Basic, Green Valley among six CCSD teams playing Friday for the first Superintendent's Cup football titles

What happened

Clark County School District's largest public high school football programs will crown three champions Friday in the first Superintendent's Cup, the Las Vegas Sun reported. The games cap the first season since CCSD's 4A and 5A programs went independent within the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association in March. That arrangement is set for at least two seasons.

According to the Sun, the matchups are Centennial at Arbor View in Division 1, Basic vs. Green Valley in Division 2 and Valley vs. Sunrise Mountain in Division 3. The rest of CCSD's 30 teams also play this week to close out the season. For more coverage of the district, see our Clark County schools news.

Why CCSD schools went independent

Public schools playing public schools

Under the change, CCSD's 4A and 5A teams play each other instead of private and charter schools. The public schools say those schools hold an unfair advantage in attracting players. The Sun noted that most public schools draw students from a set zone, while private and charter schools draw from the whole valley.

Basic coach Jeff Cahill told the Sun the setup has "worked out great for public schools when you look at the divisions and how competitive they've been."

How the final matchups were set

There was no true playoff bracket, the Sun reported. CCSD athletics officials pieced together matchups for the final two weeks, and the season ends in the third week of October. The Cup games kick off at the same time as the other Friday games, including Shadow Ridge at Foothill and 14 others, and are being played at home stadiums rather than neutral sites.

Basic and Green Valley meet for the Division 2 title

A Henderson rivalry with a trophy at stake

A calendar invite circulating on social media calls Basic Academy supporters to the "public school state championship" against Green Valley at 7 p.m. Friday, the Sun reported. The two Henderson schools met earlier this season in the "Henderson Bowl" at Basic Academy on Sept. 4.

Basic's history dates to the 1940s, and it won state in 1960 by defeating Carson 39-6 in the Class 2A game, according to the Sun. Cahill is a Basic graduate who has coached his alma mater for 18 seasons. "We have kids playing for something meaningful at the end of the season. It feels like championship week," he told the Sun.

What the split means for private and charter schools

Private and charter schools now compete among themselves. The Sun column said Bishop Gorman benefits most, because with fewer local teams to play it can add more marquee games to its schedule. Gorman beat Faith Lutheran and Losee in league play this season, the Sun reported.

NIAA title games at Allegiant Stadium

The Raiders are hosting the NIAA state title games at Allegiant Stadium, according to the Sun. The Open Division has only three teams, and all three are playing for a state title because the division is filling two title games.

Questions about the format

The Sun column described CCSD's first independent season as a work in progress that left everyone scrambling, while noting it produced some competitive games. The columnist argued the season ends too early and suggested changes for next year.

Those suggestions included letting other teams finish their schedules first, then playing one Cup game per night the following week, and moving the championship games to neutral sites. The column also pointed out that Superintendent Jhone Ebert cannot attend three games played at the same time to present the Cup.

What to watch next

• Three Superintendent's Cup games on Friday: Centennial at Arbor View, Basic vs. Green Valley and Valley vs. Sunrise Mountain.
• NIAA state title games at Allegiant Stadium, where all three Open Division teams are playing for a title.
• Whether CCSD changes how it sets Cup matchups next season, the second year of its independent arrangement with the NIAA.