Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

Gorman trio leads team to second state championship

Grimble, Palelei and Turner started for both championship teams

Bishop Gorman Wins State Title

Bishop Gorman jumped on Del Sol early to win the 4A State Championship 62-21 Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Bishop Gorman Captures Championship

Members of the Bishop Gorman High football team hold their helmets in celebration Saturday following a 62-21 victory against Del Sol in the state championship game at Sam Boyd Stadium. Launch slideshow »

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For 24 years, Bishop Gorman failed to win a state championship in football.

After Gorman’s 62-21 victory against Del Sol Saturday, the Gaels have won two in three years with the school’s class of 2010 impacting both.

“I just got chills down the side of my back when you said that,” senior linebacker Evan Palelei said.

Palelei is one of three Gorman players who started for both teams. The others are senior tight end Xavier Grimble and senior defensive end Alex Turner.

Palelei, Grimble and Turner reached a consensus after the game: As special as the first championship was, it feels even better to go out as a state champion.

“This year, I’m a senior,” Grimble said. “I really wanted to come out and finish like this. I’m so happy. I’m so blessed to be in this situation. We won a championship and I can’t believe it.”

Grimble got Gorman off to a fast start Saturday. On the Gaels first offensive play, Grimble jumped up to make a 35-yard reception.

Grimble, who will play at USC next year, caught a touchdown pass four minutes later. He finished as Gorman’s leading receiver with two catches for 44 yards.

Turner, who has committed to play for Stanford next year, and Palelei, who has a number of Division-I offers, led the defensive charge that held the Dragons to seven points before the final quarter.

Gorman coach Tony Sanchez said Grimble, Palelei, Turner and the rest of the senior class would leave behind a special legacy at the school not only because of their winning ways.

“For them not to big-time me so to speak, with guys going to USC, Cal and eight or nine guys getting recruited — never once did a kid miss practice, never once did a kid talk back to a coach,” Sanchez said. “They are a special group of human beings, not football players.”

Grimble said the closeness of this year’s Gorman team would be what he remembered years down the road.

After ending last season with a disappointing blowout loss to Palo Verde, Gorman chanted ‘state’ at the end of every off-season workout and practice. A state championship was the only acceptable ending to the 2009 season for the Gaels.

“It’s always special when you win a state championship with your family,” Turner said. “That’s what this team is — a family.”

Palelei said he felt he was leaving Gorman on good terms. The teams for the foreseeable future should compete for championships, he said.

It’s safe to say that none of them, however, will make history like Palelei, Grimble and Turner did by playing a major role in the program’s resurgence with two state titles in three years.

“The ’07 team was a great team with a really great group of seniors,” Grimble said. “But this team as a whole, even the guys who don’t play as much, we’re such a close family. I love them all.”

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