Columnist Spencer Patterson: Local 2A teams topple bigger foes

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Aug. 31, 2000 | 10:25 a.m.

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

Exactly how much does school size matter on the football field? Apparently not very much, if last Friday's two local results are any indication.

Las Vegas' two Class 2A schools -- The Meadows and Faith Lutheran -- opened their seasons with easy victories over schools that participated in Class 3A last season.

The Mustangs, three-time defending 2A state champs, had little trouble in a 27-6 romp over 3A's Pahrump Valley, a school with an enrollment nearly four times The Meadows' size.

Quarterback Mike Paulos found wideout Jeff Downer for a pair of first-half touchdowns, and running back Pat Curran ran 70 yards for another score as the Mustangs rolled to victory.

Likewise, the Crusaders had an easy time in a 20-0 win over Mineral County, a school that dropped from 3A to 2A just this season. Faith capitalized on a pair of blown Serpent punts, and Andrew Collins ran for two short touchdowns to lead the way.

Despite those results, neither Meadows coach Frank DeSantis or Faith coach Pete Renn is ready to anoint his squad the team to beat in the 2A Southern Division, with both hoping to answer some important questions in the weeks to come.

"Anytime you start a new group and you win the first game, it's a good way to start," said DeSantis, who has only four seniors on this year's roster. "But this is a whole new ball of wax for these guys, and they have a long way to go."

Offered second-year coach Renn, who inherited a program that won just one game in 1998, "It's a great attitude on the field. We've exorcised some of the past demons, but it's still a very young team."

With only 17 players on the varsity squad, DeSantis will count heavily on his few returnees, namely Downer, the backfield of Curran and Marcel Demeree, and linemen Ryan Siefert, Coleman Hutzler and Thomas Lee.

The Crusaders will turn to a pair of twins, seniors Josh and Scott Ongman, to play quarterback and receiver, respectively, as well as to play key defensive roles. Collins will be the primary ballcarrier, with Ryan Hayes and Knut Hoversten two other athletic two-way performers.

Also included in the publication were: Bishop Gorman's Dyante Perkins and Jason Rogers, Valley's Alejandro Alvarez and Demetrius Ford and Cimarron-Memorial's Anthony Bass, along with Foothill's Grant Stanley, who opted not to play football this fall.

After announcing his retirement last spring, longtime track & field coach Sam Germany made his decision official this week, stepping down after 28 years of coaching at the prep, collegiate and Olympic level. Most recently, he led Mojave to the 4A boys and girls titles in 1999...

Cox Metro channel 48 will air Friday's Eldorado at Cheyenne football game next Wednesday at 7 p.m.