Columnist Spencer Patterson: Lounsbery looks to continue tradition at Meadows

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, April 25, 2002 | 9:41 a.m.

Spencer Patterson covers high school sports for the Las Vegas Sun. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4085.

Talk about a tough act to follow.

Chris Lounsbery, new head football coach for The Meadows, finds himself taking over a program that has won five straight Class 2A state titles, along with 41 consecutive games, under former coach Frank DeSantis.

Despite graduating 12 key seniors from last year's squad, however, you won't find Lounsbery predicting gloom and doom for the Mustangs.

"The standard here has been set very high by Coach DeSantis, and hopefully we'll keep that tradition going," Lounsbery said. "The program is going to take a hit in terms of talent, but the kids we have are good kids -- the type of kids you can build a program around."

Lounsbery, who will also serve as the school's athletic director, previously coached at the high school level and collegiately in Nebraska and Utah before moving to Southern Nevada.

Last fall, he coached The Meadows' middle school football team.

"Even though my focus was on the middle school program, I had an opportunity to get to know the (high school) kids," Lounsbery said.

DeSantis left in December to become head coach at Cimarron-Memorial.

In other football coaching news, Chaparral has hired former Cheyenne assistant Rickey Watts. He takes over for Ben Johnson, who will coach Sierra Vista next season.

Also, Bonanza has selected former Clark assistant John Macon to succeed outgoing coach Nick Butera.