Columnist Spencer Patterson: Let’s look at best, worst of prep season

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Nov. 2, 2000 | 9:39 a.m.

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

With six weeks of playoffs still looming, the 2000 prep football season has already provided us with plenty of memorable moments, from a slew of wild upsets to some spectacular individual achievements.

So before the postseason party gets started, let's take a moment to hand out some awards to honor the best (and worst) of the regular season:

Best Team: Cimarron-Memorial. A no-brainer. The Spartans got all they could handle from division foes Cheyenne and Palo Verde, as well as California squad Rancho Bernardo, but still finished with a perfect 9-0 record, outscoring the opposition by a ridiculous 309-95 margin. Only Reno's McQueen High (also 9-0) was as consistent.

Most Surprising Team: Desert Pines. After an 0-7 inaugural season, the Jaguars stormed to a 7-2 record, to almost everyone's surprise. Despite a relatively thin roster, Desert Pines was one of the most athletic teams in town, with sophomore Cornell Johnson leading the way for coach Gary Findley's squad. Honorable mention: Basic, Foothill.

Most Disappointing Team: Chaparral. After missing the playoffs in 1999, the Cowboys shot out of the gates with a 4-0 start in 2000. Yet remarkably, Chaparral became one of just four local teams to miss the postseason altogether, the final blow coming in an upset loss to Green Valley last week.

Most Valuable Player: Dyante Perkins, Bishop Gorman. Eldorado's Steven Jackson was the area's top offensive player, but Perkins did more for his team than anyone else this fall. A quarterback who ran and threw for more than 1,000 yards, Perkins also starred on defense and made big plays on special teams, both as the Gaels' punter and as a key member of the squad's kickoff coverage unit. Honorable mention: Jackson, Eldorado; Johnson, Desert Pines.

Top Running Back: Steven Jackson, Eldorado. In a year highlighted by the play of top-notch backs, Jackson was the cream of the crop. The 6-1, 210-pounder has been a one-man wrecking crew, torching opposing defenses for an area-best 1,792 yards and 25 touchdowns. Honorable mention: Johnson, Desert Pines; Jamar Thomas, Durango; James Sims, Valley; Jason Rogers, Gorman.

Toughest Division: Northwest. Cimarron swept the division to finish first, but Palo Verde and Cheyenne were no slouches in their own right, with both earning spots in the final Sun statewide Top 10 poll. Centennial isn't as strong as several No. 4 seeds, but Mojave was the best non-qualifier this side of Chaparral. Honorable mention: Northeast.

Boulder City's Veterans Memorial Park will host the 2A, 3A and 4A State Cross Country Championships Saturday beginning at 9 a.m. The 4A boys are scheduled to run at noon, followed by the 4A girls race.

The 4A Sunrise and Sunset Region soccer tournaments conclude Saturday at Cimarron, with the Sunrise final slated for 11 a.m. and the Sunset final at 1:30 p.m. Both champions will advance to next week's 4A state tournament.

Both 4A volleyball tournaments will wrap up on Friday, with the Sunrise championship at 5 p.m. and the Sunset final scheduled to follow. Three teams from the Sunrise and two from the Sunset will earn state berths.

Mountain View Christian's Laura Nett and Virginia City's have been named Nevada's two finalists in the race for the 2000 Wendy's High School Heisman awards. Last year, Green Valley's Abby Miller was named the female national award winner. ...

Cox Cable Channel 48 will broadcast Friday night's Cheyenne at Durango football game next Wednesday at 7 p.m.