Editor’s Note: This article has been translated into English.
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The earliest memories Sam Byington has of the Henderson Bowl are painted in the green and blue colors of Green Valley. When he was in elementary school, he would sit in the stands to watch the fierce rivalry between Basic and Green Valley High Schools unfold, his eyes fixed on the field where his older brothers, Joseph and Ben, played for the Gators.
Year after year, Byington witnessed something special: a game steeped in decades of history, filled with intensity, played before a sea of passionate fans. Now, as a senior and one of Green Valley’s star players, Byington will step onto that very field tonight to face Basic in his final Henderson Bowl.
The community around his school eagerly anticipates another victory, but for Sam, this game means something much more personal: carrying on the tradition.
“It’s always close,” Byington said about the outcome. “Both teams are going to give their best because they know it’s one of the most important games in Nevada. And they want to win one of the biggest games in Nevada.”
Ask any Nevada high school sports fan about the state’s biggest rivalry, and you’ll get passionate, often conflicting answers. Loyal followers of Las Vegas High School will swear by the Bone Game against Rancho—a tradition dating back to the 1950s. But if you visit Spring Valley High School, you’ll hear a completely different story: the Banner Game against Bonanza rules there.
Few people outside these two communities even know they compete each year for a simple 6-by-6-foot banner—the kind usually seen advertising local festivals—but to these schools, it means everything.
This is the magic of high school sports. These rivalries don’t need national attention or ESPN coverage to matter. They bring communities together, create lifelong memories, and give us all a reason to cheer for the next generation.
The Henderson Bowl remains a stalwart. Created by former Governor Mike O’Callaghan in 1991, when Green Valley opened as Henderson’s second high school, this rivalry is filled with history and heart.
Basic’s coach, Jeff Cahill, embodies that connection: he played in the very first Henderson Bowl and returned in 2008 to lead the program. It’s truly a family affair—his father, Dan, serves as assistant coach, while his son Louden is among the team’s top players.
“This is a true community school,” Jeff Cahill said. “People are proud to be from here. The area is proud to have the first high school in Henderson.”
Cahill experienced the magic of the rivalry firsthand during his debut as head coach in 2008—a game that carried extra weight, as the winner would also be crowned league champion.
“There were so many people that day, a fantastic atmosphere,” Cahill recalls. “That’s what high school football is all about.”
The Cahills aren’t the only family with multiple generations involved in the rivalry. Both teams boast family legacies, like the Ramos family playing for Basic this year: running back Maximino Ramos wears number 24, just like his father did in the 1990s.
While history and tradition draw fans year after year, it’s the competitiveness that makes the Henderson Bowl special. Green Valley dominated early in the series, with six straight wins in the 1990s when the games were often one-sided.
But once Basic closed the talent gap and started winning, the rivalry became dynamic. The drama speaks for itself: Basic edged Green Valley in a nail-biter in 2003, only to see the Gators take revenge weeks later in the playoffs—though without capturing the coveted trophy.
“Both teams look forward to this moment all year long,” Cahill adds. “It’s going to be a special night.”
And these special nights are the essence of high school sports. One team will celebrate victory; the other will suffer disappointment. Both will carry the memories forever.
http://lasvegassun.com//news/2025/sep/19/la-tradicin-est-muy-arraigada-en-las-rivalidades-f/