5 games to watch in Southern Nevada high school football this week

Faith Lutheran at Shadow Ridge

The fifth-ranked Crusaders (3-0) are coming off a bye and should be well-rested for their matchup with the seventh-ranked Mustangs (2-1) in the league opener for both teams.

Quarterback Alex Rogers will run the show for Faith Lutheran. He has completed 36 of his 59 passes for 549 yards and five touchdowns this season.

Shadow Ridge has momentum on its side. It staged an improbable rally against Quartz Hill (California) last week to win 50-43. The Mustangs will likely move the ball primarily on the ground, as quarterback Ula Cox threw just one pass a week ago.

Three Shadow Ridge running backs ran for more than 100 yards against Quartz Hill. Tyrell Craven led the way, rushing 11 times for 168 yards and a touchdown.

Either team could win this game.

Green Valley at Legacy

The sixth-ranked Longhorns (2-1) have home-field advantage, but the 10th-ranked Gators (2-1) will be riding high after a dramatic 25-24 comeback victory over Basic last week.

Legacy has a balanced attack on offense. Quarterback Aidan Crawford has completed 55 of his 109 passes for 770 yards and six touchdowns this season. Zaione Henderson has led the ground game with 59 carries for 254 yards and four touchdowns.

The Gators have used two quarterbacks this year, but it was Michael Lewis who helped orchestrate his team’s comeback from an 18-point deficit last week. He completed 12 of his 20 attempts for 230 yards and two touchdowns against Basic.

Legacy has the edge on paper in this league opener, but Green Valley has been a tough out so far.

Centennial at Durango

Both teams remain difficult to read.

The Bulldogs (0-3) are winless, but they lost by just one point to Desert Pines and then fell to a pair of reputable Utah teams. Their offense is capable of scoring points, but their defense has struggled.

The Trailblazers (2-2) have been inconsistent. They were crushed by Moapa Valley and North View (California) before defeating Sierra Visa and Bonanza. Durango is scoring just 14 points per game and has been shut out twice.

The Bulldogs may have enough firepower to emerge victorious in the league opener for both teams.

Desert Pines at Las Vegas

The eighth-ranked Jaguars (1-2) are the favorites in this one after a difficult pre-league schedule that included a win against Centennial and losses to Legacy and Ayala (California).

Running back Marcus Williams has impressed this season, with 491 rushing yards and five touchdowns on 54 carries.

The Wildcats (2-1) have defeated Palo Verde and Rancho this season and lost to Basic. Their offense is averaging 31 points per game while the defense is giving up just 10.

This game could be tight if Las Vegas can put together another strong performance.

Orange Lutheran (Calif.) at Bishop Gorman, 7 p.m.

The Gaels (2-1) fell 31-15 at Mater Dei (California) last week in a highly-anticipated bout between the top two teams in the country.

Bishop Gorman will be hungry for a chance at redemption after seeing its 27-game winning streak snapped.

The Gaels, now ranked fifth by MaxPreps, will get another stiff challenge from No. 12 Orange Lutheran. The Lancers (3-0) are coming off a 15-13 win over No. 22 St. Frances Academy (Maryland).

Bishop Gorman will have its eyes on Orange Lutheran quarterback TJ Lateef, who completed 16 of his 22 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown in last week’s win. Lateef also threw two interceptions.

Contact Jeff Wollard at jwollard@reviewjournal.com.