Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2011 | 10:59 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Orange wedges, weekly $5 bet and Patriot respect
Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer take a look around the Las Vegas high school football scene. They give their picks for the upcoming week and discuss the merits of eating orange wedges on long gameday road trips.
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Tyler Washburn starred for Boulder City as it traveled into town to beat 4A opponent Western 28-13.
Washburn had 10 carries for 65 yards and, more notably, led a stout defensive effort with 11 tackles. The showing followed a 15-tackle performance from Washburn last week.
“He’s a wrestler,” Boulder City coach Alex Kazel said. “He’s got a great single-leg takedown. I love playing those wrestlers on defense.”
Washburn’s effort symbolized the Eagles night as a whole. They won because they were the more physical team.
Kazel opted to pound the ball on the ground, and his running backs responded by averaging about five yards per carry as a group.
Xavier Steel and Michael Kelso also scored touchdowns on the night. Steel had 12 carries for 59 yards. JD Owens proved a nice complement to Steel and Washburn with seven carries for 50 yards.
The Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak to improve to 2-4.
“The kids made the plays they had to make,” Kazel said. “The last couple weeks we couldn’t get it done and it cost us. We just kind of pounded them and we deserved it.”
A fresh coat of paint and a fresh perspective are among the changes being made around Western High School.
Western is one of five turnaround schools that missed the marks set by No Child Left Behind and now faces the challenge of increasing student achievement.
The school is the third oldest in the district and its campus lies near Decatur Boulevard and Veterans Memorial Highway. The majority of students attending Western are minorities from disadvantaged homes. Western is known for having a rough past, but students are optimistic about the future of their school.
Change is apparent according to students interviewed in September.
“When I was in eighth grade, I was told I was going to get shot or stabbed when I came to Western,” said senior Kole Yanez, 17. “That might have been true 15 years ago, but now, you don’t see that here.”
Rules are tightly enforced on campus. The school keeps a strict dress code policy and cell phone use during class time is not permitted.
Halls are designated by grade level giving students a sense of ownership and community. Pride is clearly visible at pep rallies and sporting events. The newfound pride might just be he medicine needed to alleviate the 8 percent dropout rate, the highest in the district.
“It’s like building a house. You need a strong foundation,” said Neddy Alvarez, principal. “You need those strong relationships. When kids know we care about them, the learning will take place.”
- Year built:
- 1960
- Mascot:
- Warriors
- Principal (Year Hired):
- Neddy Alvarez (2008)
- Mission Statement:
- “The mission of Western High School is to promote scholarship, encourage good citizenship, and embrace our cultural diversity.”
- Enrollment:
- Approximately 2,400
- Notable alumni:
- Frank Hawkins, former NFL player
Capt. Nicole Malachowski, first female Thunderbird
Ronnie Vannucci, drummer of The Killers
Tom Collins, Clark County commissioner - School Report Card:
- 2010-2011
Compiled by Gregan Wingert
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
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