Gorman boys, girls look to another bright season

Steve Cunningham

Tuesday, Dec. 2, 1997 | 11:18 a.m.

There's plenty of excitement around Las Vegas' high school basketball gyms this week with the regular season about to begin in full force.

Anticipation is high and at this moment, everybody is optimistic. If you drive south down Maryland Parkway, though, an added glow might be seen at Bishop Gorman.

The Gaels' boys team is still basking in the spotlight of last season's state 4A championship. Five of the top seven players return for coach Jeff Wagonseller and a repeat isn't out of the question.

"We've got a lot of hungry kids," Wagonseller said. "We've definitely seen that so far. They want to get a state championship of their own."

And Gorman's girls team, zone champs for the first time in school history last season, are thought by many to be the best bet to end the south's long championship drought.

"The girls were there behind (the boys team) 100 percent last year," said Tom Robinson, the Gaels' girls coach. "They went though it, somewhat vicariously, through them. Our zone championship was a crucial step for our program. We are now in an area (as the favorite) where we've never been before. I think it will be a lot of fun."

Gorman's boys came through the rough-and-tumble world of the Southern Conference Sunset Division almost unscathed last year and may be hard pressed to duplicate that feat. Cheyenne and Western should present big challenges and Clark may be the darkhorse.

Wagonseller will go with veterans Moe Terry, Jason VanMeetren, Darrell Ewell, Greg Warpinski and Robbie Findlay in his starting lineup. The look of the Gaels won't be much different than a year ago, said the coach.

"We very similar," Wagonseller said. "We are a little bigger across the boards and play a pretty good man-to-man."

Wagonseller will find out Wednesday night -- when the Gaels travel to Sunrise Division favorite Valley -- how much physical work is in store for his team. The mental side may have been taken care of at a recent scrimmage against some Gorman alumni.

Many in that group were members of the Gaels' back-to-back state title teams of the 1980s. Their message to the current Gorman players ... Do the same things that were successful last year.

"These kids are still hungry," Wagonseller said. "I think we're going to be pretty good."

Now that the Gorman girls have a zone title under their belts, Robinson is looking for his program to take another step. The Gaels blasted Valley, 88-25, in their season opener last night and begin play tonight at the San Bernardino Invitational in California.

"It definitely was an attempt to toughen the schedule," Robinson said. "This is another way we can challenge ourselves."

Amy Roban, who averaged 12 points and eight rebounds a game last year is the unquestioned leader for Gorman. She has plenty of game but brings a die-hard atttitude onto the court that has become infectious.

That intensity has carried over to her teammates and Robinson thinks it will pay big dividends down the road.

"Every player loves to win," he said, "but you have those real competitors who hate to lose. She was the only player we had like that but now, we have several with that same mentality. It's really helped transform our program."

Jen Swanson is the other returning starter for Gorman. Last year's sixth man -- Tiff Touton -- has moved into the lineup. Paige Sutton, a 6-1 center who moved into town from California, gives the Gaels a big inside threat, although Robinson wants his team to run the floor as much as possible.

While Wagonseller is working on trying to keep the crown, Robinson is looking for a first for the Gorman girls. He is hoping that what happened with the boys a year ago rubs off a bit on the distaff Gaels.

"There is a closeness in our programs," Robinson said. "Coach Wagonseller has always been very supportive of us and their success, I think there's some benefit for us from that."