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Monday, Nov. 21, 2011 | 3:15 p.m.
November 26
Brewer's Picks
Last Week:
3-0
152-31 (.826)
Brewer vs. Keefer
Las Vegas Sun reporters Ray Brewer and
Case Keefer attempt to pick
the winning team from prep contests
across the Las Vegas area.
Keefer's Picks
Last Week:
2-1
148-35 (.792)
Liberty keeps it close early, but can't slow down the Gorman train.
Gorman 44, Liberty 13
I'm not even going to accidentally put Liberty's logo to the side like I did Palo Verde's last week. Apologies for that miscue.
Gorman 38, Liberty 14
For more coverage, including photos, videos, stats and schedules, check out our high school football section.
it will be a close first half. I say 21-8 end of first half, final of 42-16. Should be a fun game there will be some big licks out there. I hope Gorman isn't too banged up and is ready for a pretty solid Reed team the following week.
Case, weren't you 2-1 last week? Didn't you pick Moapa Valley?
Keith: You caught my cheating attempt red-handed!
Not really. I just forgot to factor the Moapa game into both of our records. It's fixed now. Thanks.
-Case
It will be interesting to see what happens with the Division I-A South next season.
The road to the title will be a little more difficult for Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley.
Fallon (Churchill County) will most likely be tough again next season.
Ive said it all season that Liberty matches up best against Gorman. I do believe the game will be very close and that Liberty could very well win this game and it will come down to the 2 defenses. Liberty will be able to stop the run and so the question is if they can stop Gorman's passing game, which i believe can only be stopped if Kapeli and Nacua also play defense. For Gorman, Liberty's QB Nacua brings both the run and pass and is a playmaker who has been playing at a very high level, very similar to the Servite QB but Nacua is a bit bigger and more athletic. If Nacua plays like how the Servite QB played against Gorman, i see this game coming down to a td or a field goal.
I saw Liberty's front line week one against Arbor View and I can only hope they have made significant improvements since; otherwise Patriot fans, they are going to suffer the same fate as the other Southern Nevada teams. Gorman will manhandle the Patriot line, BG is too dominant. I dislike Gorman just as much as the countless other Gael bashers, but I realize they are head and shoulders above all public schools. Unless another school has a team of all-star studs, Gorman will continue to dominate. I will be pulling for Liberty.
Keith-
What is the deal with Truckee not having a freshmen team and the JV team not winning a game this past season?
If that is the case then Shaffer better double his efforts on the recruiting trail.
Eddie, Liberty is a different team than it was when they played AV in the first game. Remember, that was their first game and its much more difficult for a defense to go up against a nonconventional offense like the double wing than a coventional offense in the first game of the season. Maybe its wishful thinking on my part because i too am pulling for Liberty, but i believe Liberty's d line can play with Gorman's o line and Liberty's o line will be more dominant than Gorman's d line. Liberty is going to keep it close and if Liberty QB Nacua plays like he has in the playoffs with his running and passing, watch out. Again, i think its going to come down to a td or field goal.
blueandgold,
That's funny. Truckee is a "public" school, with declining enrollment. Only about 580 students this season. We are actually losing players to Bishop Manogue.
JV team went 4-5 this past season. Hopefully, we will have a Frosh team next year, but maybe not.
Could be the beginning of a decline for Truckee, unless the success at Varsity leads to more players coming out.
I understand our 10 year olds are going to be something special...(<grin>, I know, a long way off, but they crushed McQueen, something like 42-0.)
2010 Frosh team only had 16 players, so they were absolutely gassed in the 3rd quarter of games, and they went winless. Good to see those kids get some wins this season on JV.
They have some serious work ahead of them to be able to contribute on Varsity next season.
I know, no one will be sad to hear that...
Liberty got handled on both sides of the line vs A.V. and it won't be any different against B.G. The Liberty line is an average offensive line. The P.J. player is a good athlete but they have poor technique and a lot of missed assignments.The only time I have seen them dominate a game is against undersized opponents. That won't happen this week. It is a dominating line in a spread division. Liberty plays smash mouth football in a finesse conference which gives them a physical advantage over other opponents. Last years Liberty team was far better up front and would have given Gorman a run. But not this year, plus a lack of difference making skill players will hurt them. The Liberty secondary is in serious trouble.
so I guess there's just no way, eh Guru?
Lake Tahoe congrats to truckee, hopefully they man up and take the sollenberger classic game this time around, even though they're "reloading" again
tuasdad,
Thanks.
I personally don't expect that they will accept that invitation, should it be offered again.
Coach Shaffer takes that break between Summer ball and the start of Fall sports to go home to Ohio, and visit his family.
I know they will once again "expect" to play 12 games next season.
They were indeed fortunate to weather the "injury storm" this season.
I am looking forward to seeing Bishop Gorman when they come up here to face Reed.
Happy Thanksgiving to all...
likewise on the Turkey day wishes.I really wish Truckee would take that game. I give a ton of love to Moapa because they took that game no questions asked even though everything on paper said they'd be blown out. If truckee is the best representative of the state* then i wish they would go and make us look good like Moapa did.
I too look forward to seeing Reed, I know they are a lot better than their 2009 version, although letting Douglas put come withing 10 points and put almost 40 on them gives me confidence i have little to worry about. Hopefully it's not snowing otherwise pass happy reed will be in more trouble. But then I hope it is snowing because it'll be my one chance to see snow this year. I love Reno/Tahoe/Truckee area i've considered moving that way several times the area is big enough to have big city commodities but still has a small town feel to it. I try to see a McQueen game whenever i'm up there.
We here in Truckee have a ton of respect for Moapa Valley, and were definitely rooting for them in the Sollenberger Classic.
The sad part about the Sollenberger Classic is the time of year, and also the travel expense for the FANS, not the teams, as that is covered, from what I understand.
When watching the playback of that game on the internet, I was sorry to see the lack of people in attendance. It is especially obvious when played in a HUGE NFL stadium.
I still believe the game should be played by the players that earned the right to be there, not the "new" team that is there 8 to 9 months later.
Kind of like a "Bowl Game" in college, they don't hold those in August.
Just my thoughts...
JT,
There is a way. Gorman has to kill themselves with turnovers and penalties and Liberty has to be perfect.
tahoe... ya at least it's a short drive for us down south. The hotels were relatively fair in price and the most expensive thing for me was the gas. I do agree this game would be about a million time more significant if it were to be played at end of season with the actual players that made the "championship" team not the following years version. It's not a bad deal if you're a solid program, but if you're a team with a good year you stand to get embarrassed the following. I think next year it'll be Gorman vs Hamilton again.
GURu- i agree. I'm going to rewatch the Gorman vs Palo game just to do the math on the penalty yards. I think we had 100 penalty yards that killed 3 very likely scoring drives and also fumbled the ball (recovered it). Even with all those things still thoroughly beat the second best team in state. I think a lot of things have to help Liberty in order for it to be as close as the Palo game.
Keith-
So you guys are "losing" players to BM. Are those the players you would usually get from North Tahoe, South Tahoe, or Incline?
Isn't Truckee open enrollment? So the players that were convinced or persuaded (aka recruited) to come to Truckee for football are going elsewhere now.
Why aren't they wanting to come to Truckee anymore?
True or False question for you...
All the players on Truckee's state championship teams have lived in Truckee High School's boundaries?
Truckee is playing by different rules.
Guru and Tuas - interesting outlooks. Liberty wins only from Gorman's gridiron suicide. Oh well... a chance is a chance. LOL! Hoping for a great football game!!
blueandgold, I thought you were being facetious.
Truckee does not get players from North Tahoe, Incline, nor South Tahoe.
The only players that I know of that play for Truckee, that don't actually live in Truckee would be children of teachers that work at the school.
Last season's seniors were a group of 16 kids that played together since pee wee, or pop warner, and had lived here all along.
Truckee does NOT recruit for football, that is just ludicrous.
(The students I was referring to that have gone to Bishop Manogue, were mostly for the "Christian based" academic aspect of the school, not specifically for athletics.)
Perhaps you are thinking of the incident in Fernley, a few years back when their Coach, who had moved down from Oregon, "allegedly" had brought several other players/students along for the ride. Those in question, "mysteriously" moved back to Oregon once the football season was over.
Tahoe guy, love the quick responses. I was able to attend the state game at a really poor venue in Fernley High, specifically their amount of seating.
Anyways, you mentioned Truckee's "respect" for Moapa? If they have any respect at all it sure wasn't expressed in anyway by their fans! I lost all respect for Truckee fans who showed ZERO class after the game. Instead of celebrating a win, (which unfortunately Moapa really gave away) their fans storm the field and make all kinds of gestures and mocking notions! Not trying to sounds like a sore loser, but in reality they ought to be a little ashamed!
Also I saw a picture of Truckee's football field, don't know if it was a joke, but in the center of the field was a big painter "T" accompanied by the state of Nevada painted? Weird. Can you please clarify why they play in Nevada while the Sacramento/San Francisco area is closer than Winnemucca. Thanks.
Keith-
The only things facetious I've read are your excuses for why Truckee turned down the Sollenberger Classic and why you would suspect them too again, IF they're invited. First it was because it wasn't the current players, then it's because the coach is in Ohio, and finally it's that it's a bad time of year and the fans actually have to pay to go to the games.
Onto the topic of "losing" players.
You typed...
Truckee is a "public" school, with declining enrollment. Only about 580 students this season. We are actually losing players to Bishop Manogue.
Then...
(The students I was referring to that have gone to Bishop Manogue, were mostly for the "Christian based" academic aspect of the school, not specifically for athletics.)
I'm pretty sure the first time you typed that Truckee was losing "potential" football players to Bishop Manogue. The second time you tried to act as if you mean students who were going there for academics. And you mean to tell me that students are going to drive 45 min - 1hr each way from Truckee to Reno to go to Bishop Manogue?
The recruiting issue was brought up by a coach from an Incline, saying that Truckee got kids from the other schools. Maybe that coach just lied. Or maybe that coach is speaking from experience.
DJ-
Thought the T by Nevada was funny too. It'd be interesting to see how many CIF or California state championships Truckee has. Or how many state championships they have in the state in which they pay taxes. West Wendover, NV, is a lot closer to the northern Utah schools than a good number of the Nevada schools they play but you don't see/hear them crying about the travel and jumping to play over there.
For those that don't know, ALL three State Championship games scheduled for Saturday, the 1A, 2A, and 3A were moved to Fernley high school at the last minute because of a FIRE in Reno. The original venue, Damonte Ranch high school is similar to where the southern venue has been held the last two times, Arbor View.
Over 9,000 residents were evacuated from the fire area, and Damonte Ranch high school was an evacuation center.
It was unfortunate that it was moved to Fernley.
For those of you that have not heard why Truckee plays in the NIAA, a dozen times already, it is because of the harsh winters in the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
Teams from Sacramento area have been snowbound in Truckee for several days, back when Truckee played in the CIF. Truckee teams were also unable to return to Truckee over Donner Summit, for days at a time, caused by road closures, from snow.
No one in Truckee is "crying" about playing in Nevada, and before the realignment, Truckee played teams from the Sacramento area and the greater San Francisco Bay Area.
The N.I.A.A. invited Truckee, Coleville, Needles, North Tahoe and South Tahoe to play in Nevada, and they have been doing so since 1982, THIRTY years.
The image of the State of Nevada is painted on the field ONLY for the State Semi Final game.
As to the behavior of some fans after the game, I can not speak to that, but I know that the players and coaches, and a good many fans do in fact respect the Pirates, and the program.
Below is a quote from an article in our local paper "The Sierra Sun":
-----------------------------------------------------------
Moapa Valley was no pushover, with capable skill players all over the field and a stifling defense that helped lead the Pirates to a 10-2 record entering the contest. The Wolverines had their work cut out for them.
Just ask Collinson, who battled in the trenches against the biggest and baddest the Pirates had to offer. Aside from the state championship ring he earned out of it, he came away with a bloodied knuckle and a healthy level of respect for his opposition.
"That was a tough, tough game," Collinson said. "Me and that 52 (senior captain Taylor Schwartz), that nose guard, were going head-to-head all night. I mean, he beat me up a few times. I give all the props in the world to those kids. They played a great game. But I'm just so happy we won."
Please stop with the truckee talk have them play vegas teams geeez they will get killed
Oh Christ, tahoe please disregard reporter he is not a representative of southerners. While I would love to see truckee or any north teams play southern teams during regular season, just like moapa beat several 4a teams, so would truckee.
<grin> Hey tuasdad, let me buy you beverage when you are up for the Bishop Gorman vs. Reed game.
It's tough for a public school to beat a program such as BG when they seem to get the cream of the crop...maybe if the parents of the players had to cough up the tuition ... i was reading it cost around 12,000 a year to go there...then maybe some of these players would be scattered about and there would be more competition. I'm predicting 42-14 Gorman win.
tuasdad your right truckee could beat western, clark spring valley i apologize haha
The problem with the Northern 3A is that they have no room in their schedule for non-league games. The only chance Truckee has had to play a non-league game in the last 2 years was the Sollengberger game in Arizona last year. Hopefully, this year they will step up and take that game, if not, I know Moapa will play anyone at anytime.
My biggest regret about the State game is Moapa's injury to their starting QB. I wonder if the game would have been different had he played. Truckee totally exposed Moapa's backup QB's (they played 2) and caused 4 Int's and 2 fumbles.
I also saw some classless Truckee fans, but I also saw and met plenty of Truckee fans who congratulated the Pirates and were very classy. There will always be idiots from every school, but just a couple doesn't represent the majority.
tahoe- I don't turn down free drinks so a halftime hot chocolate sounds good.
reporter- Truckee, much like Moapa, could beat and compete with many other programs like Del Sol (who Moapa was up by 20 on before they put back ups in) or Legacy, Basic etc.. Could they or Truckee hang with the top 5-6 in the south? I don't think so but everyone else would be a toss up or free game.
Hey, Moapa had a great year including a nice win over Del Sol. But let's not get carried away. Didn't Moapa lose to Legacy at end of year? The same Legacy that fifinished 6th in their division. Don't want to take away from Moapa's great season. They have a lot to be proud of. But let's get a little perspective here. Moapa might have beaten 1 or 2 4A playoff teams maybe that leaves them probably 15th overall in southern Nevada.
Truckee, congrats on your title. Good luck to both teams next year. Its gonna get a lot tougher going forward w new alignment.