Columnist Spencer Patterson: Rebels keeping local diamond stars at home

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Oct. 5, 2001 | 10:36 a.m.

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

All games 7 p.m.

At his first press conference as UNLV's head baseball coach last summer, Jim Schlossnagle vowed to try to keep Southern Nevada's top prep players at home.

So far, the first-year Rebels coach has done exactly that. Already, he has secured three verbal commitments from top high school seniors, and reportedly, he is inching closer to a fourth.

Durango outfielder Coltyn Simmons, a member of the Sun's 2001 all-state first team, and Cimarron-Memorial pitcher Matt Wagner have announced their intentions to attend UNLV next season. They join Basic infielder Micah Schnurstein, another Sun all-state first teamer, who gave the Rebels a verbal commitment last month.

Also, Basic coach Mike Kazek said there is a "strong possibility" Wolves' ace pitcher Matt Elliott will also chose UNLV in the near future.

The 5-11 Simmons hit .449 with 16 doubles and 31 RBIs for a Trailblazers squad that finished second in the Sunset Region and reached the 4A State Tournament. He considered ASU, Pepperdine and Loyola-Marymount before choosing UNLV.

"UNLV was by far the most interested and the most involved in the recruiting process," Durango coach Mike Gomez said. "They were really aggressive in their recruiting."

Simmons said Schlossnagle first saw him during the summer, when the Blazer outfielder played for Team Florida, a select all-star club. Simmons also starred for Durango's American Legion team and played in the invitational-only Area Code Games in California.

"Coach Schlossnagle asked me, 'How would you like to be part of the first UNLV squad to go to (the College World Series in) Omaha and be the cleanup hitter on that team,' " Simmons said. "That pretty much made up my mind. Coach Schlossnagle is going to make things happen here, and I'd like to be there when he does."

Wagner, a 6-2 righthander, went 4-4 with a 4.04 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 45 innings for a Spartans squad that reached the Sunset Region semifinals last season.

"He's a big, strong kid and he's getting stronger," Cimarron coach Calvin Valvo said. "He's going to project pretty well."

Valvo said senior right-hander Steve Russell, who joined Simmons, Elliott and Schnurstein at the Area Code Games, is also considering UNLV, along with Long Beach State.

Elliott, another member of the all-state first team, is also being recruited by several California schools. He is expected to announce his decision before Nov. 7, the first day players can sign letters of intent with colleges.

"(Schlossnagle) is making things very appealing to them. He's got a good philosophy and the kids see that," Kazek said. "He's not just getting local kids. He's getting the best local kids."

Team competition continues at Green Valley, Silverado, Durango and Western, with semifinals next Tuesday and finals on Wednesday. Both Sunrise finalists will join the Sunset and Northern champions in this year's 4A State Tournament, which begins Oct. 18 at UNLV's Fertitta Tennis Complex.

Individual regional singles and doubles competition will run from Oct. 11-13.

The Sunrise and Sunset regions will hold separate 18-hole girls golf tournaments next Tuesday at Silverstone Golf Club. Both groups will begin teeing off at 10 a.m.

Foothill will likely be without tailback John Ford (lower back) when it takes on Basic tonight, according to coach Ray Fenton. The Falcons will also play without tackle Paul Lethbridge for the fifth straight game.

Caples will also produce 13 prep basketball games and eight prep baseball games during the 2001-2002 school year.