, based on the NIAA’s HRM points rating system, would meet in a state semifinal. The winner would advance to the Open Division state title game and the loser of the semifinal will face the 5A Northern Region champion for the 5A state title.

Gorman (9-1) and Faith Lutheran (6-4) will meet at 7 p.m. Friday at Gorman’s Fertitta Field in the non-season-ending state semifinal. The winner will play Losee, the No. 3 seed with a bye straight to the title game, on Nov. 20 at Allegiant Stadium for the Open Division state title.

The loser of the Gorman-Faith Lutheran matchup will face either Spanish Springs or Bishop Manogue (who play on Friday for the 5A Northern Region title) on Nov. 20 at Allegiant Stadium for the 5A state title.

The NIAA, after consulting with the remaining 5A/4A teams, elected to go to the never-before-seen playoff format in Nevada to ensure the top two teams in the 5A Southern League get an opportunity to play an extra playoff game and can compete for a state championship.

The format will be in place again next year, along with the HRM system to determine playoff seed, in the final year of the three-year realignment cycle.

4A rematch

The matchup we all expected for the 4A Southern Region title will happen.

Mater East (8-3) and Sloan Canyon (8-2) were heads and shoulders above their other 4A competition — SLAM! Nevada and Cadence — and will play for the region title at 6 p.m. Friday at Mater East.

Despite Mater East’s 27-19 regular-season victory over Sloan Canyon turning into a forfeit, the Knights were the top seed in the 4A Southern Region by holding a higher HRM score (1.333) over Sloan Canyon (1.667).

“Mater East is a great football team,” Sloan Canyon coach Nate Oishi said. “They play hard. We’re going to take one day at a time and prepare everything we can control for that game. And it’s the most important game, because it’s the next.

“We have to stay within our game and stay focused on the mission. Stay disciplined and play hard, sound football.”

Other state semifinals

Saturday will be for the small schools, highlighted by the 3A state semifinals.

Moapa Valley, as the top Southern seed, will host Spring Creek at 1 p.m. Saturday in a state semifinal, and Pahrump Valley travels to play the North’s top seed Churchill County at 1 p.m. Saturday.

The winners of the semifinals will advance to the 3A title game on Nov. 20 at Allegiant Stadium.

Churchill County is worth being discussed as one of the top teams in the state, regardless of classification, with the Greenwave having wins over 5A Northern teams Manogue and Reed.

Moapa Valley lost to Churchill County 21-14 in last year’s title game and the rematch in Allegiant Stadium could be the game of the year.

In 2A, Lake Mead Academy will play at Pershing County at 1 p.m. in a state semifinal and Lincoln County hosts Coral Academy Reno at noon in the other semifinal.

In 1A (eight-man football), Tonopah hosts Mineral County in a state semifinal and defending state champion Pahranagat Valley plays at Eureka. Both semifinals are at 1 p.m.

Allegiant Stadium is scheduled to host the 1A title game on Nov. 20 and the 2A title game (as long as one Northern team is in the game) will be at a TBD Northern high school on Nov. 21.

Contact Alex Wright at [email protected]. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

Southern Nevada high school football

Week 13 scores

Playoffs

4A Southern League semifinals

No. 1 Mater East 56, No. 4 Cadence 6

No. 2 Sloan Canyon 42, No. 3 SLAM! Nevada 7

3A Southern League semifinals

No. 1 Moapa Valley 48, No. 4 Boulder City 21

No. 2 Pahrump Valley 30, No. 3 Virgin Valley 29

2A state quarterfinals

No. 1S Lincoln County 50, No. 4S GV Christian 8

No. 3S Lake Mead Academy 27, No. 2S White Pine 14

1A state quarterfinals

No. 1S Tonopah 56, No. 4S Spring Mountain 6

No. 2S Pahranagat Valley 66, No. 3S Sandy Valley 14

Regular season

Bishop Gorman 54, CIVICA Academy 0

Week 14 schedule

Friday

Open/5A state semifinal

No. 2 Faith Lutheran at No. 1 Bishop Gorman, 7 p.m.

4A Southern Region final

No. 2 Sloan Canyon at No. 1 Mater East, 6 p.m.

Saturday

All games at 1 p.m.

3A state semifinals

No. 3N Spring Creek at No. 1S Moapa Valley

No. 2S Pahrump Valley at No. 1N Churchill County

2A state semifinals

No. 3S Lake Mead Academy at No. 1N Pershing County

No. 2N Coral Academy Reno at No. 1S Lincoln County, noon

1A state semifinals

No. 2N Mineral County at No. 1S Tonopah

No. 2S Pahranagat Valley at No. 1N Eureka