Hughes knows just how tough it is to win 37 straight games

Spencer Patterson

Monday, Oct. 22, 2001 | 9:32 a.m.

Chaparral 42, Basic 12

Fooothill 35, Silverado 14

Desert Pines 20, Eldorado 14

Las Vegas 28, Basic 6

Bishop Gorman 21, Bonanza 17

Clark 49, Western 28

Centennial 17, Cheyenne 12

Palo Verde 22, Cim.-Memorial 13

Green Valley 41, Rancho 32

Durango 26, Mojave 7

Pahrump Valley 13, Boulder City 6

The Meadows 52, Tonopah 8

Lincoln Cnty. 36, Faith Luth. 16

The man who governs high school sports in Nevada understands as well as anyone how difficult it is to win 37 football games in a row.

That's because Jerry Hughes, executive director of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association, had not one, but two sons on the Wooster High School team that ran off 36 consecutive victories between 1985 and 1987.

Last Friday night, Hughes watched from the sideline as The Meadows bested that mark, setting a state record with its 37th win in as many games, this one an easy 52-8 triumph over visiting Tonopah.

"In any level of competition, winning 37 games in a row is a great accomplishment," said Hughes, whose sons, Luke and Jason, were defensive backs for the Colts. "There aren't many teams anywhere in the United States that win 36 or 37 games in a row. This is an important, record-breaking affair."

The Mustangs (8-0, 4-0 2A Southern) have not lost since the 1998 season and have captured the past four Class 2A state championships. They will try to complete their third straight undefeated regular season Thursday night at Faith Lutheran (6-2, 2-2).

"It's a great feeling," Meadows linebacker Coleman Hutzler said. "No one in Nevada has ever done it. I've been part of it for four years, and it's something really special.

Seconds into Friday's game, there was little question Meadows would post the record-setting win. The hosts scored on their first play from scrimmage -- a 27-yard pass from Mike Paulos to Casey Allen -- and rolled from there, going up 21-0 by the end of the first quarter.

Tailback Pat Curran led the attack with 229 yards and four touchdowns on just 12 carries, and fullback Marcel Demaree was close behind, going for 119 yards and another score on 14 attempts.

As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the normally businesslike Mustangs players let their emotions show, dousing head coach Frank DeSantis in a Gatorade-bucket celebration.

"We definitely had a little fun out there," Curran said. "We had to get our coach with the Gatorade before it gets too cold. If we go up north for state, maybe we'll lift him onto our shoulders instead."

In 4A action Friday, Centennial moved within one win of capturing the Northwest Division title with a 17-12 win at Cheyenne.

The Bulldogs (5-3, 3-0) rallied behind touchdown runs by brothers Patrick and Cory Gray in the third quarter, then stopped the Desert Shields' final drive just short of the end zone to hang on. Centennial will host Palo Verde (7-1, 2-1) Thursday, with the division title going to the winner.

Bolstered by the return of running back John Ford, who had missed the previous two games with a back injury, Foothill defeated Silverado 35-14 to move into sole possession of first place in the Southeast.

The Falcons (6-2, 3-1), who visit Las Vegas for a non-league game this week, will win the division title unless 0-8 Basic upsets the Skyhawks Thursday. Such a scenario, combined with a Chaparral victory over Green Valley, would award the Southeast crown to the Cowboys (7-1, 2-1).

Las Vegas (7-1, 4-0), which had already clinched the Northeast crown, finished off a division sweep with a 28-6 win at Valley. Likewise, Clark (6-2, 4-0), the Southwest champion, defeated its fourth league foe, 49-28 at Western.

Also, in Nevada's northern half, No. 2 Elko ended No. 1 McQueen's 21-game winning streak on Friday night with a 47-34 victory over the visiting Lancers.

The Indians won for the first time in 13 meetings against McQueen, which had allowed just 18 points in its previous seven games.

High school football games will be played on Thursday night this week in observance of Nevada Day.