Cimarron makes a statement

Bob Cloud

Monday, Oct. 28, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

What was supposed to be a coming-out party for Bonanza turned out to be a statement game for Cimarron-Memorial.

Vernon Fox ran for 238 yards and two touchdowns while the Spartans held Bonanza running back Robert Thomas to just 54 yards, as Cimarron routed the homestanding Bengals 36-14 Friday night at Cameron Stadium.

The win gave the Spartans (7-2, 5-2 Sunset) the second seed in the Sunset and a home playoff game Friday. The Bengals (4-5, 4-3) settled for the league No. 3 seed and will go on the road for the playoff opener.

"I'm proud of our kids," Cimarron coach Greg Spencer said afterward. "They played a great game. We needed this game. It's simple: Our kids rose to the occasion. Cimarron-Memorial is not supposed to be a team which wins the big game, but we did tonight."

In other Southern AAAA games Friday, Western beat Clark 20-14, Durango handed Cheyenne its fourth consecutive loss 15-12, Las Vegas defeated Eldorado 35-28, Bishop Gorman rolled past Silverado 34-14, Green Valley outscored Chaparral 17-8 and Rancho blanked Basic 33-0. Valley completed a 9-0 regular season by thumping visiting Kofa, Ariz., 42-14.

First-round playoff games will have Sunset Division champion Western hosting Eldorado while Sunrise champ Valley will entertain Durango. Bonanza is at Las Vegas and Cimarron-Memorial hosts Green Valley in the other contests.

Fox set the tone for Friday's game as he dashed 80 yards for a touchdown on the first play. Following a safety, quarterback Toby Smeltzer gave the Spartans a 16-0 lead with a one-yard sneak on the first play of the second quarter. A two-yard touchdown by Smeltzer sent Cimarron to the half in command at 22-0.

The Cimarron defense completely stymied Thomas, who had posted 747 yards and 11 touchdowns over his two previous games.

"Bonanza came out and made some mistakes," said Spencer. "We really didn't key on Thomas. I don't believe in that."

Bonanza coach Nick Butera said whether or not the Spartans concentrated on his star runner, the Bengals still played listless football.

"Teams are going to do that (key on Thomas), but we still have to come out and play with emotion," he said. "They were just blowing us off the ball. They gave us a whipping early and we made too many mistakes. That was the story. We're not a great come-from-behind team."

Keever, Gators win

Green Valley shot a second round 416 to beat Cimarron-Memorial by four shots and win the 1996 Class AAAA girls' state golf championship Friday at Lightning W Ranch in Washoe Valley.

Cimarron's Stephanie Keever shot her second consecutive 79 to claim the individual title with a 158, four shots better than second place finisher Annie Long of Green Valley. Kim Kindig of the Gators finished third, with Jordan Auten and Amber Williams of Cimarron placing fourth and fifth, respectively.

Tennis titles to GV

Green Valley swept Class AAAA state tennis titles Friday in Reno.

For the boys, Jeff Harbach won in No. 1 singles, and the duo of Eric Lorenz and Monfred Miranda was victorious in No. 1 doubles as Green Valley defeated Bonanza 17-9.

In singles play Saturday, Bishop Gorman's David DiMartino avenged two consecutive losses to Harbach in the state final by posting a 7-6 (7-4), 6-4 triumph. In doubles, the Green Valley team of Brian Schuchman and Derek Douglas beat Gorman's Gino Bongiorno and Dominic Massi 6-1, 6-2.

In the girls' competition, Green Valley outlasted Cimarron-Memorial 14-12 to win the team championship. McQueen's Vania Apodaca beat Gorman's Jennifer Kuhle 6-0, 3-6, 6-4 to claim the singles title, while Green Valley's Gia Cappiello and Kelly Kielbowicz beat Cimarron's Janelle Salls and Nicole Gerdes 6-2, 6-4 to win doubles.

* ELSEWHERE: Cam Lamping threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as Moapa Valley beat Boulder City 27-6 in Class AAA play Friday night. The Pirates, 5-3, remained unbeaten in the Southern Division with a 3-0 record. In other action involving Southern Nevada teams, White Pine defeated Virgin Valley 26-21, Indian Springs routed Pahranagat Valley 58-8 and Beatty blanked The Meadows 3-0.