Henderson's Little League U.S. Champions Light the Al Davis Torch at Allegiant Stadium

by Ryan Rose

What Happened

FOX5 Las Vegas reported on Oct. 16 that the Henderson Paseo Verde Little League team would light the Al Davis Memorial Torch before Sunday's Raiders and Bills game at Allegiant Stadium. The torch lighting is a short ceremony, but it carries a lot of weight with Raiders fans. It happens before every home game, and the team picks who gets to do it.

Paseo Verde got the invite because of what it did this summer. The team went undefeated in the Mountain Region tournament. That run sent the players to the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, which is the biggest stage in youth baseball. Once there, they kept winning.

In the U.S. semifinal on Aug. 26, Paseo Verde beat the Midwest Region 14-6. FOX5 reported that both teams were scoreless through three innings. Then Paseo Verde scored four runs in the fourth, one more in the fifth, and nine more in the sixth. That was a big, late burst that turned a tight game into a blowout.

Three days later, on Saturday, Aug. 29, Paseo Verde beat Ohio 12-2 in the U.S. Championship Game. News 3 Las Vegas reported that the opponent was the Great Lakes Region team from Hamilton, Ohio, and that the game was played at Lamade Stadium. That win made Paseo Verde the best Little League team in the United States this year.

The next day, Paseo Verde played for the world title. FOX5 reported that the team lost to Curacao 11-2 in the Little League World Series Championship game on Sunday, Aug. 30. So the team finished as U.S. champions and world runner-up. That is still a season most youth teams only dream about.

It helps to know how hard it is to get that far. Little League teams do not just sign up for the World Series. A league builds an all-star team from its own players, and that team has to win its way through local and state play before it reaches a regional tournament. Paseo Verde represented the Mountain Region, and it won every game there. Only then did it earn a ticket to Pennsylvania. Every step was a chance to go home early, and this team never did until the very last game.

The U.S. Championship Game was played on Saturday, and the world title game came the very next day. That is a tough turnaround for adults, let alone 12-year-olds. FOX5 reported that coaches and league leaders kept telling the kids the same thing after the U.S. win: celebrate it, then get ready for what is next. That is a good lesson for any young athlete, and it is a big part of why so many Henderson families felt proud of how the team carried itself.

Henderson's Paseo Verde Little League players during their 14-6 win over the Midwest Region at the 2026 Little League Baseball World Series in Williamsport

Why It Matters to Las Vegas Residents

Stories like this do not change your mortgage rate or your property tax bill. They matter for a different reason. They remind people that Henderson is a place where kids grow up, play ball, and get a shot at something big. That feeling is a real part of why families choose a neighborhood.

Think about who was cheering. FOX5 covered a packed watch party at a movie theater in Henderson before the world title game. Parents, cousins, other local all-star players and neighbors all showed up. When a whole community turns out for a group of 12-year-olds, it says a lot about the place. People here care about their kids and about each other.

The torch honor also ties two parts of local life together. The Raiders are still fairly new to Southern Nevada, and Allegiant Stadium sits just off the Strip. For many locals, the team can feel like it belongs more to visitors than to residents. Putting Henderson kids on that field, in front of a full stadium, is a nice bridge between the big-league team and the families who actually live here.

There is also a youth sports angle that every parent will get. Matt Estrada, who spoke for the league's organization, told FOX5 that this run started with tryouts in mid-February. The players all played in the league's spring season first. He said about two and a half million kids play Little League in the United States, and these 13 Henderson kids became the U.S. champs. That is a good reminder that this all started on a regular neighborhood field.

Finally, it is good news, plain and simple. Our local news cycle is full of road closures, storm damage, and price headlines. A story about Henderson kids lighting a torch at a Raiders game is a welcome break. It is the kind of thing you share with your neighbor over the fence.

It also matters to the kids who are watching. Somewhere in Henderson right now, there is probably a young T-ball player who just heard that older kids from their own league got to light the torch at a Raiders game. That is how youth sports grow. Younger players see what is possible, and they want a turn. For the families and volunteers who run neighborhood leagues, that kind of spark is worth a lot.

Background and History

The Al Davis Memorial Torch is a Raiders tradition that honors the team's longtime owner. FOX5 reported that the tradition began in 2011 with the late John Madden, back when the team played in Oakland. Since then, Raiders alumni, celebrities and fans have been picked to light the torch before each home game.

The torch pays tribute to Al Davis's long career. FOX5 described him as the Raiders' longtime owner, a Pro Football Hall of Famer, a former AFL coach and commissioner, and the architect of the team's famous "Commitment to Excellence." When the team moved to Las Vegas, the tradition came along. The late Carol Davis, known as the First Lady of Raider Nation, was the first to light the torch in Las Vegas. She did it before the Raiders' first game at Allegiant Stadium on Sept. 21, 2020.

That puts Paseo Verde in good company. The players now join a list of people the Raiders have chosen to honor in front of a home crowd. For a youth baseball team, that is a rare thing to have on the resume.

Choosing a youth team also fits what the torch is meant to stand for. The phrase "Commitment to Excellence" is about effort, toughness and winning the right way. A group of kids who started with tryouts in February, played a full spring season, and then won every game in their region is a pretty good picture of that idea. You do not have to be a football fan to see why the Raiders picked them.

Paseo Verde Little League celebrates its 12-2 win over the Great Lakes Region team from Hamilton, Ohio, in the U.S. Championship Game at Lamade Stadium

Paseo Verde is also part of a bigger local trend. News 3 Las Vegas reported that this year's title was Southern Nevada's second straight Little League U.S. championship, because Summerlin South won the U.S. crown in 2025. Two years in a row, a team from our valley has been the best in the country. That is a big deal for a region that many people outside Nevada still think of only as a tourist town.

Henderson made sure the team got a proper welcome home. News 3 reported that the city held a championship party from 9 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Lee's Family Forum Tiltyard at Green Valley and Paseo Verde parkways. The city said the team would "arrive in style" for a celebration with giveaways. The Raiders torch lighting is the latest chapter in a fall full of hometown honors.

What Happens Next

For the players, the big stage now gives way to normal life. School is in session, and most of these kids are moving on to the next level of youth baseball. Little League all-star teams are built each year from players in the league, so next summer's Paseo Verde team will look different. The tryout cycle will start again in the new year, the same way this one did in February.

For fans, the torch lighting is likely the last big public moment for this team before winter. If you missed it, keep an eye on the Raiders and on local news outlets for photos and video from the ceremony. Families who were there will probably be posting plenty, too.

For the valley as a whole, the bigger question is whether this streak keeps going. Two straight U.S. titles from Southern Nevada teams will draw more attention to local youth baseball. More families may sign up for spring seasons. More kids may try out for all-star teams. That kind of growth is good for parks, leagues and neighborhoods across Henderson and Summerlin.

Growth also brings real needs. More players mean more field time, more volunteer coaches, more umpires and more parents running the snack bar. Neighborhood leagues run on volunteers, and a big year usually means a bigger sign-up list the next spring. If your family is thinking about joining, it is worth asking your league early how you can help, not just how your child can play.

Ryan's Take

I talk to a lot of families who are moving to Henderson, and almost all of them ask the same thing early on: what is it like to raise kids here? Stories like this answer that better than I can. The Paseo Verde area sits in the heart of Green Valley, one of Henderson's most established parts of town. It has mature parks, older trees, and a lot of families who have been there for years. When a team from that neighborhood ends up on the field at Allegiant Stadium, it tells you the community behind it is strong.

From a real estate point of view, youth sports are part of the daily life buyers are paying for. Being close to fields, rec centers and active leagues matters to families with young kids. Henderson has also been adding more places to play, like its new sports and social complex. I would never tell someone to buy a home because of a Little League team. But I will tell you that the things that make a neighborhood feel like home, like good parks, busy leagues and neighbors who show up for each other, also tend to make homes there hold their appeal over time.

Little League fans in the stands at Lamade Stadium in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, home of the Little League World Series

What You Can Do

If you want to celebrate the team, the easiest thing is to share the good news. Pass this story along to a neighbor, a coworker, or a family member who followed the World Series run this summer. Local kids doing big things deserve a little extra noise.

If you have kids who want to play, look into your local Little League. Each league covers its own area, so check which one serves your address before spring sign-ups. The run that ended at Allegiant Stadium started with tryouts in February, which is a good reminder to plan ahead. Your local parks and recreation department is also a good place to find other youth sports programs if baseball is not your child's thing.

And if you are thinking about a move to Henderson, Green Valley or Summerlin, ask about the parks and leagues near any home you look at. Walk the nearest park on a Saturday morning. Watch a game. You will learn more about a neighborhood in an hour at the ballfield than you will from any listing description.

One more idea: say thank you. The coaches, league board members and parents who drove this team all over the region and across the country gave up a lot of time this year. A quick note to your local league, or a shout-out on a neighborhood page, goes a long way. Volunteers keep these programs alive, and they rarely hear how much the community appreciates them.

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