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StumblePrep Football:
Gorman is the highest scoring prep team in the nation
Gaels can add to tally Saturday during state title game against Del Sol
Bishop Gorman takes the field Monday to begin practice in preparation for its last game. Bishop Gorman will play Del Sol for the state championship Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2009 | 1:50 a.m.
Prep Sports Now
Championship week is upon us
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Las Vegas Sun reporters Ray Brewer and Steve Silver break down the 4A high school football state championship between Bishop Gorman and Del Sol.
If you go
- WHAT: 4A state championship football game
- WHEN: 12:07 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 5
- WHERE: Sam Boyd Stadium, 7000 E. Russell Road
- COST: $5 for students, $7 for adults
Team pages
Expanded coverage
The Bishop Gorman High football team is scoring touchdowns at a record pace this fall.
The undefeated and hardly challenged Gaels have scored 736 points in 14 games, which makes the Catholic school the highest scoring team in the nation, according to maxpreps.com.
It has posted more than 50 points eight times, including a season-high 72 in blanking Bonanza Oct. 9. Gorman’s 62-21 victory against Reed High of Sparks in the state semifinals last Saturday marked the fourth time it has scored more than 60 points in a game.
The Gaels (14-0) finish the season Saturday at 12:07 p.m. against Del Sol at Sam Boyd Stadium in the large-school state championship game and are expected to light up the scoreboard again. The Web site also ranks Gorman No. 135 nationally, while Del Sol is No. 1,017.
Gorman has found equal success running and passing the ball.
Sophomore running back Shaquille Powell leads the Gaels with 27 touchdowns, senior back Victor Belen has 23 and freshman quarterback Anu Solomon has passed for 16 touchdowns.
“You have to give credit to the coaches for putting us in the position to have the opportunity to make plays,” said Gorman senior wide receiver Taylor Spencer, who has 16 catches for 316 yards and four touchdowns. “It’s been a team effort with no one being selfish.”
Gorman could have easily scored another 200 points, but coach Tony Sanchez has been overly cautious to not run up the score, especially against weaker opponents in the Gaels' Southwest Division — arguably the weakest league in the state.
Against Pahrump Valley on Sept. 11, for instance, the Gaels only ran seven plays in the second half in a 50-0 victory.
Del Sol has only given up 16 points per game with shutouts against Centennial and Rancho. Duplicating the effort against the high-scoring Gaels, however, will be easier said than done.
“Everyone on that team is an extremely good football player,” Del Sol coach Preston Goroff said. “When you look at their film, there isn’t one guy that stands out where you feel you can attack them.”
Gilmer High of Texas, the fourth highest scoring team in the nation, has scored 697 points in 13 games and plays Cuero High this week in the 3A Division semifinals. With two games possibly remaining, Gilmer could surpass Gorman’s point total.
Injured Del Sol rusher to play
Del Sol senior running back Dezerick Reed, who was knocked out of the Sunrise Regional championship game last Saturday against Basic with a severe ankle sprain, will be ready for this week’s state-championship tilt with Gorman.
Reed rushed for 34 yards and four carries in the initial two minutes against Basic, but injured his ankle while being tackled on the fourth carry and couldn’t return. He missed practice on Monday while receiving treatment and should be cleared by game time, Goroff said.
“We’d rather have him for Saturday’s game than Monday’s practice,” Goroff said.
Reed has rushed for 1,885 yards this year and doubles at linebacker, where he is the leader of defense and arguably more valuable.
Del Sol Kicker Jose Dominquez stretches during practice Monday. Del Sol will play Bishop Gorman for the state championship Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.
Extra points
Del Sol will be the home team for the championship game and wear its maroon jerseys. Gorman will wear its road whites. ...Gorman will dress 56 players for the title game, including six who were on the 2007 championship team and four ninth-graders. Marquis Hunkin, a late-season varsity call-up from the freshmen team, had two tackles in the semifinal win against Reed. Another freshman, offensive lineman Haia-Kahalewai Lott, played on the Gaels scoring drive in the fourth quarter. Del Sol will dress 38, but only regularly plays about 16 players ...Del Sol kicker Jose Dominquez was added to the roster late in the summer after being one of the first cut from the Dragons’ soccer team. He is affectionately called “FIFA” by teammates after soccer’s governing body. The 5-foot-4, 135-pound Dominquez has made 28 extra points, including what turned out to be the decisive point last Saturday in Del Sol’s 20-19 Sunrise Regional championship victory against Basic. In addition, he’s one of the team’s biggest characters and always seems to find ways to make his teammates laugh. “Kickers are a different breed,” Goroff jokingly said.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com.
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"-- arguably the weakest league in the state." Come on Ray, have you seen the NE division play? How about Northern Nevada this year? Durango, Desert Oasis and Spring Valley all would of beat this year's Reed team.
Yokelking: Very valid point. The Northeast was awful. But I would take Chaparral, Eldorado and Rancho of the Northeast against Western and Pahrump Valley any day of the week. Those two leagues are neck-and-neck in their struggles.
Johnny, exactly, they should play in a private league.
They have the best local talent that money can buy.
You guys it's not like they get good players to go there and sit around all day.They work harder than any team in the state and it shows in all their sports.
Way to go Baby.... your Auntie Sam is so very very proud of you. The Gaels are not only #1 team in Vegas but they are better than any HS team here in Calif. I check the Sun each and every week for warmth to touch my heart and a smile of pride upon my face & in my eyes. Keep up the great team spirit.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but my son starts for BGHS, was not recruited by anyone associated with Gorman, is not on scholarship, and does not receive financial aid. He does receive a discount because he is Catholic, as do all the students who are Catholic at Gorman. Johnny and getalife should understand that when parents want the best education for their children they will make the sacrifices to do so. There are parents who work 2 jobs to send their kids to Gorman, because the academics and coaching at the public schools in Nevada leave much to be desired. Improve the academics (NV public schools are next to last in the country) and the coaching from the pop warner level up and you will have more balance in your sports in Nevada.
JohnnyTwoFingaz, I'm sorry but your argument for why your "son" is not at Gorman doesn't wash. You couldn't afford a "substantial reduction" in tuition but can afford regular tuition at Faith? The difference in tuition is not great to begin with so how can you even afford Faith? I don't buy your reasoning. Congratulations on "kicking the tar" out of some non-existent "hand picked scholarship players" in lax. Whatever. I'm not buying...........
Ya whatever, JohnnyTwoFingaz, name calling is real mature. I'm just saying....I could care less about your lax at Faith. Glad you are there. But saying there are handpicked scholarship players at Gorman in lax is ridiculous so maybe you had better check your facts before spouting. I actually know alot more than you so kindly give me credit. And besides, this is a football blog. Give it a rest until your lax season starts up!
All of you Gorman HATERS are crazy. Before you start bashing, check out the facts. Prior to 2007 Gorman hasn't won a state title in football since the 80's....So if they were recruiting and offering free tuition to the top players in the city why didn't they win sooner???....With the exception of a few freshman, the entire starting line up have played for Gorman all 4 years...Sine you say they recruit, please let us know who was recruited this year, or last year..... or in 2007?????? Yeah I thought so, you can't name one. Get over it and just be grateful that you live in a city, that is home to so many great kids who play the sport of football at Gorman and in the CCSD.
JohnnyTwoFingaz, my point was to counter your claim that all Gorman's football players are recruited. This is not true and my son has done very well there without being recruited or receiving assistance. Furthermore, my point also states that parents choose Gorman for more than sports. Parents have this right as you have done the same for your children at Faith. My question to you is, if there is a lax team at the public school you are zoned for then why not have your children attend that public school to play lax there? Most probably because of the great academics at Faith as well as the sports, and dare I say their religious based eduacation as well. We all have choices and if a parent chooses to send their child to a certain school to play sports or for better academics or for religion in the curriculum it is within their right to do so. In claiming that the only reason students attend Gorman is for their sports programs and that is the only reason why there is an unfair disadvantage to other schools in the state discredits the accomplishments of these student athletes, their families, and BGHS.
Being a former student at Gorman, I would like to point out that 90% of the student population come from private/catholic middle schools, and about 65% are sons and daughters of alumni. These kids come from families that decide to send them there for their own reasons. These are the same students playing on the sports teams. Yes, representatives from Gorman go around to each catholic school to provide information about all the programs offered at the school, however, students are NOT recruited for athletics; it is simply an informational presentation geared toward all students. The notion that the school recruits is absurd, as I have never met a student on financial aid for athletics. Financial aid is awarded based solely on merit or need. Most of the kids that go there have grown up together since kindergarten, and their parents just want the best education for them. Yes, there was speculation on this topic a few years back, but thats just exactly what it was: speculation.
Check the facts. Coleville is actually the highest scoring team in the nation. According to Maxpreps.com Bishop Gorman is ranked #7.