Columnist Spencer Patterson: Coronado’s addition OK with Chaparral

Spencer Patterson

Friday, Sept. 21, 2001 | 11:29 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers high school sports for the Sun. Reach him at 259-4085 or spencer@lasvegassun.com.

All games at 7 p.m.

While new Coronado High School struggles through the usual first-year athletic growing pains, another area school is probably thanking its lucky stars the Cougars came along.

Look at the standings for almost any fall sport, and its easy to see that Chaparral has benefitted directly from the addition of Henderson's newest school.

By moving from the Southeast Division, where local powers Green Valley and Silverado dwell, into the more wide open Northeast, the Cowboys have become a sure bet to make the playoffs in nearly every sport.

In boys soccer, Chaparral is expected to capture the Northeast title after years of doing battle with the Gators and Skyhawks just to gain a top-two playoff seed.

The Cowboys' girls golf team is off to a perfect 6-0 league start, one year after missing the postseason in the crowded Southeast.

The school's girls volleyball team should challenge for the division crown, and Chaparral's boys and girls tennis teams should also figure squarely into the postseason chase this season.

Of course, the Cowboys' football team -- which remains in the Southeast while Coronado plays an independent schedule this season -- probably wishes it could stay put for a while longer. Desert Pines, Las Vegas, Valley and an up-and-coming Rancho program await Chaparral in the Northeast, while most Henderson-area schools are struggling in the sport at the moment.

Among the participating teams are seven California schools ranked by Student Sports: No. 3 Harvard-Westlake, No. 9 Mater Dei, No. 14 San Clemente, No. 20 Long Beach Poly, No. 32 Buchanan, No. 38 Centennial and No. 40 Mira Costa. The Trailblazers and Green Valley will represent Southern Nevada.

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