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Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Shadow Ridge football players Andrew Kesi, J Henderson and Ryan Johnson Thursday, July 26, 2012.
Friday, Aug. 31, 2012 | 11:44 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Nevada teams hold it down nationally
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Bishop Gorman and Faith Lutheran pulled off upsets against out-of-state opponents last week. Can Liberty follow suit when it travels to Southern California to challenge Crespi Saturday night? Gorman's got another televised contest, too — against Saint Louis in Hawaii. Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer break down these contests and more on this edition of Prep Sports Now.
Bakari Smith is proving to be difficult for the opposition to contain.
The Shadow Ridge High quarterback accounted for five touchdowns Friday in leading the host Mustangs to a 58-6 victory against Western to snap an 11-game losing streak.
Last week, Smith had a hand in both of Shadow Ridge’s touchdowns. This week, he rushed for 134 yards and three touchdowns on seven carries, and completed 8-of-12 passes for 171 yards and two touchdowns.
“It was nice to get off the (losing skid) and finally get a win, but we still have a lot of work in front of us,” Shadow Ridge coach Frank Tousa said.
Xavier Flores and Ryan Johnson each added scoring runs for the Mustangs, Alex Wise had four catches for 79 yards and two touchdowns, and Deshawn Thompson had a 90-yard punt return for a touchdown.
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
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.
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