Preps: Southeast division

Nick Christensen

Tuesday, Aug. 24, 2004 | 9:37 a.m.

Nick Christensen

Basic WOLVES

Coach : Cliff Frazier (13th year)

Returning starters (O/D) : 2 (1/1)

Key players: Chris Lowe, Jr., RB; Chris Hosley, Jr., RB; AJ Montano, Sr., QB; Anthony Brenagh, Sr., DT.

X-Factor: Casey Cochran, Jr., SS/DT. Cochran, a 6-foot-3, 240 pound defensive back, is in his first year with the varsity team, and Frazier said his biggest asset is his attitude.

"I've been pleasantly surprised with his work ethic," through camp, Frazier said. Look for Cochran to anchor the young Basic defense.

Nonleague schedule (2003 record): Palo Verde (9-0), Cheyenne (5-4), Cimarron (6-3), Western (5-4).

The Wolves have done well in camp, said coach Cliff Frazier, but how the young Basic team will perform once the season starts, Sept. 3 at Palo Verde, is up in the air. Frazier has been pleasantly surprised by his team's coachability, and he'll have an extra week to prepare them for the Panthers.

The big change this year will be at quarterback, where Chris Montano will pass the reins onto his younger brother, AJ. Last year's Wolves averaged 38.2 points a game, second best in Las Vegas, and Montano passed for a Southern Nevada-best 1,380 yards and 15 touchdowns. AJ was an all-state wide receiver in 2003, but Frazier thinks he will be successful in the transition.

"There's some things I think he does just as good as Chris," Frazier said. "They both have their own individual talents. One thing AJ might have is a little bit quicker feet than Chris did."

Basic will have a shot at a playoff berth, but it will have to watch morale after a very tough out-of-league schedule with four playoff teams.

Coronado COUGARS

Coach: Paul Berg (2nd year)

Returning starters (O/D) : 11 (6/5)

Key players: Rob Orozco, Soph., FS; Adrian Felix, Jr., FS; Chris DesJardins, Jr., TB; Matt Pearson, Sr., C.

X-Factor: Scott McLeod, QB, Sr. McLeod has big shoes to fill, after quarterback Andrew Hatch, who threw for 1006 yards, 12 TDs, and a 52.8 passing percentage transferred, to Cimarron. Berg said he's confident in McLeod's ability to replace Hatch.

Nonleague schedule (2003 record): Del Sol (DNP), Centennial (5-4), Eldorado (3-6), Durango (4-5).

Andrew Hatch may be gone, but the key to Coronado's surprising 2003 run is still intact -- the Cougar defense gave up just 9.75 points per game last year, best in Las Vegas. Berg said he plans to lean on the defense again in the 2004 campaign. Matt Coleman, a 6-foot-1, 265-pound nose tackle, and Chris McSwain, a 235-pound interior lineman, anchor the Coronado defense.

On the attacking end, size again is a factor, as all of the Cougars' offensive linemen are returning except their center. If the defense lives up to their 2003 standard, and McLeod can fill Hatch's shoes, there's no reason why Coronado can't do as well as last year, if not better.

Foothill FALCONS

Coach : Ray Fenton (6th year)

Returning starters (O/D) : 11 (5/6)

Key players: Daniel Osorio, Soph., LB; Brandon Baker, Jr., CB; Antonio Hartwell, Sr., FB; Arthur Mayville, Sr., QB.

X-Factor: D'Angelo Jones, Jr., IB. Jones rushed for more than 1,200 yards last year, Fenton said, and has an eye for the field that can't be taught.

"He makes the first guy miss all the time," Fenton said. "We don't ever tell him where to run. We tell him where the hole is supposed to be once he gets there. This kid has something that you can't coach -- you just enjoy it."

Nonleague schedule (2003 record): Eldorado (3-6), Cimarron (6-3), Sierra Vista (3-6), Lynwood (Calif.) (11-1-1), Bonanza (3-6).

Fenton thinks the southeast is a "straight toss-up." He's alone in that assessment, as every other coach in the southeast rates Foothill as the division's top program, if not the best in the region. Foothill's offense averaged 34 points in 2003, third-best in the city. The Falcons' defense allowed only 10.9 points, second-best behind Coronado. New defensive coordinator Marty Redmond is working on an even better defensive arrangement for 2004.

Foothill's coach said his team's rise characterizes the Southeast in general.

"Not too long ago, every time we played the Northeast (in the playoffs), they'd sweep us," he said. "We've closed the gap, and now we're starting to get a first or second seed to get out of the first round."

And to prepare for the Northeast -- specifically, Las Vegas -- Fenton scheduled a game against Lynwood, a Los Angeles area team that went 11-1-1 in CIF Division II last year. Fenton is worried about his team's speed, but at least in the regular season, the Falcons have more than enough.

Green Valley GATORS

Coach : Greg Murphy (2nd year)

Returning starters (O/D) : 14 (7/7)

Key players: Jeff Garcia, Jr., RB; Jairus Howard, Sr., RB; Jimmy Lee, Sr., OL; Brett Johnson, Sr., F/S.

X-Factor: Eric Martinelli, Sr., DL. Martinelli is a key part of a Gator defense that will have to be strong. He's not a big guy, at 6-foot and 200 pounds, but he has the speed to make quarterbacks sweat.

"He had a real good offseason and he's coming on strong," Murphy said. "He's real fast coming off the edge, he fills real well, and he's a great pursuit guy."

Nonleague schedule (2003 record): Rancho (5-4), Bonanza (3-6), Sierra Vista (3-6), Centennial (5-4).

Whatever happened to Green Valley last year, Greg Murphy doesn't expect it to happen again. The Gators were a very un-Gatorlike 1-8, scoring only 65 points -- in the whole season. Their one win, in the first week, was a 7-0 victory against Gorman, but after that, things went south for Green Valley.

The Gators' next four weeks after the win included games against Las Vegas, Palo Verde, Foothill, and Coronado -- four teams that combined for three regular-season losses in 2003. That, Murphy said, killed his young team's confidence and set the tone for the rest of the year.

If confidence is the key, then this year's schedule doesn't have quite the edge last of last year's. "We're not playing world-beaters right off the bat," Murphy said. "Hopefully we can gain some confidence in the preseason and get ready for division."

Murphy said he's looking for his linemen to improve in the team's remaining few days of camp before Friday night's game at Rancho. He said they have the tools, but aren't using them.

"We need to get more push with our front lines. We need to become a lot more physical than we are right now," he said. "I think it's an attitude, and they're getting there."

Liberty PATRIOTS

Coach: Lou Markouzis (2nd year)

Returning starters (O/D) : 8 (4/4)

Key players: Jordan Stokes, Jr., WR; Jordan Jucha, Jr., LB.

X-Factor: Blake Niggemeier, Jr., QB. Niggemeier is the leader the Patriots lacked in 2003. A strong junior at 5-foot-10, Niggemeier was ineligible in 2003 but stuck with the team to try to help them through their tough year. If nothing else, Liberty's struggles in 2003 with Niggemeier on the sidelines propelled him academically -- his coach said his GPA is up to 3.8, above what he needs to be a part of the team this year.

Nonleague schedule (2003 record): Bonanza (3-6), Clark (0-9), Boulder City (3A), Del Sol (DNP).

Liberty scored three touchdowns in its preseason scrimmage against Spring Valley, and that's not a minor deal. After the Patriots' dismal 2003 season, every bit of momentum helps heading into Friday's opener at Bonanza and the remainder of their weak nonleague schedule.

Liberty has a new quarterback, a new kicker, and is counting on teams underestimating the still-young Patriots. With the lowest enrollment and slowest growth of a public 4A school in Las Vegas, Liberty doesn't have much to draw from. It should, however, have enough to win at least a couple games in 2004. And if enough of their Henderson counterparts underestimate them, the Patriots could surprise everyone by showing up to the party in November.

Silverado SKYHAWKS

Coach : Doug Thornhill (2nd year)

Returning starters (O/D) : 10 (4/6)

Key players: Randy Lisles, Jr., WR; Ben Jacobs, Jr., TE. Travis Terry, Sr., RB; Ben Valenzuela, Sr., WR.

X-Factor: Tyler McNeese, Jr.

Nonleague schedule (2003 record): Mojave (1-8), Chaparral (2-7), Clark (0-9), Sierra Vista (3-6).

The Skyhawks were just 3-6 last year, but it was enough for a playoff run as the Southeast's third seed, which ended in the first round against Desert Pines. This year, a higher seed is crucial if Silverado hopes to advance, because the Northeast's third seed could be better than the Southeast's fourth. A top seed is within reach -- last year, Basic went 7-2 in the regular season, but fell to fourth in the Southeast with a 2-2 league record.

Silverado coach Doug Thornhill has some good talent coming from the JV ranks, particularly his linebackers corps. Despite the Skyhawks' youth, much of the team was around for last year's run and has the experience, and another year of maturity, to prepare for a run deeper than the first round of the playoffs.