WINNEMUCCA - Now that the regular season has come to a close for fall sports, it's time to make some predictions about the upcoming football playoffs in the various divisions in Nevada.
Let's begin with the Division I-A North as Lowry makes the return trip to Elko on Friday night. The last time the Buckaroos traveled east, the Indians handed Lowry its only loss of the year in humbling fashion 26-6. Lowry perhaps played its worse game in more than three years on that night.
The Buckaroos have been unstoppable since, outscoring Sparks, Spring Creek, Fernley and Churchill County 164-39. The win last week over the Greenwave was the first loss for Churchill County this year.
Look for Lowry to go back on the road with a bit of anger and beat Elko to advance to the state semifinals for a fourth consecutive year. The good news is the Buckaroos won't have to play Moapa Valley.
The Pirates will make the trip to Fallon in the semifinals. Churchill County will beat Fernley but it will be closer than experts think. Moapa Valley will knock off Virgin Valley in the Division I-A South and Faith Lutheran will be Desert Pines. The Buckaroos will make the trip to Las Vegas and play Faith Lutheran.
The semifinals will be interesting, but I think it's possible for Lowry to go down to Las Vegas and beat the Crusaders. It will be a tough task but it's not Moapa Valley.
Churchill County and Moapa Valley would make for a great state championship. The Pirates are the more experienced group, but the Greenwave are talented and athletic. Moapa Valley has to make the trip to the north, but if it uses the game plan Lowry did it can beat Churchill County.
Lowry has been grooming this team for four years to be in this spot and if the breaks and a bit of luck go its way, it can lay claim to the school's first state championship. Humboldt County High School won a football championship in 1965.
As we move to Division III, it looks like Pershing County and Yerington are on a collision course to play in the state championship. The Lions defeated the Mustangs 18-6 earlier in the year. It was the first league loss for Pershing County since 2010. The Mustangs enter the championships as the three-time defending state champion.
Yerington should breeze by Rite of Passage on Friday night, while Pershing County has to deal with Battle Mountain. The Longhorns went punch for punch with the Mustangs in their meeting in Battle Mountain, leading 20-14 in the first half. However, Pershing County found a way to stop the passing game of the Longhorns' Daniel Itza in the 46-20 victory. Pershing County is playing at home and should beat Battle Mountain.
In the semifinals, Pershing County will travel to Las Vegas to play Mountain View and Yerington will play host to The Meadows. If the Mustangs can keep the penalties and turnovers to a minimum they can get out of southern Nevada with a victory.
Yerington should get by The Meadows, setting up an all-north rematch for the state title. When Yerington and Pershing County met the first time, the Mustangs made every mistake in the book and were still on a drive to win the game.
If Pershing County stays away from making the same mistakes, it will be hanging another banner in the gym.
Unless a huge sinkhole develops or a nuclear bomb hits southern Nevada, Pahranagat Valley is the odds on favorite to win the Division IV state championship. The Panthers have won 66 games in a row and show no signs of slowing down.
Pahranagat Valley draws Tonopah in the first round of the playoffs, a team it beat 72-12 last week. I will take Indian Springs over Spring Mountain in the other Division IV semifinal.
The North is hard to figure out since there were only three teams in the East Division and seven in the West Division. Despite the number of teams, each division still advanced two teams.
I am thinking that Coleville (Calif.) beats Carlin and Virginia City knocks off Wells. The reward for Virginia City? It gets to travel to Alamo to face Pahranagat Valley. Good luck, Muckers. Coleville will beat Indian Springs, but loses to Pahranagat Valley in the state championship.
Since the Division I playoffs go on as long as the NBA Finals or the NHL Playoffs, I will just make northern predictions for now.
Reed should not have any trouble with Douglas, but I am thinking that Reno will upset Galena. That would set up a rematch from earlier in the season when Reno beat Reed. The Raiders won't let that happen again.
Damonte Ranch beat McQueen 56-12 last week and the two schools meet again this week in the opening round of the playoffs. I am not sure if the Lancers decided not to show up last week, but it's hard for me to pick a team that lost by 44 points. My second upset special will be Spanish Springs over Carson. That would set up a semifinal meeting of Damonte Ranch and Spanish Springs, with Damonte Ranch winning.
The Division I North championship will see Reed beat Damonte Ranch, but it will be for not unless the entire Bishop Gorman team is deemed ineligible.
Whether I am right or wrong go out and cheer for your team as this is the best time of the year.
Winnemucca Publishing sports editor Tony Erquiaga can be reached via email at t.erquiaga@winnemuccapublishing.net.
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