Reed High earned one of Nevada's two nods vs. Arizona schools as part of a doubleheader in this year's 9th annual Sollenberger Classic at Bishop Gorman High in Las Vegas. A 12-2 record and runner-up finish to perennial big-school Nevada champ Bishop Gorman was the springboard to the Raiders getting the invitation. Reed is located in Sparks, Nev. in the northern part of the state. Reed takes on Arizona big-school champ Mountain Pointe on Saturday Aug. 23 at 7 p.m. at Bishop Gorman's Fertitta Field.

This will be Reed's first appearance in the Sollenberger Classic that began in 2006 with Arizona schools battling one another, It has evolved the last seven years matching top schools from Arizona against top schools from Nevada. The games honor the memory of Arizona prep historian Barry Sollenberger, who passed away in 2005.

Reed coach Ernie Howren termed his team's selection "an honor to be part of the experience". That will be true win or lose, but Reed has its work cut out for it in facing Arizona's hottest, big-school program.

"It''s exciting for us," Howren said. "It's an opportunity to get extra practices in, and we're all for that."

Howren and his team saw  Mountain Pointe at its finest last year when the Pride upended Nevada's now five-time defending champions -- Bishop Gorman -- in the Sollenberger Classic.

"Our first exposure to Mountain Pointe was watching them last year," Howren said. "We started following them, and they've been on our radar from then on."

Mountain Pointe (14-0) ran the table in winning its first-ever football title, including two wins over Hamilton. The Pride took the extra step from the year before when it lost in the finals to Hamilton.

Reed, which has played in the Nevada big-school final two of the last three years, returns three starters on offense and four on defense. The Raiders have the luxury of returning key offensive and defensive linemen in facing Mountain Pointe. None are small.

On the offensive line, Reno features Cody Carr (6-foot-3, 300 pounds) and Cody DeHaan (6-4, 255). The defense has a pair of anchors in junior Nick Gregg (6-1, 265) and Aden Giang (6-4, 280). Gregg and Giang are two-year starters.

"With any team it starts up front and we have linemen we can lean on," Howren said. "Especially with our inexperience in the secondary and skill positions on offense. Cody Carr is a real road grader and Cody DeHaan is our most skilled (offensive) lineman."

Reed has been a steady factory in delivering linemen to college. A trio of Reed graduates -- Kyle Roberts, Austin Corbett and Jeremy Macauley -- are set for considerable time up front this season for the University of Nevada.

Mountain Pointe coach Norris Vaughan is impressed with Reed's size and its overall ability at the point of attack.

"Their o-line is pretty good," Vaughan said. "Three of them are great. They are one of the biggest teams we play on both sides of the ball."

Reed's starting quarterback, top running back, top receiver and top defender graduated. But Howren likes the ability of last year's backup quarterback, Jackson Gilmore (6-3, 205). Gilmore, a senior, has recovered from an appendectomy that took place two months ago. Gilmore was solid in his play last year. He completed 12-0f-19 passes for 156 yards and three touchdowns. He also rushed for 255 yards and three TDs operating the Raiders' spread attack.

"Two and a half weeks after his surgery, Jackson  was back out throwing the football again," Howren said.

Howren is confident junior Jorden Carter can handle the lead running back spot. Carter rushed for 370 yards on 69 attempts and 7 TDs in 2013. Grayson Young, Alex Hernandez, Nathan Foreman, Parker Houston and Matt Denn are good receiving prospects. Young and Hernandez have the most experience with 24 and 22 receptions, respectively, last season.

Reed would love to pull off an upset of Mountain Pointe, something most if not all of the Pride's opponents have in mind this season. Mountain Pointe is ranked in several national polls and is No. 21 in USA Today's Super 25. The
Pride graduated 14 starters, but Vaughan is confident the returnees and replacements wlll be able to hold their own.  

"We can't ignore (being ranked) any more," Vaughan said. "Teams are coming after us, and we have to embrace the experience. But the most important thing for us is what happens at the end of the season, what happens in our last game."