FSM Presents: The FSM Prep Rally- 2023 Las Vegas High School Football Preview

FSM Presents: The FSM Prep Rally- The FSM Prep Rally- 2023 Las Vegas High School Football Preview

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High school football is back, and with it comes another full season of 702HSFB coverage from Franchise Sports Media!

High school football is just around the corner, and the FSM Prep Rally has your back for all the updates and biggest storylines going into the 2023 season. With news from the off-season, including the approved decision for realignment, we will be breaking down all the components that will make up the new landscape of this upcoming 2023 high school football season.

The FSM Prep Rally- 2023 Las Vegas High School Football Preview

Breaking down the new landscape of Nevada High School Football

The NIAA made some changes to the landscape of #702HSFB

Once the final state title game wrapped up at Allegiant Stadium in November 2022, the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s (NIAA) plans to shake up Nevada high school football was well underway.

A big push for this change came after national powerhouse Bishop Gorman secured their 12th state title in 13 years. With most schools in Nevada being unable to compete with the resources of Bishop Gorman, the decision for a new landscape comes with the hope for more even competition and opportunities for Nevada schools to compete for state titles.

Most of the coaches in Southern Nevada were unhappy with the NIAA’s decision not to have any schools in Northern Nevada play the 5A-1 teams. In fact, it looks like the NIAA caved to schools in the north that don’t want to play Bishop Gorman or any of the top teams in Las Vegas. Instead, the schools from the North will play in the 5A-2 Division, avoiding teams like Bishop Gorman, Liberty, Desert Pines, Arbor View, Silverado, and Shadow Ridge.

Southern Nevada coaches are pointing out that the NIAA broke its own bylaws by only having seven teams in the newly created 5A-1 division. The state bylaws state that all divisions playing for a state championship must have nine teams. But in the 2023 season, all the teams playing in 5A-1 that qualify for the state playoffs will play each other again in the playoffs.

After various coaches submitted several different scenarios over the course of a couple of months, the NIAA decided to go with what they had been working on, much to the displeasure of the coaches in Las Vegas.

Coaches were not happy with the NIAA’s decision to not have schools from the north play the top teams from LAs Vegas

With the controversial decision from the NIAA for realignment being passed, here is the new layout for high school football and a preview of some of the top teams going into the 2023 season:

The FSM Prep Rally- 2023 Las Vegas High School Football Previews the 5A-1 Division

 5A-I

In the largest classification, the 5A-I class will include all Southern Nevada schools competing for a state title. These schools include Bishop Gorman, Arbor View, Coronado, Desert Pines, Liberty, Silverado, and Shadow Ridge.

 

Bishop Gorman Gaels

The Gaels finished last year with a 14-1 record and a second-overall national ranking. Their only loss came from the number one nationally ranked team in Mater Dei. Bishop Gorman will look to improve from last season and finally secure their fourth high school football national title.

Bishop Gorman will have plenty of juice to earn a national title for Las Vegas High School football with the return of multiple starters from last year’s team. With starters like the 2022 Gatorade Player of the Year, quarterback Micah Alejado, tight end Elija Lofton, and running back Micah Ka’Apana all returning for their senior year, Gorman can expect another high-powered offense that will look to break plenty of records on their path to a state and national title in 2023.

The Gaels ranked #2 in the country, will open the season on August 18th when they face out-of-state opponent Corner Canyon in Draper, Utah.

 

Liberty Patriots

Liberty ended last Las Vegas high school football season with an 8-4 record and a heartbreaking 56-14 loss to Gorman in the Region Finals.

Since defeating the Gaels and securing a state title in 2019, the Patriots have come up short each year of overcoming Bishop Gorman and returning to the state title game. As they prepare to compete in the new realigned 5A I classification, head coach Rich Muraco will look to have his team prepped to compete against some of the top schools from last year’s 5A and 4A divisions, as well as compete to overcome the Gaels for another state title.

The Patriots open the season on August 18 against the third-nationally ranked team in the country, St. John Bosco, in Bellflower, California.

 

Silverado Skyhawks

Coming off their second straight Las Vegas high school football season as the top team in Nevada in the 4A division, the Skyhawks come into the 2023 season with something to prove.

Under head coach Andy Ostolaza, Silverado put together two straight undefeated seasons in 2021 and 2022, in which they claimed the 4A Nevada state title each year. As they now move into the 5A I classification, Silverado will face the top teams from last year’s 5A and 4A divisions and will look to continue their winning ways. Despite losing multiple senior starters from last year’s championship team, Coach O and the entire Silverado coaching staff can be expected to re-tool their roster and be prepared to show they can compete with anybody they stand across from while pursuing a third-straight championship run.

The Skyhawks open the season at home on August 18 as they face the Cimarron-Memorial Spartans. Silverado currently has the longest winning streak in the state at 24 games.

 

Arbor View Aggies

After winning their first game in the playoffs last year with a 59-0 victory over Green Valley in the region quarterfinals, the Aggies‘ season came to a close the following week with a 24-9 loss to Liberty in the semifinals.

With a 9-2 record and their only two losses coming from Bishop Gorman and Liberty, the Aggies proved last year that they belong in the conversation as one of the best teams in Nevada. As they prepare to enter into the first year of competition in the new 5A I class, they will have the opportunity to face the best competition in the state and prove that they have what it takes to be the best in route to a state championship.

Arbor View opens the Las Vegas high school football season on August 18th at home as they face the Cajon Cowboys from San Bernardino, California.

 

Shadow Ridge Mustangs

In 2021, Shadow Ridge finished the season going 9-3 after losing to Silverado in the 4A state title game. In 2022, the Mustangs improved on their record, going 11-2, but ultimately ended the season, losing out on another state title to Silverado in the 4A title game.

In the 4A division, the Mustangs showed to be the best team outside of Silverado while also showing improvement over the last two seasons. Now in the new 5A I class, the Mustangs will need to continue improving from last season to not just compete with Silverado but also compete with the top teams in the state of Nevada.

The Mustangs open the Las Vegas high school football season at home on August 18th as they face non-league opponent Legacy.

 

Coronado Cougars

Much like Shadow Ridge, Coronado was one of the top teams in the 4A division over the last two seasons but struggled to overcome Silverado.

Coronado and Shadow Ridge each got a victory facing each other over the last two seasons in the 4A division before ultimately getting bounced out of the playoffs by Silverado. Led by new head coach Shawn Dupris and former NFL players Brandon Marshall and Steven Jackson as assistant coaches, Coronado will lean heavily on their offense and junior quarterback, Aiden Krause, as they face the highest level of competition in the state of Nevada.

The Cougars start the Las Vegas high school football season at home on August 18th as they face non-league opponent Sierra Vista.

 

Desert Pines Jaguars

Desert Pines started their 2022 season, losing 21-14 to out-of-state opponent Orem in the season opener. The Jaguars bounced back after the rough start with seven-straight wins, including a victory over league-rival Green Valley. They ended the season with a victory over Palo Verde in the quarterfinals, and a defeat to the eventual 5A state champions, Bishop Gorman, in the region semifinals.

Going into this 2023 season, the Jaguars will look to continue from where they left off in 2022 and compete with the top schools in Nevada high school football.

Desert Pines opens the Las Vegas high school football year on the road on August 18th as they face non-league opponent Spring Valley.

That is the FSM Prep Rally 5A-1 division preview

Along with the newly formed 5A-I class, the NIAA’s decision for realignment has also formed the following six divisions that will all compete for their classification’s state title at the end of the year.

The FSM Prep Rally previews the rest of 702HSFB around the valley

5A-II

The northern class 5A-II will include McQueen, Spanish Springs, Bishop Manogue, Damonte Ranch, Reed, and Reno.

The southern Class 5A-II will include Faith Lutheran, Sierra Vista, Green Valley, Durango, Basic, Foothill, and Las Vegas.

 

5A-III

The northern class 5A-III will include Hug, Carson, Galena, North Valleys, Wooster, and Douglas.

The southern class 5A-III will include Desert Oasis, Rancho, Spring Valley, Clark, Cimarron-Memorial, Palo Verde, and Legacy.

 

4A

The 4A classification will include only teams who play in the Las Vegas area. Those teams are Bonanza, Cadence, Centennial, Canyon Springs, Cheyenne, Chaparral, Losee, Del Sol, Mojave, Eldorado, Rancho, Sunrise Mountain, Western, and Valley.

 

3A

The 3A class will include Fernley, South Tahoe (California), Truckee (California), Fallon, Spring Creek, Elko, Sparks, and Lowry.

 

2A

The 2A North class will include West Wendover, North Tahoe (California), Sierra Lutheran, Pershing County, Yerington, Silver Stage, Battle Mountain, Incline, Coral-Reno, and Dayton.

The 2A South class will include Lake Mead, White Pine, Needles (California), Lincoln County, Awaken Christian, and GV Christian.

 

1A

The 1A East class will include Eureka, Owyhee, Carlin, Independence, McDermitt, and Wells.

The 1A West class will include Smith Valley, Mineral County, Coleville, Virginia City, and Pyramid Lake.

The 1A South class will include Beaver Dam, Mountain View, Laughlin, Pahranagat Valley, Word of Life, and Sandy Valley.

The 1A Central Class will include Tonopah, Round Mountain, Spring Mountain, Beatty, and Indian Springs.

 

Franchise Sports Media has your 702 High School Football season covered. Please tune into The FSM Prep Rally all season for your Las Vegas High School Football coverage and interact with us on all our social media platforms and in the comments section.

Stay looked into The FSM Prep Rally for all your 2023 #702HSFB coverage

– Griffin Kemp – Franchise Sports Media

Follow Griffin on Twitter & IG @GriffinKemp51

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