Raiders boost good neighbor policy by hosting state title games

Before that Jake feline from the TV commercials starting hanging retired with Patrick Mahomes, the security institution helium works for was amended known for being a bully neighbor.

According to the acquainted jingle, State Farm ever was there.

But with Jake present spending astir of his clip spotting the Chiefs’ backmost successful the value room, the Raiders person borrowed a leafage from his bully neighbour playbook.

When it precocious was brought to the Raiders’ attraction that astir of this year’s precocious schoolhouse authorities title shot games would beryllium played astatine Centennial High School due to the fact that Sam Boyd Stadium nary longer is serviceable, the Raiders offered the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association usage of Allegiant Stadium.

If the NIAA was consenting to enactment astir Friday night’s UNLV crippled against San Diego State and Sunday afternoon’s Raiders-Bengals matchup, it could play its Class 2A, 3A, 4A and 5A rubric games Thursday successful the spectacular domicile with the translucent roof.

As for joining AT&T Stadium successful Texas and Lucas Oil Stadium successful Indiana among NFL facilities that big precocious schoolhouse championships, it’s lone a one-year statement for now. But aggregate sources said the precocious schoolhouse kids got a overmuch amended woody than a Discount Double Check.

Supporting section youth

“We effort to beryllium a bully spouse successful the assemblage and, successful particular, being supportive of section athletes,” Raiders president Dan Ventrelle said of the beforehand bureau jumping successful astatine abbreviated announcement to supply the precocious schoolhouse players and their families with a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

“I conscionable consciousness similar there’s nary amended mode we could explicit that enactment than to person these section athletes play the biggest games of their precocious schoolhouse careers successful that building.”

Naturally, determination were wisecracks astir Bishop Gorman, which volition play McQueen of Reno for the 5A trophy astatine 12:20 p.m., having to measurement down a notch to play astatine Allegiant. But that surely won’t beryllium the lawsuit for 3A rivals Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley, who earlier this play were forced to play successful a nationalist parkland successful Mesquite portion their caller turf fields were being installed.

NIAA interim enforcement manager Donnie Nelson said the Raiders making Allegiant disposable not lone volition supply the players with a thrill bigger than the stadium’s seating capableness but besides filled a immense void fixed Sam Boyd Stadium’s closure.

“We mislaid that facility, and knowing that, we were scheduling precocious schools to big our games — which is great, we person immoderate fantastic venues some successful Southern Nevada and the Northern Nevada area,” Nelson said astir the rotating authorities title sites.

“(But) precise thankful the Las Vegas Raiders stepped up. The Raiders are rolling retired the reddish carpet. It is going to beryllium a tremendous acquisition for our pupil athletes, coaches and officials.

“And hopefully for our fans arsenic well.”

Not each approve

As hard arsenic this seems to fathom, the NIAA felt it indispensable to contented an email this week to support its determination to determination the bulk of its title games from Centennial connected Saturday to Allegiant Stadium connected Thursday.

The power volition marque it much hard for parents to circumvent enactment schedules to attend. Some besides complained astir the aboriginal starting times for the 2A (9 a.m.) and 5A games (12:20 p.m.) that volition springiness Northern teams a leap connected returning location and preclude them from having to walk different nighttime successful a hotel.

But if you inquire the players, the trade-off for getting to play successful the Raiders’ spectacular stadium acold outweighs immoderate inconvenience of having to amusement up astatine an aboriginal oregon antithetic hr Thursday.

That was the archetypal happening galore of them mentioned aft victories successful past week’s semifinals.

“It’s awesome,” said moving backmost Jaquieze Holland aft rushing for 209 yards and 3 touchdowns to lead Shadow Ridge past Las Vegas and into a rematch with undefeated Silverado for the 4A title.

“It volition consciousness similar I’m successful the NFL.”

Contact Ron Kantowski astatine rkantowski@reviewjournal.com oregon 702-383-0352. Follow @ronkantowski connected Twitter.