Five great teams and only four playoff spots.

That's the reality again this year for high school baseball teams in the Southwest Division as Sierra Vista, Bishop Gorman, Durango, Bonanza and Spring Valley will bang heads with all hoping not to be the team to have to watch the other four come playoff time.

Likely the deepest division top-to-bottom in Southern Nevada this season, the Sunrise Region's Southeast Division should be interesting to watch this spring, with all seven teams having a realistic chance of earning a playoff berth.

Ranked No. 13 in the nation by Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association in its Top 25 rankings released April 3, Silverado, coached by Brian Whitaker, is the top of the division and is considered by many as the most talented team in the Silver State.

With only one school listed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Top 10 Class 4A baseball rankings, the Sunrise Region's Northeast Division may not be as deep as the other three divisions around the city, but the league is not short on heart or determination.

Las Vegas High School, ranked No. 8 by the Las Vegas Review-Journal in its March 30 poll, appears again to be the class of the Northeast after a 9-3 start against some formidable foes.

The Boulder City High School track teams are looking forward to an exciting 2006 season, with the boys defending their 2005 state championship title. The girls, meanwhile, have several talented athletes returning this season, and have a record number of participants on the roster.

The boys team has a new head coach in Jeff Knutson. He has been an assistant track coach at Boulder City for the last five years and is the head football coach for the Eagles. He was the head boys track coach at White Pine before moving to Boulder City.

Traditionally one of the strongest divisions in Southern Nevada high school baseball, the Sunset Region's Northwest Division may provide some surprises this spring as some of the stronger squads in the league lost key players to graduation, two teams have new coaches and its newest member, Arbor View, started its first season off like its program had been around for years.

If there is a clear-cut favorite in the Northwest, Centennial (26-12 last year), coached by Charlie Cerrone, would have to get the nod. After losing to Sierra Vista in last year's state championship game, the Bulldogs return 11 seniors.

Five great teams and only four playoff spots.

That's the reality again this year for high school baseball teams in the Southwest Division as Sierra Vista, Bishop Gorman, Durango, Bonanza and Spring Valley will bang heads with all hoping not to be the team to have to watch the other four come playoff time.

Traditionally one of the strongest divisions in Southern Nevada high school baseball, the Sunset Region's Northwest Division may provide some surprises this spring as some of the stronger squads in the league lost key players to graduation, two teams have new coaches and its newest member, Arbor View, started its first season off like its program had been around for years.

If there is a clear-cut favorite in the Northwest, Centennial (26-12 last year), coached by Charlie Cerrone, would have to get the nod. After losing to Sierra Vista in last year's state championship game, the Bulldogs return 11 seniors.

With only one school listed in the Las Vegas Review-Journal's Top 10 Class 4A baseball rankings, the Sunrise Region's Northeast Division may not be as deep as the other three divisions around the city, but the league is certainly not short on heart or determination.

One of Las Vegas' oldest high schools, Rancho, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, has turned the reins over to Tom Pletsch, a Rancho graduate who was a member of the Rams' last state title team in 1976.

Likely the deepest division top to bottom in Southern Nevada this season, the Sunrise Region's Southeast Division should be interesting to watch this spring, with all seven teams having a realistic chance of earning a playoff berth.

Ranked No. 18 in the nation by Baseball America/National High School Baseball Coaches Association in its Top 14 rankings released April 3, Silverado, coached by Brian Whitaker, is the top of the division and is considered by many as the most talented team in the Silver State.

Las Vegas resident Neil Fransen's face lit up when he walked into the Pinball Hall of Fame on a recent morning and asked about a favorite game from his childhood -- The Wizard.

When Pinball Hall of Fame organizer Tim Arnold told him he had it, Fransen was eager to play the day away like he did as a child.