Columnist Spencer Patterson: Choose a neutral site for title game

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Oct. 14, 1999 | 10:52 a.m.

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

Last year, when UNLV announced that it would no longer allow Sam Boyd Stadium to be used for the state's annual prep football title games, it was assured the event would never be the same.

Never again would all four classes hold their championships in succession on the same field, and never again would those contests be played in a college stadium. All that was understood.

As the postseason creeps ever closer, however, it is becoming clear just how difficult planning future title games will be, with a host of sticky issues popping up at every turn.

First and foremost, it's still uncertain where the 4A championship will be played. Although 1999 is designated as the North's year to host, any number of schools up there could win the right to play the game on its home field, including defending northern champ Elko -- located some 300 miles from Reno.

That leads to the next key issue: the date the game will be played. Most likely, if a Reno-area club hosts the contest, it will take place on the evening of Friday, Nov. 19. If the more remote town of Elko is the site, however, a 1 p.m. kickoff the following day has been discussed.

Needless to say, this uncertainty about time and place has made it tough for the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association to make travel arrangements for the Las Vegas-area representative. As of Wednesday, no determination had been made on whether the Southern champion would bus or fly to the game.

My advice to event organizers is simple: In the future, choose a neutral site and a specific date and stick with it.

For one thing, a state championship should never be played on a team's home field. Sure, one high school's stadium is pretty much like another, but the title game should be played under equal conditions, and one team dressing in its own locker room, then walking through its own tunnel and out onto its own field doesn't seem quite fair.

Secondly, fears about lower attendance at a neutral site are overblown. Certainly, if Elko fans had to drive to Reno the gate could suffer, but as past championships at Sam Boyd have shown, dedicated fans will find a way to see their team play. And that goes double for the football-frenzied Northerners.

When polled last spring, a vast majority of the state's football coaches supported playing this year's title game on the Northern team's home field, much to my surprise. I suggest they think twice about doing so again next year, and opt for the more fair and simple neutral site.

* BASEBALL TRIO COMMITS: Three of the area's top baseball prospects have given verbal commitments to colleges, although all three could wind up in the minor leagues next year if things go well for them in this summer's major league draft.

Silverado's Jeremy West, a member of the Sun's 1998 all-state team, chose Arizona State. The sweet-swinging first baseman batted .576 last spring with six home runs and 30 RBIs.

Skyhawk teammate Tommy Rojas, a catcher who hit .425 with a team-high 36 RBIs last spring, committed to Pepperdine University.

And Green Valley senior David Krynzel, a multi-talented centerfielder generally considered one of the nation's top 25 prospects, selected Louisiana State.

* POLL WATCHING: Perennial football power McQueen re-established itself as the team to beat up north last Friday, posting a hard-fought 23-19 win at Elko. The Lancers moved into the No. 2 spot in the Sun's state-wide rankings behind unbeaten Las Vegas. Undefeated Cimarron-Memorial takes over the No. 3 spot, while the Indians fall to No. 4 after their first loss of the year.

Green Valley and Boulder City moved into a second-place tie in this week's Southern Nevada Coaches Association cross country boys poll, behind No. 1 Bonanza. Durango and Basic round out the top five. On the girls side, Green Valley remained No. 1, followed by Durango, Boulder City, Bonanza and Basic.