Columnist Adam Candee: Celebration of GV girls’ national record came early

Adam Candee

Monday, Dec. 23, 2002 | 9:04 a.m.

Adam Candee covers high school sports for the Sun. Reach him at (702) 259-4085 or by e-mail at candee@lasvegassun.com.

This fall, the Green Valley High girls golf team celebrated its national record for consecutive dual match victories with all the appropriate pomp and circumstance.

Cameras flashed, parents grinned, and gifts appeared as well wishers gathered at Legacy Golf Club on Oct. 1, as the Gators handily downed Silverado to break the mark -- or so we all thought.

It turns out everyone partied a bit too early because the Coronado win only tied the record of 128 straight wins. In fact, Green Valley broke the mark in its next contest a few days later against a very tough Silverado team.

Oops, said Gators coach Nick Garritano.

"We found out after when we were researching," Garritano said, dispelling rumors that the celebration was planned for the Coronado match to take pressure off the Silverado contest.

Garritano allowed that Silverado would have been tougher, but said the error in record keeping -- which apparently stemmed from a tournament win originally counted as a dual victory -- was not uncovered until two weeks after the Gators' 4A state tournament victory.

"In all actuality, it might have added a little pressure to the girls," Garritano said.

For the record, the streak now sits at 132 and counting.

U.S. Bank cited budget cuts as the primary reason for its decision to call off its $175,000 arrangement with the NIAA.

"We will have to make some major adjustments to our budget and the way we operate events for next year and the future," NIAA executive director Dr. Jerry Hughes said in response to the development.

As the title sponsor of the NIAA, U.S. Bank provided staffing, office space, and other support. In fact, the NIAA offices are located in the U.S. Bank Building in Reno. The NIAA also cites U.S. Bank involvement as a major reason why venues like Sam Boyd Stadium were available for championship games.

Rumors had flown in recent days that the sponsorship was on shaky ground, and the NIAA must now set out to locate a new sponsor or sponsors. Given the current economic climate and the minimal investment return for a company, a mixture of sponsors beginning in 2003-04 would not be surprising.