Editor’s note: Este artículo está traducido al español.

Faith Lutheran football coach Jay Staggs posed a question to his players last week before their first practice ahead of Tuesday’s Class 5A state championship game: How many would be competing in their third title game?

One by one, hands shot up across the room. Fourteen in total.

When the Crusaders face Spanish Springs of Reno at 3:40 p.m. Tuesday at Allegiant Stadium, that battle-tested experience could prove decisive. Spanish Springs, after all, has never played for a championship.

“We rely on a lot of guys with experience playing this late in the year,” Staggs said. “That experience shapes you.”

But that experience comes with a sting.

The Crusaders fell short in both previous finals to Bishop Manogue of Reno, meaning those 14 players have one final opportunity to call themselves champions.

Gavin Day, a senior safety with more than 100 tackles in consecutive seasons, says it’s only natural to think about those setbacks and use them as fuel. While each season brings new challenges, there’s unfinished business.

That championship experience should give Faith Lutheran a tangible edge — not just in understanding the game’s intensity, but in navigating the unique demands of Allegiant Stadium. Playing in an NFL venue is a dream for high school athletes, but it also presents obstacles the Crusaders are better equipped to handle.

Tuesday afternoon kickoffs don’t exist at the prep level — yet Faith Lutheran played one two years ago. They are also familiar with being in an NFL locker room, massive video replay boards, a climate-controlled indoor field and tens of thousands of vacant seats.

The pageantry and pressure will be new for Spanish Springs, which also endured a seven-hour bus ride from Northern Nevada and is dealing with a true road game experience — hotel stay and all.

“We know what the Allegiant experience is like. It won’t be anything new,” said Day, a four-star recruit committed to the University of Washington who is considered one of the state’s top defenders.

Day and Faith Lutheran’s defense face a formidable test. Spanish Springs is undefeated, outscoring opponents 533-142 and winning all but one game by double digits. It has been particularly dominant lately, averaging nearly 50 points per game over its past three contests.

“They are outstanding. They have multiple guys who can (do damage),” Staggs said.

Yet, Faith Lutheran is built for this.

The Crusaders opened with a 1-4 record against a challenging nonleague schedule. Their losses came against formidable opponents: an eight-point defeat to undefeated Bakersfield Christian of California, a hard-fought battle with Colorado power Valor Christian, and a competitive showing against Arbor View. All three teams boast college-caliber quarterbacks.

Spanish Springs has an elite passing game led by quarterback Tyson McNeil, who has thrown for 3,166 yards and 48 touchdowns against just four interceptions, and receiver Brady Hummel, a three-sport athlete with 876 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns.

Yet Faith Lutheran has faced this caliber of talent before. While the Crusaders enter with a 6-7 overall record, those early-season battles against top-tier competition have prepared them for this moment.

“We are a different team. We are executing at a different level,” Staggs said. “We are playing the ball we knew we could play at the beginning of the year. We needed all those lessons. We wouldn’t be in this position if we didn’t go through all of this.”

Faith Lutheran demonstrated resilience in last week’s 5A Southern Regional title game, scoring 31 unanswered second-half points to erase a four-touchdown deficit and claim a 31-28 win.

Quarterback Dominick Folino delivered his best performance of the season, throwing for 304 yards and four touchdowns — revealing yet another dimension to Faith Lutheran’s attack. The Crusaders have proven they can win multiple ways: with running back Justin Robbins carrying the ground game, a defense that has been consistently strong, and now with its passing attack.

Staggs, a former UNLV football player and coach, was elevated to Faith Lutheran’s head coach in the offseason. His staff has multiple UNLV players, including one of the program’s all-time notables in safety Jamaal Brimmer.

Staggs likes to say they’ve “stuck to the script” in managing the program to the state game and empowering the players to succeed. All that’s left is winning one last game — even if they fall behind by double digits again.

Day recalled a game two years ago against Basic when they rallied from a 20-point deficit for a win.

“We’ve stuck together,” Day said. “We know the type of team we have.”