Vikings say bye to valley

Bob Cloud

Thursday, Sept. 19, 1996 | 11:59 a.m.

Suffice to say, things are looking up for Valley High football.

The Vikings, 0-8 a year ago, have opened the 1996 season with a 3-0 record following last week's 48-14 thrashing of Basic. Valley is tied with Las Vegas and Rancho atop the Sunrise Division heading into a Friday night contest at Chaparral.

In addition, Valley's junior varsity and freshman teams each are 2-1 overall, and 1-0 in division play.

A major factor in Valley's resurgence has been the play of running back LaRontae Johnson, who returned this season after missing the entire 1995 campaign because of academic ineligibility. The 5-foot-8, 150-pound senior has rushed for 390 yards and seven touchdowns on 57 carries, and has caught three passes for an additional 71 yards and one score.

Johnson said he believes the Vikings' unblemished record has largely been dismissed as the result of an easy schedule, a condition he expects will change in the coming weeks.

"They don't think we've played any competition yet," Johnson said. "I think we have, but we've just played harder. We're looking at Chaparral as a championship game. I think if we can beat Chaparral, we'll have a lot of confidence for the rest of the season.

"I think it's just that everyone here's got pride. We believe we can win now. The offensive line has really played well -- they've been winning the games for us. They've made my job easier. We got bigger and stronger in the weight room over the summer and that's been a difference."

Valley coach Greg Murphy said Johnson's return to the Viking lineup this season has given the team a dimension it sorely lacked a year ago -- the ability to reach the end zone from anywhere on the field.

"Having a big-play guy like LaRontae, it instills in the offensive line that if they hold their block, we can go the distance," Murphy said. "Having a back like him means we can score at any time."

Sitting out last season turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Johnson, who was reminded of how much he loved football while watching his younger brother, Demare, play.

"I was more prepared to play this year," he said. "I went and watched my little brother play a lot last year and he really encouraged me to play hard. I think I'm better now than I've ever been. I'm running with a lot of confidence."

With the spotlight comes added attention from the opposition, something Johnson said doesn't bother him.

"We've got other weapons," he said. "We're really playing well as a team."

To keep from being caught up in their fine start, Murphy said the Vikings must remember the tough times of the past.

"Things have gone real well so far," he said. "Last year, we turned the ball over so much we could never generate any momentum. This year, we've created opportunities and things have turned around. We still have to remember the old times as well as the new times in order to stay focused and improve.

"Our effort level has been good, but not outstanding as yet. We're happy so far, but we want to continually get better."

Valley's winning ways have served to rekindle school spirit dormant over recent football seasons, Murphy said.

"The enthusiasm around the school has really picked up," he said. "When the football team wins, it excites the school and rallies everyone around it. The kids are walking around with a little more confidence now.

"Every week we try to earn a little more respect. Each week the going gets a little tougher. We have to step up and meet every challenge that comes along. We have to remember we're nothing if we don't show up to play Friday night."

Prep Pickings

* CROSS COUNTRY POLL: Cheyenne tops the boys' rankings and Green Valley heads the girls' side in the Southern Nevada Track and Cross Country Coaches Association's weekly cross country poll. On the boys' side, Basic, Durango, Silverado and Cimarron-Memorial round out the top five, while Cheyenne, Cimarron-Memorial, Silverado and Basic follow the Gators for the girls.

* NO LOCALS: No area teams are featured in this week's USA Today west region football or national boys' soccer polls. In the football rankings, Mater Dei (1-0) of Santa Ana, Calif., tops the west, followed by Capistrano Valley of Mission Viejo, Calif. No future opponents of local teams are ranked. St. Thomas Aquinas of Overland Park, Kan., tops the soccer national rankings.

* RICHARDSON AT SDSU: Ryan Richardson, an Eldorado High graduate and a sophomore quarterback at South Dakota State University, saw action in the Jackrabbits' 56-0 thumping of South Dakota Tech last weekend. Richardson scored SDSU's final touchdown of the day, a one-yard quarterback sneak with 1:05 to play.

* HOOP SCHEDULE: The 1996-97 AAAA boys and girls basketball schedules were released this week, with two-time defending state AAAA boys champion Durango opening defense of its title Dec. 3 at home vs. Chaparral. The first area team to see action will be Clark, which travels to Cedar City, Utah, for games with Lehi and Cedar City Nov. 29-30.

* LAS VEGAN HONORED: Former Clark High football player Jeff Galyean of Southern Utah University was honored as NCAA Division I-AA Co-Defensive Player of the Week following last week's 35-7 victory over Rocky Mountain College. Galyean, who was selected as a second-team All-American last season, made 13 tackles with two forced fumbles and a pass break-up against RMC.