Columnist Spencer Patterson: Championship game likely Reno-bound again

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Oct. 12, 2001 | 10:45 a.m.

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

All games 7 p.m.

Silverado at Chaparral

Green Valley at Foothill

Valley at Eldorado

Rancho at Las Vegas

Western at Bonanza

Durango at Clark

Palo Verde at Cheyenne

Mojave at Cimarron-Memorial

Basic at Desert Pines

Centennial at Bishop Gorman

Coronado at Boulder City

Sierra Vista at Moapa Valley

Meadows at Lincoln County

Faith Lutheran at Needles

Barring a major upset in the semifinal round, the 2001 4A state football championship will be held at Mackay Stadium in Reno for the second straight year.

Nevada interscholastic activities director Jerry Hughes confirmed that he has reached an agreement with the University of Nevada-Reno, which hosted last year's game between McQueen and Wooster when Southern Nevada's two remaining teams lost in the semifinals.

That means even if Elko, No. 2 in the Sun's statewide poll, earns the north's lone berth to the four-team event, the Indians would have to make the three-plus hour drive to "host" the contest.

But Hughes said Elko administrators did not express concerns when informed of the plan.

"It was their comment that if they could play at a university stadium, they would welcome that opportunity," Hughes said.

The site will only be changed in the event of an all-south final, but that seems unlikely since the Northern Region champion will host the Sunrise runner-up in the semifinals. Both McQueen and Elko are 6-0, and the top-ranked Lancers have outscored their opponents 283-18 this season.

Hughes said that should an all-south title game occur, the NIAA would work quickly to find a neutral site in Southern Nevada, as it did last year when it reached a quick agreement with Mackay. He said UNLV and local high schools would be possibilities in such a scenario.

Cimarron-Memorial will be without running back Kellen Marshall (shin) for the second straight game, according to coach Gary Maki. The Spartans, who play Mojave tonight, have already lost quarterback Danny Phee (ACL) for the season.

Durango tight end/defensive lineman Jon Jimenez (ACL) is scheduled for surgery and likely out for the year, but Trailblazers coach John Mausbach said the all-conference senior is already walking without crutches, giving the team hope he could return. Two other Blazer linemen, tackle Mike Kravetz (shoulder) and center Tony Bachhuber (ribs), did not practice this week and could miss tonight's game with Clark.

Chaparral coach Ben Johnson said his squad gets back eight players, including running back Markesse Owens and tackle Derek Rathunde, who were ineligible for last week's win over Eldorado.