Sun Athletes of the Week: Brandon Boesch and Nicole Ireland

Thursday, May 11, 2000 | 11:17 a.m.

BRANDON BOESCH

School: Bishop Gorman

Class: Senior

Sport: Baseball

Family: Father Randy; mother Barb.

Last week: Boesch helped the Gaels to a pair of wins in the Sunset Region Tournament, pitching the team's first game against Palo Verde on Wednesday and then having a big day at the plate in a victory over Cimarron-Memorial on Saturday. Against the Panthers, the right-hander tossed a complete-game three-hitter with five strikeouts to lift his club to a 3-1 win in round one. "I was very excited to begin the tournament," Boesch said. "That was one of the better games I've pitched all year." Three days later, the senior went 3-for-4 with two doubles and five RBIs as the Gaels rolled over the Spartans 15-2. "Brandon's really been seeing the ball well at the plate," Gorman coach Ken White said. "He came up with some big hits in that game."

This season: Boesch, an honorable mention selection on the Sun's all-state team the past two seasons, has been the Gaels' top pitcher and hitter this season. On the mound, the Pepperdine signee has a 5-5 record with a 2.17 ERA and 68 strikeouts in 54 innings. Offensively, he comes into today's action with a .396 batting average, three home runs, eight doubles and 29 RBIs. "All season he's been our leader," White said. "When he pitches he's making teams beat him -- he's not walking anybody or giving anything away." Boesch and his teammates play rival Durango tonight at 7 p.m. for the right to play in the regional final. "This is the kind of game I dream about playing in," Boesch said. "Gorman and Durango is probably the best rivalry in the city as far as high school athletics."

NICOLE IRELAND

School: Mojave

Class: Senior

Sport: Track

Family: Father Troy Smith; mother Sharon Babock; sister Natoya; niece Nariah Broyard.

Last week: Ireland won four individual races at Saturday's Sunset Region championship meet, helping the Rattlers to the team title in the process. Ireland captured the 100, 200 and 400 meters, as well as the 100 meter hurdles, posting area bests this season in the 400 and in the hurdles in the process -- all despite running in four individual events for the first time in her prep career. "We're getting her ready for the next level, which is college," Mojave coach Sam Germany said. "She's done all she can at the high school level." Said Ireland: "I was pretty tired. I slept all day when I got home."

This season: Ireland, who captured three individual state titles last season and another as a member of a Mojave relay team, owns Southern Nevada's fastest times this spring in all four of her individual events. The Alabama signee will try to become the first girl in state history to win four individual titles at next week's 4A State Championships. She will also try to lead the Rattlers to their first-ever zone and state team titles. "When we started (four years ago), the girls only won one track meet as freshmen," she said. "Now, to win the conference title is real nice and we have a chance to win zone and state."