Is Sloan Canyon Football the Next Bishop Gorman?

There's a palpable buzz surrounding the Pinecrest Academy Sloan Canyon football program.

The excitement is understandable. A young coaching staff filled with former UNLV players and veteran mentor Vinny Passas has turned a fledgling program into a state championship contender almost overnight.

The Pirates enter the 2026 season off of a 12-1 campaign a year ago that culminated with an appearance in the Nevada Class 4A state championship game at Allegiant Stadium. Not bad for Year 3 of the fledgling charter school's varsity football program.

The success has some wondering if 30-year-old head coach Nathaniel Oishi is building the next Bishop Gorman right down the street from the original.

"I don't know about that," Oishi said with a chuckle in reference to the optimistic Bishop Gorman comparison. "They're (Bishop Gorman) national champions every year and we're only going into the fourth year of our program. But when you think about growing a program, Bishop Gorman is who you want to have a similar brand to."

"They're already historic. I hope one day we can be historic, too."

The Formula

Sloan Canyon does have a lot of the ingredients to be something special. Oishi, a Hawaiian native who played at UNLV from 2015-19 and took a shot on a coaching career following graduation, has assembled a staff that runs long on youth and energy but also has a veteran presence with a huge name in coaching circles in Passas, the team's top assistant.

If you haven't heard of Passas himself, then you've probably heard of his proteges like 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and NFL signal callers Tua Tagovailoa and Dillon Gabriel. Passas, a quarterback coaching guru, thought he was done after a long high school career in Hawaii. But after retiring in Las Vegas, he got antsy and missed the action. Oishi was right there waiting to hire him.

"He has been with us for two years and having a guy with his knowledge is very helpful," Oishi said of Passas. "He's been to two Heisman Trophy ceremonies for his players. He's an absolute legend."

Hawaiian Connection

The staff's heavy Hawaiian ancestry also plays well in Las Vegas, commonly referred to as "the ninth island" because of its large polynesian population.

"Hawaiians started moving here in the 1990s and early 2000s and we kind of all follow each other," Oishi said. "If a few families like the area, then everyone starts moving there. We have a lot of Hawaiian kids because we're in that area."

Geography Matters

Located in Henderson and near fast-growing parts of the Las Vegas Valley like Inspirada, which gives more small-town vibes than it does glitz and glamor, Sloan Academy has become quite the local attraction.

The Pirates' stadium seats 500 but it's not uncommon for there to be 1,500-2,000 tickets sold to home games with a standing-room only crowd. And speaking of crowds, the fans are brought to a frenzy by local favorite Robert "Bojo" Ackah, who is well-known for emceeing NBA summer league basketball exhibitions and Vegas Golden Knights hockey games.

Given how electric some Bishop Gorman games can be in a town that loves excitement, Sloan Academy becoming a burgeoning attraction only figures to grow and could soon bloom past being a small-town sensation.

What's Next?

The Pirates have their work cut out this season. With Clark County School District's exodus from NIAA, things have gotten considerably tougher for Oishi in the schedule-making department.

That means nonleague games against California opponents like traditional Pasadena-based power Muir and Central East of Fresno, along with a state title game rematch against McQueen. Later on comes an October date with Bishop Gorman.

Sloan Canyon takes on McQueen in 2025 Nevada high school football state title game at Allegiant Stadium. — Running back Jermaine Wilson is a major reason why the future is bright for Sloan Canyon. | Jules Karney

Just how big of a step Oishi's team can make this season remains to be seen given how much the level of competition is being stepped up. But the Pirates certainly aren't going into a gunfight with a knife.

Running backs Jermaine Wilson and Braylon Rayford will both play on Saturdays. Quarterback Cade Hoshino could be Southern Nevada's most-established thrower. With talent like that, it's understandable why fans would dream big. But Oishi is taking a more patient approach in terms of expectations.

"People don't improve if they're always thinking about the future," Oishi said. "My job is to improve us as a team and get us better every single day. Yeah, the sky is the limit. There is no limit on what we can and want to accomplish. But we can only control today. If we do that, we're going to be happy with the outcome because we'll know we gave our all in the moments leading up to it."

Add us as a preferred source on Google