Columnist Spencer Patterson: Green Valley shows no signs of slowing down

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Nov. 18, 1999 | 10:25 a.m.

Spencer Patterson's prep sports column appears Thursday. Reach him at 259-4085 or spencer@vegas.com

Just last year, it looked as if Green Valley High School's reign atop the Southern Nevada prep throne might be coming to an end.

With several of the Gators' top programs slipping in the standings during the 1997-98 school year and with some of the school's top coaches moving on, many in town were predicting gloom and doom for the top prep power of the 1990s.

But if the 1999 fall season is any indication, the Gators have served notice that they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. If anything, the school may need to expand its gymnasium just to keep up with all the banners going up on the walls.

In the eight varsity fall sports, Green Valley qualified for the state playoffs in six: girls golf, boys tennis, girls tennis, girls cross country, girls volleyball and boys soccer.

Incredibly, the Gators won or finished second in every single sport, capturing the girls golf, boys tennis, girls cross country and boys soccer 4A state titles.

The only exceptions to Green Valley's playoff dominance were in boys cross country, where the Gators were competitive all season before stumbling at the zone meet, and in football.

Certainly, the school's 1-7 record on the gridiron took some of the luster off the other programs' success, simply because prep football receives the most attention from the average Southern Nevada sports fan.

But considering 1999 was supposed to be a rebuilding year for the Green Valley football team from the start, that shouldn't diminish the overall accomplishments of the school this fall.

Whether the Gators can match their torrid start to the school year with strong winter and spring seasons remains to be seen, but odds appear good they will.

The school should be a power once again in girls soccer, baseball, softball, boys and girls swimming, boys golf and boys volleyball, and could challenge for division superiority in girls basketball and wrestling.

Nevertheless, it might take a strong showing in the winter's premier sport -- boys basketball -- to truly convince the rest of Southern Nevada that the Gators are still the school to beat when it comes to high school sports.

* SKYHAWKS LINE UP TO SIGN: By the looks of the past week's early college signing period, there's no question which school will be the early favorite to capture the 2000 4A baseball title.

The Silverado Skyhawks, last summer's American Legion State champs, produced a whopping six Division I signees -- first baseman Jeremy West, catcher Tommy Rojas, third baseman Joe Wickman, pitcher/outfielder James Wickman, shortstop Ryan Ruiz and pitcher Robbie Van.

From that group, four opted to stay in town, as the Wickmans, Ruiz and Van signed with UNLV. The Wickman brothers signed last week, while Ruiz and Van made their decisions final this week.

Joining UNLV's recruiting class was Green Valley pitcher Ben Scheinbaum, a 6-3, 190-pound left-hander.

"I'm real excited about the signing of the local kids," UNLV coach Rod Soesbe said. "It's probably our best recruiting year locally. It's a credit to the high school programs here."

Known most for his spectacular fielding, Ruiz finished the 1999 season with a solid .338 batting average, scoring 24 runs and knocking in 23. He was named MVP of last summer's State Legion Tournament after contributing four homers, 16 RBIs and 19 runs to his team's cause.

Van, a left-hander, went 5-2 for the Skyhawks in 1999, completing five of his eight starts. In 46 innings of work, he struck out 50 batters and walked 24.

Earlier this fall, West committed to Arizona State and Rojas selected Pepperdine University.

Also signing this week was Green Valley senior Lara Saye, a two-time 4A state champion discus thrower, who will attend UCLA next season. Saye will compete in both the discus and shot put again this spring.

* ON THE AIR: Friday night's 4A state title football game will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. on KSHP AM-1400. Cox Channel 48 will air the contest next Wednesday at 7 p.m.