**Editor’s Note:** This article has been translated into English.
—
Sam Byington’s earliest memories of the Henderson Bowl are painted in the green and blue colors of Green Valley. As an elementary school student, he would sit in the stands watching the rivalry unfold between Basic and Green Valley high schools, 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 and played before a sea of passionate fans. Now, as a senior and one of Green Valley’s standout players, Byington will step onto that very same field tonight to face Basic in his final Henderson Bowl.
The school community is hoping for another victory, but for Sam, this game means something much more personal: carrying on the tradition.
“It’s always tight,” Byington said about the outcome. “Both teams give their best because they know it’s one of the most important games in Nevada. And they want to win one of the most important games in Nevada.”
Ask any Nevada high school sports fan about the state’s biggest rivalry, and you’ll get passionate and sometimes contradictory answers. The loyal supporters 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 reigns supreme there.
Few people outside these two communities even know they battle every year for a simple 6-foot-by-6-foot banner—the kind often used to advertise 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 be important. They bring communities together, create lifelong memories, and give all of us a reason to cheer on the next generation.
The Henderson Bowl stands strong in this tradition. Created by former Governor Mike O’Callaghan in 1991 when Green Valley opened as Henderson’s second high school, this rivalry has 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 as head coach. It’s truly a family affair—his father, Dan, is an assistant coach, while his son Louden is among the team’s top players.
“This is a real 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 since 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 taking part in the rivalry. Both teams have long-standing family traditions, like the Ramos family this year at Basic: 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 the early years of the series with six consecutive wins in the 1990s when 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 out Green Valley in a close game in 2003, only to see the Gators avenge the loss a few weeks later in the playoffs—though without clinching the coveted trophy.
“Both teams look forward to this moment all year long,” Byington 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 feel disappointment. But both will carry the memories forever.
http://lasvegassun.com//news/2025/sep/19/la-tradicin-est-muy-arraigada-en-las-rivalidades-f/