List of 6 news stories.

• Faith Lutheran stops 2-point try in OT to return to title game

  Top-seeded Faith Lutheran stopped a 2-point conversion in overtime to pull out a 35-34 home victory over No. 3 Shadow Ridge in the Class 5A Divsion II Southern League title game Friday. Read more

• Faith Lutheran breezes past Green Valley to league final

  A strong first half from quarterback Alex Rogers and stifling defense helped Faith Lutheran cruise to a 31-0 home win over Green Valley on Friday night in a Class 5A Division II Southern League semifinal. Read more

• No. 3 Faith Lutheran stays perfect, shuts down Green Valley

  Faith Lutheran’s football team scored through the air, on the ground and via special teams in the first half against Green Valley.

  With how dominant the Crusaders’ defense was Friday night, it was fitting that they helped put some points on the board. Read more

• Big plays in 2nd half power Faith Lutheran past Shadow Ridge

  Faith Lutheran’s football team was outgained by more than 130 yards in the first half on Friday night at Shadow Ridge. Then the Crusaders got a spark from an unlikely source: baseball standout Rouselle Shepard.

   

  Shepard caught a 52-yard touchdown pass and had a 49-yard kickoff return to set up another score, and Cale Breslin rushed for three TDs as Faith Lutheran, No. 5 in the Review-Journal’s Class 5A rankings, rallied for a 35-20 road win over the No. 7 Mustangs.  Read more

• Faith Lutheran gets ‘dynamic’ RB back as league play nears

  Faith Lutheran running back Cale Breslin missed the first two games of this season with a hamstring injury.

  Even though the Crusaders managed to win their first two contests without the Brigham Young commit, Breslin’s presence adds a different dynamic to their offense.

   

  As Faith Lutheran prepares for Class 5A Division II Southern League play, the Crusaders just got their best player back in action. Breslin returned Friday night and had two rushing touchdowns in a 41-0 home win over Northern school Damonte Ranch. Breslin “looked very good tonight, and I see him coming more into his own as the season goes on,” Faith Lutheran coach Mike Sanford said. “Cale can be a home run hitter. … He was dynamic, and he’s a dynamic runner.” Breslin nearly had another touchdown on a long run of 60 yards but was tripped up inside Damonte Ranch’s 10-yard line. Sanford said the hamstring issue wasn’t serious, but he wanted Breslin to be completely healthy before his season debut.

  
  Sanford credited junior Justin Robbins and senior Nick Knight for filling in with Breslin out.

  Faith Lutheran reached the 5A Division II state title game last season, falling to Northern champion Bishop Manogue 40-21. But the Crusaders remained in 5A Division II after finishing third in the regular-season standings.

   

  After splitting snaps last season, senior Alex Rogers has solidified himself as Faith Lutheran’s starting quarterback in the backfield alongside Breslin. Rogers threw two touchdowns Friday, including a 59-yard strike to Jaxon Cope. “I’m very excited about how we played tonight,” Sanford said. “We’ve improved each game. We improved tonight … and we’re getting people back. That’s a plus.”
  
  

  Rogers has received some reinforcement at wide receiver from Rouselle Shepard, who missed the first game and starred on Faith Lutheran’s baseball team the past two seasons. Shepard had 110 receiving yards and a touchdown in a 19-14 win at Bakersfield Christian on Aug. 23.

  
  Sanford said he’s also been impressed by the defense and constant improvement of kicker Liam Radke. On Friday, linebacker Ricky Manning had an interception return for a touchdown and Radke made two field goals. Radke made a game-winning kick in the final seconds of Faith Lutheran’s 25-23 season-opening win against Desert Hills (Utah) on Aug. 16.

  
  Faith Lutheran has a bye next week and opens league play at Shadow Ridge on Sept. 13. Sanford, the former UNLV coach, compared getting ready for Shadow Ridge’s triple-option offense to preparing for facing Air Force.“Shadow Ridge is difficult to prepare for. … We have a lot of respect for them, and it’s going to be a big game for us,” Sanford said.

• Faith Lutheran wins on game-ending field goal

  Liam Radke’s 32-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Faith Lutheran football team to a 25-23 victory against visiting Desert Hills of St. George, Utah.

  Radke, a sophomore, drilled two field goals in his varsity debut. He replaced Caden Chittenden, an all-state performer from 2023 who is expected to be UNLV’s kicker this season as a true freshman.

  “I had a feeling about this kid that we could trust him (with the game on the line),” Faith Lutheran coach Mike Sanford said of Radke. Alexander Rogers had touchdown passes to Aipa Kuloloia and Jaxon Cope, and Justin Robbins rushed for a touchdown. Radke also had a 41-yard field goal in the third quarter.

  “We are better than the final score indicates,” Sanford said. “We have a chance to be really good.”