Teams booking more out-of-state excursions

The Bishop Gorman High football program was having a hard time finding local teams to play in nonleague games. So they looked out of state.

First, it was a quick drive into Utah to play a school from St. George, Utah. Next, it was a team from Arizona. A few years later, the Gaels had built a dynasty and were playing games against teams from all over the nation on ESPN.

Last season, Bishop Gorman went 5-0 against out-of-state opponents for its third straight mythical national championship. But the Gaels didn’t have the biggest out-of-state win for a Nevada school.

Liberty took that honor with its 21-14 upset win over Westlake, the top ranked team in Texas.

Other Las Vegas schools are starting to follow suit in scheduling outof-state opponents, with coaches saying those games help draw college recruiting attention to their players and exposes them to the experience of travel they otherwise wouldn’t get. Plus, there’s nothing like a long bus ride to help with team bonding.

“You’d be surprised how many kids haven’t been out of town, so it’s an opportunity for them to go out of town with their friends, away from their parents, stay in a hotel and be responsible for themselves is a big deal,” said Green Valley coach Brian Castro, who’s team will head to Lake Forrest, Calif., to take on El Toro High School.

Seven schools are traveling outside Nevada for games this season — Bishop Gorman, Liberty, Faith Lutheran, Canyon Springs, Green Valley, Desert Pines and Las Vegas.

“I think the mystique is to go play somebody out of town,” Castro said. “A lot of people think there isn’t great football here in Las Vegas and if you get an opportunity to go out of state and play your best, you can earn a little bit of respect.”

Faith Lutheran will test itself against some of the best, taking on Valor Christian (the No. 1 ranked team in Colorado) and St. Pius X (the No. 28 ranked team in Texas). Liberty is traveling to Florida to play nationally respected American Heritage, and opens the season next week by hosting