CCSD's First High School Football Superintendent's Cup Crowns Its Champions Friday, Oct. 23

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

The Superintendent's Cup is a new in-season tournament run by the Clark County School District. According to FOX5 Vegas, 30 independent CCSD high school football teams took part. The teams were split into three groups, and each group was divided into two divisions. The top two teams in each division, based on their record, played for the Superintendent's Cup in their group. The rest of the teams played tournament games set up to be as evenly matched as possible.

The first round ran Thursday, Oct. 15 and Friday, Oct. 16. FOX5 and News 3 Las Vegas published the schedule:

Group 1: Centennial at Liberty, Coronado at Arbor View, Desert Pines at Foothill, Las Vegas at Shadow Ridge, Mojave at Desert Oasis
Group 2: Legacy at Basic Academy of International Studies, Palo Verde at Green Valley, Spring Valley at Silverado, Durango at Ed W. Clark, Sierra Vista at Canyon Springs
Group 3: Bonanza at Sunrise Mountain, Valley at Cimarron-Memorial, Cheyenne at Del Sol Academy of the Performing Arts, Eldorado at Rancho, Western at Chaparral

Local sports coverage calls the three groups Division I, Division II and Division III. Here is how the Cup games played out on Oct. 16, according to Press Coverage Network and Franchise Sports Media, which both reported the same scores:

Division I: Centennial beat Liberty 27-24 in overtime. Arbor View beat Coronado 37-13.
Division II: Basic beat Legacy 36-20. Green Valley beat Palo Verde 28-21.
Division III: Sunrise Mountain edged Bonanza 16-15. Valley beat Cimarron-Memorial 42-20.

That sets up three title games on Friday, Oct. 23. Centennial plays at Arbor View at 7 p.m., according to Franchise Sports Media. Basic and Green Valley meet for the Division II Cup, a matchup of two Henderson schools that Franchise Sports Media called the "Henderson Bowl II." Sunrise Mountain and Valley meet for the Division III Cup. The host sites and kickoff times for the Division II and Division III games have not been announced in the reports we found, and ticket prices for all three games have not been announced either. Franchise Sports Media also reported that Liberty and Coronado will play for third place in Division I at Liberty.

CCSD Superintendent Jhone Ebert shared the district's excitement in a statement reported by FOX5: "We are excited to see who will take home the inaugural Superintendent's Cups." She added, "CCSD is happy to have a new way to recognize them for their hard work."

Football player running with the ball during a game, the kind of action fans will see at the Superintendent's Cup title games

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

For a lot of families, high school football is the center of fall. Friday nights are when neighbors run into each other in the stands, when the band plays, and when younger kids watch the older ones and dream about wearing the jersey. A brand new championship with a trophy on the line gives those nights a little extra meaning this year.

The title games also cover a big part of the valley. Arbor View and Centennial are northwest valley schools, so the Division I final is a big night for families in that part of town. Basic and Green Valley are both in Henderson, which makes the Division II final a hometown rivalry for the east side of the valley. Valley High and Sunrise Mountain round out the Division III final. Palo Verde, a Summerlin school, came within a touchdown of the Division II final, losing 28-21 at Green Valley.

There is also a school pride angle. Green Valley High, one of the Division II finalists, was also one of only four schools that made both lists on CCSD's latest Superintendent's Honor Roll, earning five stars and raising its state index score by 10 points or more. We wrote about that in 79 CCSD Schools Made the Superintendent's Honor Roll. Strong classrooms and a team playing for a title in the same fall is a good season for any campus.

And for the players, this is the end of the road for the year. These 30 schools are not in the usual state playoffs this season, so the Superintendent's Cup is the postseason. For seniors, Oct. 23 is the last time they will play high school football. That alone makes these games worth showing up for.

Three finals, three stories. Each title game comes with its own storyline. In Division I, Centennial needed overtime to get past Liberty on the road, 27-24, so Centennial comes in having already won one tight, high-pressure game. Arbor View won its semifinal by 24 points over Coronado and gets to host the final at home. In Division II, Green Valley held off Palo Verde by a single touchdown, while Basic pulled away from Legacy by 16. Two Henderson schools playing for the same trophy will split a lot of neighborhoods, workplaces and family group chats. In Division III, Sunrise Mountain won its semifinal over Bonanza by just one point, 16-15, and Valley put up 42 points against Cimarron-Memorial. One side has shown it can win a close one. The other has shown it can score in bunches.

It is also worth remembering the teams that did not make a final. The tournament was built so that every one of the 30 teams had a meaningful game, not just the top seeds. Teams outside the Cup races played matchups set for competitive balance, according to FOX5. That means a lot of players got to finish their seasons against an opponent close to their own level, which is a big part of why the district set it up this way.

Background and History

The Superintendent's Cup exists because of a big change in Nevada high school sports this year. News 3 Las Vegas reported that these 30 CCSD public high schools chose to break away from the Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association's Southern Region Class 5A and 4A earlier this year. They are playing this season as independent programs. They still have to follow NIAA rules and eligibility standards, but they are not part of the state-run playoffs.

That left a gap. Without a state postseason, the teams needed a way to end the season with something to play for. The district's answer is this in-season tournament. News 3 reported that the Superintendent's Cup replaces the traditional state-organized playoffs for these 30 schools.

The change also reshapes the state playoffs. According to News 3, without the CCSD schools, only private and charter schools will compete in the Class 5A and 4A postseason. News 3 also noted that Bishop Gorman, a private school in Summerlin, has won state championships in all but one season since 2009 in Class 5A. That long run is part of the larger conversation about competitive balance in Southern Nevada high school football.

Competitive balance is the idea the whole tournament is built around. FOX5 reported that the groups and divisions were set up "to create competitive balance," and the remaining matchups were also set by that goal. The idea is to give more teams a fair shot at a meaningful game at the end of the year, instead of a season that ends with a lopsided loss.

Ebert framed the tournament as a reward for months of work. "Our students, coaches and families have spent months working on the practice fields and in weight rooms to reach this moment," she said in a news release quoted by News 3.

Crowd watching a football game from the stadium stands, like families who will attend the Superintendent's Cup on Oct. 23

What Happens Next

Friday, Oct. 23 is Cup night. The Division I title game, Centennial at Arbor View, kicks off at 7 p.m. at Arbor View, according to Franchise Sports Media. The Division II game between Basic and Green Valley and the Division III game between Sunrise Mountain and Valley are also set for Oct. 23. Check the CCSD Athletics website for the final host sites and kickoff times before you head out, since those details were not confirmed when this post was written.

The district has invited the whole community to come out. FOX5 reported that CCSD wants fans to attend and support the student-athletes, including in the visitor's bleachers. The CCSD Athletics website has schedules and student-athlete spotlights.

After Friday, the first Superintendent's Cup champions will be in the books. Whether the tournament returns next year depends on whether these schools stay independent of the NIAA, which has not been announced. For now, three teams are one win away from being the first names on a brand new trophy.

A quick game-night guide for families. If you have never been to a high school championship game in Las Vegas, here is what to expect. Stadiums are on campus, so parking is usually in school lots and on nearby streets. Arrive early and be patient leaving, since everyone heads out at once. October evenings in the valley can cool off quickly after sunset, so bring a light jacket or a blanket for the bleachers. Many schools have rules about bags, outside food and re-entry, so check the host school's guidelines before you go. And if you are bringing little kids, pick seats near an aisle so you can take a break when they need one.

Be a good fan, too. Cheer for your team, respect the other side and thank the officials and volunteers on the way out. These are student-athletes, and the adults in the stands set the tone. A championship night should be something every player is proud of, win or lose.

High school football team posing together for a photo, the kind of moment Superintendent's Cup champions will share on Oct. 23

Ryan's Take

I talk with a lot of families who are moving to Las Vegas, and one thing they want to know is whether the neighborhoods have a real community feel. High school football is one of the easiest ways to find it. Go to a Friday night game in Henderson, the northwest valley or Summerlin and you will see what I mean. Parents who have lived on the same street for years sit next to new neighbors who just moved in. Kids run around behind the bleachers. The whole neighborhood shows up.

That is part of what makes a place feel like home, and it is something buyers notice. When you are choosing between two areas, the schools are not just test scores. They are the games, the band, the theater shows and the people you meet there. If you are new in town, or thinking about moving, go to one of these Cup games on Friday. Root for whichever side you like. It is a free lesson in what a neighborhood feels like, and it costs a lot less than a weekend of open houses.

Football resting on a green field, ready for the first CCSD Superintendent's Cup championship games

What You Can Do

Plan your Friday night. Check the CCSD Athletics website for the final schedule, host sites and kickoff times for all three title games. Get there early, since championship nights tend to draw bigger crowds than a regular game, and parking at high school stadiums fills up fast. Ticket prices have not been announced, so check with the host school ahead of time and be ready to pay the way the school asks.

If your kid plays, marches, cheers or helps out at one of these schools, this is a night to celebrate them. Bring the grandparents. Take photos. For seniors, it is the last game of their high school career, and they will remember who showed up.

Think about the people behind the team, too. Every high school program runs on volunteers: booster clubs, team parents, the folks running the snack bar and the chain crew on the sideline. If your neighborhood school is in a final, or even if it is not, ask how you can help. Buying a program, a shirt or a hot dog at the snack bar often supports the team and the school's activities. Small things add up over a season.

Finally, follow along after Friday. The CCSD Athletics website has schedules and student-athlete spotlights, and local outlets such as FOX5 and News 3 have covered the tournament from the start. Once the first champions are crowned, the district and local media will likely share results and photos. If your child is a younger athlete, show them the highlights. Next fall, or a few years from now, it could be their team playing for the Cup.

And if you just love football, pick a game near you. Centennial at Arbor View for the northwest valley, Basic against Green Valley for Henderson, or Sunrise Mountain against Valley. Whoever wins, they will be the first champions of a brand new Las Vegas tradition.

Have questions about how this affects your home or neighborhood? Reach out to Ryan Rose or text/call 702-747-5921 anytime. Ryan Rose | Real Broker, LLC | 702-747-5921 | ryan@rosehomeslv.com | rosehomeslv.com