Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Reloaded and ready

Marcel Demaree can recall, in detail, the way The Meadows Mustangs junior varsity squad lost a heartbreaker to Mojave back in the fall of 1998.

"We were up by two with about 10 seconds left. We punted, and their guy fumbled, recovered and returned it for a touchdown," Demaree rattled off.

Though the loss occurred four seasons ago, it's hardly surprising the Meadows' senior can remember it so well. After all, he hasn't suffered a defeat in two varsity campaigns since.

The Mustangs, four-time defending Class 2A state champions, enter tonight's season opener at Boulder City riding a 29-game winning streak, one that spans three years and includes two perfect 11-0 seasons in 1999 and 2000.

With a senior class loaded with experienced varsity players such as Demaree, a 5-11, 180-pound starting inside linebacker and fullback, the team is expected to maintain its grip on the 2A state trophy again in 2001.

"Every year, we come out expecting to do well, expecting to win a championship," Demaree said. "We don't like losing games."

Along with classmates Pat Curran and Coleman Hutzler, Demory earned a starting spot on the school's varsity squad as a sophomore. That trio continues to lead the way today, with Curran the team's leading rusher and Hutzler and Demory both 2A all-state linebackers a year ago.

"They've been through the system, and they know what it takes to win," Mustangs coach Frank DeSantis said. "You don't have to sell these guys on winning."

Besides Demory, Hutzler and Curran, the squad returns virtually all its key players from last season's unbeaten team. Quarterback Mike Paulos is back to lead the offense, and veterans Rehman Anjum, Joe Riordan, Justin Erwin, Dane Corrigan, Chad Goffstein, Casey Allen and Gavin Goorjian will all play significant roles on both sides of the football.

"Because they've been in the program, they've been trained to win," DeSantis said. "They expect to win. They should win."

Though heavily favored to win their division and another state title, The Meadows' overall winning streak could be in jeopardy this season, with games against 3A foes Boulder City and Pahrump Valley, new 4A school Coronado and Canadian school Seaquam on this year's non-conference schedule.

Should they get past those four, the Mustangs would need just four more victories to break the state's all-time string of consecutive wins -- a record of 36 in a row, set by Wooster from 1985-87.

"We definitely want to keep it going as long as we can," Demaree said. "It's fun to keep those goals and those records in front of you.

"But our coaches remind us we can't walk on the field expecting to win just because we're The Meadows. A lot of us have put in a lot of hard work to keep it going."

This is the last in a five-part series of stories previewing the high school football season.

archive