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Bishop Gorman quarterback Anu Solomon looks for a receiver during their game against Arbor View Friday, October 21, 2011. Gorman won their homecoming game 56-7.
Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011 | 2:05 a.m.
High school football: Bishop Gorman vs. Arbor View
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KSNV coverage of high school football team Bishop Gorman taking on Arbor View, Oct. 21, 2011.
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Should Arbor View have accepted game with Gorman?
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Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer are back with their weekly high school football podcast. This week's episode plays more like a variety show, as the two touch on a number of issues related to last week's gridiron action.
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A game billed to pair two of the three best teams in Las Vegas quickly turned into a showcase opportunity for Bishop Gorman and quarterback Anu Solomon Friday night.
The Gaels proved they could post gaudy scores against more than just the area’s lower-tier teams. They can do the same against the elite.
Behind a career-high 298 passing yards and four touchdowns from Solomon, Gorman blew out Arbor View 56-7.
“We always want to run the ball behind our offensive line,” Gorman coach Tony Sanchez said. “We have to run the ball to keep people honest, but if they load the box up, we know we have one-on-one situations.”
And the Gaels know they have the man behind center to exploit those matchups. Solomon, who finished 15-for-20, spent the night flinging spirals so tight and on-point that Joe Montana would have blushed.
Two of his touchdowns went for more than 50 yards on vertical routes to Ryan Smith and Terrence Chambers. Solomon also bombed long receptions to Lorenzo Fertitta and Jamir Tillman.
“Earlier in the game, things didn’t go as planned because the defense didn’t come out in man,” Solomon said. “But at the end of the game, we got back to it.”
No one outside of the Gorman sidelines noticed the difference. The Gaels took what they were given in the first half and Shaquille Powell, who had 10 carries for 108 yards, rushed for touchdowns on each of their first three possessions.
Solomon also went underneath to Tillman, who had close to career night with six catches for 95 yards and a touchdown, for his first four completions.
“We have a special relationship that other receivers don’t have,” Solomon said of Tillman. “He’s a great wide receiver. He’s one of those kids who will make it to the next level.”
Even if the Gorman offense wouldn’t have roared from the beginning, the defense provided room for error. The Gaels came up with a key stop on a fourth-and-four from their own 23-yard line on the only threatening Aggies drive of the first half.
Most of the other possessions ended in three-and-outs with senior Ronnie Stanley wreaking havoc with tackles at the line of scrimmage and quarterback hurries on passing downs. Not much changed in the second half, as the Gaels defensive front kept dictating their terms.
Senior defensive end Zach Hutchins forced a fumble and recovered another in the third quarter.
“Our kids got really excited because their guys made some comments about running the ball down our throat and being the more physical football team,” Sanchez said. “That wasn’t the coaches talking about it. It was the kids. Our kids really felt like they had something to prove.”
Only one Arbor View rush went for more than 10 yards and it came in the final seconds. Arbor View is known for its arsenal of running backs, but junior Donnie Gaskin was the only one to finish with more than 30 yards against Gorman. He had 49 yards on 14 carries.
The Aggies touchdown came in the third quarter when Rasheem Parks lofted a 56-yard pass to Rasheed Parks. It made the score 35-7 and provided a rare moment of silence on the Gorman sideline.
“That game makes you better,” Sanchez said. “Arbor View is a good football team. They are very well coached. They have a lot of talent out there.”
Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or case.keefer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.
Bad week for the Fertitta's Nico Fertitta apparently tore his ACL against Arbor View's JV game and Lorenzo Fertitta got absolutely blasted late in the game and was down for a bit. At first thought maybe got wind knocked out of him but he was down and out of it for a while quite possibly concussion.
Tuasdad u are a real stat geek haha
lol manasseh where have you been? What was that you were saying last week about Gorman's D not being able stop Arbor View? Whooops : )
Prayers for your speedy recovery Nico. You're a tough player and I know you will get through this with flying colors.
My bad tuadad cheaters always prosper haha
That's funny. Most cowards grow a set behind the computer but you can't even acknowledge how wrong you were. Eat crow, we all do eventually. Just for kicks, last week when you said Gorman's defense wouldn't be able to stop Arbor View's offense i'm sure you already thought they were cheaters. Anyway I was willing to bet my left testicle Arbor wouldn't put more than 14 and Gorman would win by 40... I guess i know why you dissapeared, you didn't have any balls to bet : )
Arbor View, your passing game does not suck. You have to use it more. That double wing only works when the clock is on your side. There are these guys that are called DB's they need help, a good sign is when they have their hands on their knees between plays. Poor number 27 got taken to the wood shed. He needed help. You have the horses to compete you just need to increase your playbook and sub in some more speed. I love your program and I wish you luck in the playoffs.
Friday nights game is merely confirmation that the rest of the State is playing for 2nd place. Arbor is the top public school with Palo maybe being the exception and they can't stay within 50. I know there are a lot of Gorman supporters on this website, but it's time to take Gorman out of the public school arena or level the playing field. It has gotten ridiculous. Don't tell me Liberty can play with them either, Liberty got handled up front by Arbor when they played and Arbor got handled by Gorman.
Aww such a bummer we lost by a lot! Oh well, congrats to the Gaels, I'm sure they were playing with something to prove when the Aggies talked tough and the jv won.
Palo dominated very similarly in 2004 and 2007 (until they met McQueen) and McQueen dominated a lot of the 90's and particularly 2002. Gorman football has been dominant for three years..combine that with the 2 titles from the 80's and Gorman has a whopping 5 football state titles in their 57 years of existence. They're absolutely overwhelming this year. That wasn't and won't always be the case. Public Palo slaughtered Gorman in 2008 and I doubt anyone said "I wonder how a public school was able to whoop a private that "recruits" something might be wrong there. I'm sure a school that recruits can put together a better team than one made up of kids who just happen to live in same zone. I would love to think my alma mater dominates for the rest of existence. They won't. They'll always be competitive but just like everyone else they'll have up and down years. If the argument is against financial assistance and no zones then why no complaints about faith Lutheran or the agassi school? This debate goes on in every state the public vs private debate is never ending. If we we in a populated state like California or Florida that had loads of private schools then there would be zero reason to not have separate leagues. The entire state has (4a) Bishop Manogue, Faith and Gorman. Make a 3 team private leagues the champ plays the pubic state champ at end of year for bragging rights.
Last night Eldorado's Stephen Jackson started for the Rams against Bishop Gorman's Demarco Murray (Cowboys) had to be first time two Vegas backs started against eachother in NFL game. Thats what we should be talking about. Vegas grown talent actually making it. I have to mention Murray broke Cowboys record for single game rushing yards. Sorry emmit smith.
I must give much credit to Tuasdad. He calls it like it is and even though he is a Gorman alum, he is always reasonable with his logic and not one sided. Much respect to Tuasdad. Like Tuasdad points out, there are not enough private schools in Nevada for a separate private school league. I know California is thinking of possibly creating a separate private school division because the private schools' football programs---Servite, Mater Dei, De Lasalle, Oaks Christian, Orange Lutheran, etc.--- have been dominating in recent years and it appears that they will continue to do so. But in Nevada, like Tuasdad points out, there are not enough quality private school football programs to create a separate division for only private schools. Hopefully everything evens out a bit in the near future between Gorman and the other public school programs like Palo, Arbor View, Liberty, Las Vegas, etc. But the way I see it, I don't think it will because of the talent that Gorman has in the underclassmen and the talent they will continue to bring in each year from the incoming freshmen. The one positive note in thinking that things will even out was that Arbor View jv beat the Gorman jv and these kids will all be in varsity in a couple of years and so things should be somewhat even in a couple of years at the varsity level. But the more I think about it, Im not even sure that will be the case because I believe the Gorman varsity has the best sophomores like Starks (who I believe is the best high school football player in Nevada right now) and juniors in the program playing varsity now and so its going to be at least 3 to 4 years before the competition can possibly level out. I agree with Tuasdad that Gorman will have their up and down years but I think even the down nears in the near future will mean total dominance of the competition in Nevada and not being one of the best in the National picture.
When I refer to them leaving the Public school arena, I believe they need an entire schedule of out of town teams. No one in town will secure enough talent to beat them unless they are low on linemen some point in the next couple of years. The biggest difference between Gorman and everyone else is up front. Other schools have good skill players that match up well with Gorman.(QB may be the exception)The only other option is to use open enrollment or crack down on the recruiting.(or tuition assistance)
Thanks Ray... I enjoy people having discussion about football in this town. I wish more posters (reference Gorman) were like you or Guru who have your opinion about Gorman but don't just blabber and hate just to hate, you both present valid arguments and state your case.
If you look at this season's worth of comments 80% are to do with Gorman. I wish more people commented on their school and their games. I like when Moapa people comment. The debate over Brewer's obsession with Del Sol and Canyon (just poking fun at you Brewer, no harm) How the SE will do etc... I'm obviously a Gorman supporter but I enjoy HS football, i'll just as easily attend a Palo or Liberty game (both of which i've done this year) just to watch some good football. I'd love to debate why Basic (after they beat Del Sol) has a good chance of beating Vegas in first round or why Canyon doesn't belong in top ten. That's what i wish got 60+ comments not the same ole gorman crap.
guru
Gorman is will level out next year with scorggins and stanley gone, dont take them out of public school play.. Tuasdad i apologize i didnt realize stanely would be playing defense that kid is amazing. he made the difference on D
He made a difference when they tried airing it out. He put heavy pressure forcing AV's qb to overthrow his receivers. He certainly is something else. I think he will have a better career than Grimble from last years d-line.. Philippi is still playing with a screw in his foot and Smirk was out (who Stanley was filling in for) was out with injury. I think even without Stanley on D-line it's a blowout, because AV is very good at running it but is incredibly limited with throwing the ball. I thkink they'll integrate some more passing plays into their system before they meet gorman in playoffs and you'll see them score 14-21 against Gorman in playoffs. Partially because they'll have tweeked that passing game enough to make the plays they nearly made last friday and partly because Gorman will pull starters in 3rd quarter to save them from injury in playoffs.
They may have scored another td but 56-14 aint bad. Point is that Arbor View is good. They are arguably a better team than Palo and maybe the second at worst third team in the state. I still believe Arbor or Palo would win state if Gorman wasn't around this year. AV was very well coached and played very good football. Like most teams in town the depth isn't there too many kids are required to go both way. That's why i think Gorman is over ranked nationally we don't have the depth that teams like Miramar, STA, Armwood...etc.. have.
My concern now is getting film on Reed. There one loss was to Granite Bay who just barely lost to Del Oro last Friday. Del Oro is ranked appropriately around 50-70 in nation. Reed also killed Reno HS the only other decent team up north. I wish more Reno/Vegas teams played eachother during regular season to gauge the talent level. Right now i'd rank Reed #4 but unfortunately with the north being really weak this year and 8 out of 11 4A north teams making the playoffs we really wont know how good Reed is until they play in the state final.
right now it's gotta be:
1- Gorman
2- Palo Verde
3- Arbor View
4- Reed
5- Liberty
Hey Tuasdad. I was at the Gorman-Reed semi final two years ago. Reed was supposed to be pretty good and Gorman was supposed to be affected by the travel and weather. Gorman stomped Reed and the Gaels put their freshmen in for the 4th quarter. Hopefully the North will be a little stronger this year. I do agree that the Palo-Gorman game, if it happens, will be better than the games that follow. Although The Liberty boys may bring some thump to the table.
One final note: Gorman, like most football teams, is dealing with some injuries. As you stated, Phillipi, Smirk and Hunkin. Hopefully injuries won't determine the outcome of any of their games.