MaxPreps 2015 Nevada preseason high school football Fab 5, presented by the Army National Guard

Video: Early Contenders - No. 3 Bishop Gorman (NV)
See how we unveiled the No. 3 high school football team in the nation.


1. Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Coach: Kenny Sanchez
2014 finish: 15-0
Team preview

The Gaels garnered the nation's No. 1 spot according to the MaxPreps Composite Preseason National Rankings despite losing a boatload of talent and their head coach. Tony Sanchez, who guided Gorman to an 85-5 record and five state titles in five seasons, became just the fourth head coach to jump directly from high school to college head coaching. He's now the coach at UNLV. His brother Kenny takes over a team that returns probably the nation's top junior quarterback-receiver combination in Tate Martell and Tyjon Lindsey. Add in proven ball carriers Jonathan Shumaker and Biaggio Walsh to go along with big athletic lines and a stout defense, and Gorman should have no problem winning its sixth-straight state title, if not a second-straight national crown.

See highlights of Bishop Gorman grad DeMarco Murray as a prep

2. Centennial (Las Vegas)
Coach: Leon Evans
2014 finish: 9-2
Team preview

With a healthy 279 players in the program, Evans has plenty to choose from. He returns top running back Rhamondre Stevenson (1,457 yards rushing, 17 touchdowns) and quarterback Juan Rodriguez (1,490 yards, 17 touchdowns). Rodriguez was also extremely mobile, rushing for 574 yards and six touchdowns. The team's top two receivers – Savon Scarver and Andre Meiers – also return, and second-best tackler Tishawn Barnaby.

See the MaxPreps national football videos page

3. Reed (Sparks)
Coach: Ernie Howren
2014 finish: 11-4
Team preview

The Raiders started slow last season, losing their first two games before winning 11 of 12. They lost in the state finals to Bishop Gorman, 70-28, but the game was competitive for almost three quarters. They return talented senior quarterback Matt Denn (135 of 220, 1,854 yards, 19 touchdowns), who also rushed for 1,063 yards and 18 more scores. With another 1,000-yard rusher in Jordan Carter (1,491 yards, 20 touchdowns), Reed has one of the most potent one-two combinations in the state.

See the MaxPreps Nevada football photos page

4. Liberty (Henderson)
Coach: Richard Muraco
2014 finish: 10-3
Team preview

The Patriots return 13 starters, including eight on offense. That includes 6-foot-2, 170-pound junior quarterback Kenyon Oblad, who threw for 2,104 yards and 15 touchdowns as a sophomore. With their top three pass receivers returning, including Ethan Dedeaux (38 catches, 810 yards, eight touchdowns), look for Oblad to put the ball up plenty.

See last season's Nevada football computer rankings

5. Coronado (Henderson)
Coach: Brad Talich
2014 results: 7-4
Team preview

The Cougars hope to return to 2012 form when Talich, in his first season, guided the team to nine wins. Coronado should rally around senior running back Jordan Patterson and receiver Travis Boman (43 catches, 593 yards, five touchdowns). The defense lost its top five tacklers to graduation but should be able to maintain its excellence after allowing just 14.6 points per game in 2014.