Moapa Valley eyeing repeat

By Brent Hinckley (contact)

Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008 | 2 a.m.

There’s confidence in Overton that Moapa Valley High can repeat as the 3A state champions.

“We expect to be competitive. We have a decent group back from last year’s championship team,” Moapa Valley coach Brent Lewis said.

Quarterback Max Jenkins and running back Brad Weiss led Moapa Valley to a 9-3 record and the state title last season as juniors. They’re hoping to do it again for the school’s first back-to-back titles since 1966-’67.

Jenkins was the league’s leading passer with 1,858 yards and 20 touchdowns, numbers that would have ranked him second in the southern 4A, behind only Canyon Springs’ DeVonte Christopher, who passed for 3,285 yards and 44 touchdowns. Weiss was the league’s leading rusher with 1,200 yards.

“Max is a three-year starter and Brad is a two-year starter. There’s no way you can replace that kind of experience,” Lewis said.

Faith Lutheran coach Jake Kothe and Boulder City High coach Alex Kazel both said Moapa is the front-runner.

“Moapa is the favorite. They are the returning state champion and have their quarterback and running back returning,” Kothe said.

Virgin Valley High, which went 11-2 last year and lost 35-14 to Moapa Valley in the title game, is also expected to be competitive.

“You never know what you’ll get with the other teams, but I expect it’ll be Virgin and us fighting for it at the end of the year,” Lewis said.

The Bulldogs return 24 players from last year’s squad including running back Colton Teerlink, who rushed for 1,091 yards and 15 touchdowns.

However, they have to replace quarterback Doug Hafen, who passed for 1,519 yards and 12 touchdowns and also rushed for 396 yards and 13 touchdowns.

With just four teams in the league, all will make the postseason. Faith Lutheran and Boulder City hope this is the year they break through their playoff funks. Kazel said just making the playoffs isn’t good enough for the Eagles.

“That’s great we’re guaranteed a spot, but we don’t want to travel,” Kazel said. “We have to win league games to host playoff games.”

New schools part of 2A

The Southern 2A League added three new members because of realignment. Agassi Prep, Calvary Chapel and Mountain View Christian are all making the jump from 8-man football to 11-man.

The new schools will be tested playing against Needles, Calif., and The Meadows.

Needles, the defending 2A state champion, returns 13 players from last year’s championship squad. The Meadows, a state semifinalist, returns nine defensive starters.

“We have some good young, talented freshman coming up and that is going to give us a lot of depth,” The Meadows coach Frank DeSantis said.

Also, longtime Basic coach Cliff Frazier takes over Calvary Chapel’s program.

Brent Hinckley is a reporter for the Home News. He can be reached at 990-2687 or brent.hinckley@hbcpub.com.