Columnist Spencer Patterson: DeSantis looks forward to trying hand at 4A level

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Dec. 20, 2001 | 9:40 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers high school sports for the Sun. He can be reached at 259-4085 or at spencer@lasvegassun.com.

After dominating the Class 2A football scene for five years, Frank DeSantis decided the time had come to try something new.

So last week, the coach who led The Meadows to five consecutive state titles and a Nevada-record 41 straight victories accepted the head coaching position at Class 4A's Cimarron-Memorial, another school with a recent history of success in the sport.

"I basically just felt like it was time to move on," DeSantis said. "I wanted to go in a different direction, maybe someday be an athletic director and football coach at a 4A school.

"I believe that the coaching is better at the 4A level, and you have administrators who are more serious about winning at the 4A level."

DeSantis, who also serves as the Mustangs' athletic director and girls basketball head coach, said he will find out soon whether he will make the move to Cimarron next semester or next year.

Under then-coach Greg Spencer, the Spartans captured back-to-back 4A state championships in 1998 and '99 and went 11-1 in 2000, losing in the Sunset Region finals.

Spencer's replacement, former Mojave assistant Gary Maki, lasted just one year at the school, going 3-8 and struggling to win over players and coaches loyal to his predecessor.

"I want my players to know whatever happened last year is over with and it doesn't matter to me," DeSantis said. "Hopefully, we'll work together and earn each other's respect."

Coach Bob Beskow began planning the trip a year ago, identifying Hawaii as a place his players could go not only for competition, but also for a unique experience off the court.

"We're going there to win three basketball games, but there's also a lot of culture there and things for them to see and do," Beskow said. "They've been looking forward to it for a long time."

Wildcat players raised part of the money for the trip by working at the Big Time and Grand Finale tournaments over the summer and the school's annual winter tournament last December.

After this week's Holiday Prep, Las Vegas High will run its annual Las Vegas Prep Championship, a 32-team boys basketball event Dec. 26-29. Eleven local squads, including No. 2 Cheyenne and No. 3 Green Valley, will participate.

Basic hosts this week's girls basketball event, the annual 32-team Lady Wolves Holiday Tournament, today through Saturday at Basic, Brown Middle School, the Valley View Recreation Center and the Black Mountain Recreation Center. Top area girls teams Centennial, Bonanza, Bishop Gorman and Green Valley will be among the field.

Next week, Centennial will host the third Lady Bulldog Holiday Classic, a 20-team girls basketball event Dec. 26-29 featuring local and out-of-state competition, as well as strong Northern Nevada representatives Galena, Elko, Reed and Douglas.

For soccer enthusiasts, Eldorado will be the place to be next week for the annual Lady Devils Classic. The 12-team runs Dec. 27-28, with competition in gold and silver divisions including top area squads Centennial, Chaparral and Bishop Gorman.

And in wrestling, first-year Coronado will host the Coronado Invitational Dec. 21-22 and Chaparral will be the site of the Cowboy Duals on Dec. 28.