Del Sol faces familiar foe in quest for Sunrise title

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2008 | midnight

One look inside Del Sol's gymnasium reveals the significance of the school's next football game.

When the Dragons take the field Friday against host Las Vegas High in the Sunrise Regional championship game, they'll be playing for the title, a spot in the large-school state semifinals and piece of school history.

Del Sol, in its fifth year of existence, is seeking the school's first regional title in any sport. Championships are celebrated with a banner in the gymnasium, and Del Sol's gym is noticeably bare — thanks to Las Vegas High.

Las Vegas (11-1) has won five consecutive Sunrise titles and has beaten Del Sol in the last two title games.

"We feel like we can beat Vegas," said Alex Klorman, a senior Del Sol lineman who has been part of the last two championship games. "It's tough to beat Vegas at Vegas, but we are up for the challenge. It could have went either way last year, but they executed and made the plays."

Del Sol (10-2) advanced to this year's finals with a 42-27 victory against Basic Nov. 14 in the semifinals. Derek Eamon rushed for 412 yards and five touchdowns to give the senior 10 touchdowns in two playoff games.

Eamon, who averaged 14.7 yards per carry against Basic, presents several match-up problems, Las Vegas coach Chris Faircloth said.

"They are killing people on the ground," Faircloth said. "They are a downhill, physical football team. That Eamon kid is just phenomenal."

But it will take more than another five-touchdown effort from Eamon to knock perennial power Las Vegas High from the top spot. Las Vegas has not lost to a team from Del Sol's Southeast Division since Southern Nevada was split into two regions in 2000.

"We are definitely the underdogs," Del Sol coach Preston Goroff said. "They have a better record than us and they are playing at home. But our main guys have been there twice. We are hoping that experience will kind of weather all the things that can distract you in a game like this."

Las Vegas runs a similar spread offense that Del Sol has defended against in its first two playoff games, wins against Rancho and Basic. However, Las Vegas has better athletes executing the plays.

Las Vegas senior running back Reggie Bullock, who has 1,464 yards and 19 touchdowns, is a threat to score each time he touches the ball. Also, quarterback Emir Lopez has completed 59 percent of his passes for 2,310 yards and 25 touchdowns.

"We're going to have to gang-tackle Reggie Bullock," Eamon said.

Despite being in a similar underdog position last year, Del Sol had its chances to pull off the upset before losing 28-25.

Some 12 months later, the Dragons' 21 seniors feel they can reverse the outcome to capture the school's first banner.

"It would be a great feeling to know all of the hard work has paid off," Klorman said.

Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@hbcpub.com.