Peeples, Copeland earn top honors

Adam Candee

Thursday, Jan. 29, 2004 | 10:02 a.m.

The statistics can tell you plenty about the value of both Cheyenne's David Peeples and Las Vegas' Stanley Copeland in 2003.

We see the statistics, for certain. But when it comes to selection the Las Vegas Sun All-State Football Team, we try to look beyond and behind the numbers to find out what players meant to their team. That is just one of the many challenges in trying to narrow down an entire state worth of football players to a first and second team, along with honorable mentions.

Peeples is the Sun's Offensive Player of the Year, Copeland the Defensive Player of the Year. Remove either player from his respective squad and -- for very different reasons -- neither would likely have advanced to the depth in the playoffs to which it did. Peeples powered the Cheyenne offense, and Copeland did a little bit of everything for Las Vegas.

That is the type of player that the All-State team is made of -- the kid that a team cannot do without, be it on the field or in the locker room. The All-State selection process is also unique in that it is the only honor that factors postseason performance into its membership.

Douglas and Las Vegas High Schools tied for the most first-team selections with five. The Tigers had one of their finest years in school history in 2003, going 11-1 with the only loss coming in the Northern Region title game.

Las Vegas also lost just once in an emotional season marked by injuries and tragedies. Sophomore running back Eric Jordan capped a stellar season with a first-team selection, and he is joined by linemen Richie Plunkett and David Mann, as well as Copeland. Coach Kris Cinkovich, who guided the Wildcats through the death of player Edward Gomez, is an All-State selection.

The All-State team is selected by and published exclusively in the Las Vegas Sun after exhaustive consultation with football coaches throughout the state and various other media outlets. Chuck Hildebrand of Nevadaprep.com is a primary contributor.