4A Southern Playoffs: Breakout Players From Each Team

<p><em>Taking a look at some of the breakout players from the regular season for each 4A Southern playoff team with the first round kicking off this Thursday. </em></p>   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(1) Sloan Canyon</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Quaglio leads the state in receiving TDs with 18 and sits at second in receiving yards with 1,028 in his breakout junior season for Sloan Canyon. He's a skilled receiver that can create separation as a route-runner and make explosive plays after the catch. He's physical and competitive at the catch point, can get vertical in high-point situations, and shows great concentration, field awareness and body control completing tough catches in every area of the field. Quaglio is one of the state's biggest in-season risers and should continue to be a high-impact player for the productive passing attack of undefeated #1 seed Sloan Canyon.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/brandon_quaglio/status/1970150284723880205 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(2) Silverado</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Belyeu came into the season as the eighth-ranked EDGE in PRZ NV's 2027 rankings and has raised his stock significantly with the breakout junior campaign he's putting together. The 6'/225 junior out of Silverado leads the state in sacks with 14 to go with 35 tackles and 19 TFLs. He's a highly disruptive pass rusher that can get after the passer from an inside or outside alignment with the combination of power and motor he plays with. He does a good job of using his hands and leverage to drive blockers off the ball and possesses the range to set the edge as a run defender. Belyeu will be one of the most disruptive front-seven defenders in the 4A Southern playoffs.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/BrandonBelyeu33/status/1983342272663154697 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(3) Spring Valley</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Kahalewai has broken out as one of the top two-way players in the state with a state-leading 10 INTs and 654 receiving yards and 11 TDs on offense. He's an elite playmaker on both sides of the ball with the fluid athleticism and ball skills he brings to both WR/DB positions. He's a skilled wideout that can get off the LOS with creative releases, shows great body control at the catch point, and can produce explosive plays after the catch. He's instinctive in the secondary, jumps routes with his timing and anticipation, and can tackle in space. Kahalewai is one of the biggest breakout stock risers in Nevada this season and should be one of the most impactful playmakers on both sides of the ball in the 4A playoff bracket.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/KingKahalewai/status/1980845960323600635 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(4) Sierra Vista</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Green has put his name on the PRZ radar as the most productive 2027 running back in Vegas this season. The 5'9"/185 junior rushed for nearly 1,200 yards and 8 TDs on 157 carries in the regular season including 100+ yards in seven of his nine games. He's a powerful runner that can generate a head of steam getting downhill and racks up yards after contact with the balance and lower-body strength he possesses. He runs with persistent leg drive, good forward lean, and can pick up tough yards between the OTs. Green is one of the most effective RBs coming into the 4A Southern playoffs and should continue to be a key piece of the Sierra Vista offense.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/Calebgreen17FB/status/1967076587054264652 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(5) Mater East</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">McCullah was one of the biggest risers of the 2025 regular season and just picked up his first pair of offers from Georgia and Sacramento St. this month. The 5'9"/150 sophomore is among the state's leaders in receiving yards with 924 and 9 TDs on 38 catches this season. He's a flashy playmaker that can turn a sliver of space into a home-run play and offers a rare combination of speed, quickness, and elusiveness. He has advanced field vision, shows fast-twitch in his change-of-direction, and is a dangerous player in space. McCullah will be a major riser in the coming update to the 2028 NV rankings and is one of the most explosive playmakers in the 4A Southern bracket.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/gfor6ix/status/1977477697543766373 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(6) SLAM</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Waters-Cortez showed some flashes in his injury-limited sophomore season for SLAM and has put together a breakout junior campaign this fall. The 5'11"/165 athlete leads the Bulls in rushing (754 yards, 8 TDs) and receiving (420 yards, 6 TDs) this season. He's a versatile weapon that can line up out of the backfield or split out wide and makes plays anytime he touches the ball. He shows quickness and agility with the ball in his hands and offers great vision, ball skills, and elusiveness in his skillset. He's light on his feet, is creative with the ball in space, and possesses the speed to get the edge on outside runs. Waters-Cortez is one of the more versatile offensive playmakers in the 4A Southern bracket. (6) SLAM faces (3) Spring Valley in the first round this Thursday.</p>     <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(7) Clark </h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Romero put his name on the PRZ 2028 radar with his standout freshman season with Cimarron-Memorial in 2024 and has continued to raise his stock with Clark in his sophomore year. The second-ranked RB in Nevada's 2028 class is approaching a 1,000 yard season with 8 TDs on 104 carries. He's shown great development physically and athletically now up around 5'8"/175 and has looked faster and quicker with the ball in his hands. He's balanced in his cuts and change-of-direction around the LOS, sees the field well, and can make the first defender miss. Romero has rushed for 100+ yards in each of his past six games and just eclipsed 200 yards for the first time in Clark's final regular season game.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://twitter.com/oo4drew/status/1979689788237349182 </div></figure>    <h2 class="wp-block-heading">(8) Valley</h2>    <p class="text-gray-700">Warren leads Valley's defense in tackles with 52 total (38 solo) to go along with 2 sacks and 4 TFLs. He's an active, high-motor tackler from his OLB spot with good athleticism and a strong, physical frame at 5'11"/220. He excels out on the perimeter where he can make stops in space and make disruptive plays behind the LOS as a rusher off the edge. He's a physical tackler in the flats, can cover ground in zone coverage, and shows decent lateral range. Valley will need a big effort from Warren and the entire defense to slow down one of the most productive passing attacks in the state in their first round matchup with Sloan Canyon.</p>

Taking a look at some of the breakout players from the regular season for each 4A Southern playoff team with the first round kicking off this Thursday.