Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Palo Verde students run their flags in front of the Bishop Gorman stands Saturday, November 27, 2010. Gorman won 28-10 to advance to the state championship game.
Thursday, Nov. 8, 2012 | 2:05 a.m.
Prep Sports Now
Projecting the rest of the playoffs
-
You need to upgrade your Flash Player
Bishop Gorman vs. Palo Verde. Arbor View vs. Centennial. The start of the Sunrise region playoffs. The semifinals of the Division 1A playoffs. It's a packed week of high school football for Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer to break down on this episode of Prep Sports Now.
Bishop Gorman High School football coach Tony Sanchez dug deep into his game film library in preparation for this important contest.
When his players gathered for practice in preparation for Friday’s Sunset Regional semifinal against visiting Palo Verde, one of the first things Sanchez did was insert a video of the 2008 game featuring the two Summerlin rivals.
It’s somewhat odd that Sanchez would pick game film from that season because he was still coaching in California and none of his players had entered high school. But that was the last time Palo Verde beat Gorman, rushing for 426 yards in a dominating 50-14 victory — the most lopsided defeat Gorman has suffered in a decade.
You could easily argue that the Gorman players quit competing that afternoon, giving the program a black eye that ultimately led officials to bring in Sanchez as its coach.
After showing a few plays of Palo Verde dominance, Sanchez put in another tape. This one showed the 2009 game — his first year at the helm — featuring a Gorman team that played inspired to erase the previous season’s blowout. They won, 38-28, in a game that was close until the final whistle and still serves as one of Sanchez’s signature wins in 52 victories as the Gorman coach.
“(The film) reminded our kids to be humble and to come work hard every day,” Sanchez said. “It showed them how our kids responded and the passion they played with in '09. That is the biggest thing: the amount of passion and energy those kids played with. That is what we want to emulate.”
The three-time defending state champs haven’t lost to a Nevada opponent since coming up short against Palo Verde in 2008. They win by comfortable margins most Friday nights. The one exception is against Palo Verde, which always keeps the score close and has a chance to win.
In 2009, Palo Verde led briefly in the second quarter before Johnathan Loyd returned a kickoff for a touchdown late in the second quarter. In 2010, Palo Verde kicked a field goal to lead 3-0 with 27.1 seconds before halftime, but Gorman’s Ryan Smith caught a long pass on the first play of the ensuing series, and Gorman needed just four plays to answer with a touchdown to take the lead for good with 1.4 seconds left in the half.
Talk with players on both teams and they’ll likely confirm this is the game they wait all season to play. Gorman plays several times each year on national television against out-of-state foes, but its players agree facing Palo Verde is just as important — if not more.
While Gorman (9-1) could be considered a heavy favorite because Palo Verde is having a down year with four losses, the spirit of the rivalry dictates otherwise. This week, past games in the series and records mean nothing.
“It is funny because great rivalries usually happen during the season,” said Smith, a senior who is starting his fourth Palo Verde game. “But with these two great teams, it always happens in the playoffs, and that adds (importance) to it.”
The game has set NIAA playoff attendance records , creating an atmosphere only seen once annually for Nevada high school football. Some around town feel it’s the only game that matters.
Despite coming up short the past three years, the Palo Verde players still have confidence they can win. Like past games, they are preparing for a contest that won’t be decided until the end.
It’s easy to argue Palo Verde is the one local team that has kept it close against Gorman in Sanchez’s three-plus years. When other teams are mentally defeated before the game begins, Palo Verde’s players seem to cherish their role as the underdog team.
“It is a battle of the big dogs, basically. We know all those kids over there and they know us,” said Palo Verde’s Michael Hughes Jr., a senior defensive lineman and one of the Panthers’ top defenders. “We just need to get into that backfield and make plays. Keep hitting them. Hit them all the time.”
Palo Verde has lost just twice the past two years — each time to Gorman. This year, despite losing to three local opponents by a combined 21 points, the Panthers still are considered one of the town’s elite teams.
They are led by senior wide receiver and defensive back Ryan Beaulieu, who had more than 200 yards received and three touchdowns last week in a quarterfinal win against Legacy. He also returns kickoff and punts and could change the landscape of the game on one play. Defensively, he’ll likely guard Smith — for the fourth straight year — in a matchup of arguably the best receiver and defensive back in Las Vegas.
“He’s a great corner,” Smith said. “It is just the way he plays defense. He knows the deep ball is my favorite route, so he plays a couple yards off.”
That familiarity is one of the reasons the rivalry is so anticipated. The schools are located about a 10-minute drive apart from each other, and several players grew up competing with each other in youth leagues. Like Sanchez in his film library, Palo Verde Darwin Rost also has plenty of tapes of past contests. It’s safe to say both coaches have a good idea of what to expect from each other.
“The kids will be ready. The communities will be ready. It is just a matter of strapping up and getting after it,” Rost said.
Even though Friday will have a state championship feel to it, the winner will have to win three more playoff games to capture the title. They will face the winner of Friday’s Arbor View-Centennial game in the Sunset finals.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 990-2662 or ray.brewer@lasvegassun.com. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21.
Can't wait for this game, Go Gaels!
I've had this game penciled in on my calendar since the NIAA released their schedule. No other game like it, not the Henderson Bowl, not the state championship.
It's great seeing schools like Green Valley, Arbor View, Liberty, Centennial etc.. get a good home crowd and fan following it's absolutely awesome that it's not just Gorman and Palo anymore that can pack the stands but with all due respect to the rest of those teams Palo vs Gorman is one of a kind for this town and I love that Palo has such a great following and fan support it makes it a lot of fun.
This is a waste of an article. Palo has the least talented team it's had in the last 10 years. They will get crushed in this game. Cover moapa instead or the sunrise games this one is a joke.
Aloha Guru,
WOW, What an opening statement!!! You're probably right & if you've ever played football no matter what team is playing, their capable of losing or getting beaten. Let's just say there's a lot of situations could come up and you never know.
Fyi, I'm a Gorman supporter.
P.S.
That's why we're spectators, not coaches.
Polynesianarms,
I played in high school, college, and professionally. I also coached for ten years at the high school and collegiate level. So now that I answered that assumption. I've watched both these teams since the late 90's. I will say this was a great rivalry for 4 years. Altschulers 2 years and sanchezs first 2. That window has closed as palo is significantly weaker and Gorman exponentially better. The rivalry is now everyone else vs each other and Gorman vs out of state opponents. It's done unless Gorman comes back to the pack.
Guru the 30-40 point gap over top local schools will be about a 20 point gap next year..theyll still.be the best but not by such a wide margin..it goes in cycles.
LMAO, I love it....awesome GURU...!
I hope so tuasdad and thanks Sinatra. But tuasdad I hope they come back more or it's still irrelevant.
Not to try and start anything, I am a Gorman supporter too But with all due respect....GURU & Sinatra711 why cant we just say something with respect for both teams. We know that we have the best team and we know why. But we also have to look at it the other way because some of these families that has their sons and nephews playing for Gorman, also has sons and nephews playing on other teams. I have nephews playing on different teams here in Vegas but us families were raised with respect and support and love each and eveyone of them the same no matter where they are at.
Can we just say GOOD LUCK on both teams tonight?
I'm sorry but I'm Samoan and us Samoans just has that type of spirit. Its just like NFL we have cousins, sons and nephews playing from different teams but whenever the play we support them and are so proud of them.
These boys on both teams worked so hard this whole season to be here, and we know Gorman is up there because of so many reasons, and its also the most hatred football team to so many schools, but we all have to remember, its the not the game we are out there for.....were there to watch and support our boys play.......WIN or LOOSE they will go home happy and sad but us families are the ones that are with them after.
All I want to say........PALO VERDE may not have a best season this year, but as long as PALO VERDE returns home with points on the board if they dont win tonight, I take my hat off to them for the GUTTS and SPIRIT they brought to the game. GORMAN we all know what to say and think of you boys, but go out there and do what you boys always do and GOOD LUCK.
Airmay,
No one is wishing bad luck, just pointing out the obvious and how this game lost its luster and the other games deserve more attention. This game is irrelevant, I would rather see a big write up about cent v arbor
GURU,
You're right, but then again, I'm not going against Gorman, but a lot of people would rather see Centenial, Arbor View, Palo Verde, Liberty, Green Valley, Moapa and all other State top Rank teams go at each other then having them play against Gorman because to be honest, Gorman is good. And again the only reason why people will be at Gorman and other schools game is because of thier support for their boys, not the game, because they all know that when Gorman plays it's a definatley win, and thats no fun to them. And that is why there is so much hatred towards Gorman because they all think that Gorman should be playing outside top ranking teams, because they are good. Now if we watch Liberty, Palo Verde, Green Valley, Moapa and all other top ranking State teams behind Gorman play against each other,those are challenging and fun games to watch, because they all the same, they are good and they are competitive to be up there. Now with Gorman, every team can be play against Gorman but its not fun, to be honest most people thinks its a waste of time and its boring,because everyone knows that they will win. No doubt about that.
My point is that lets just wish both teams GOOD LUCK......
Lets go out there and cheer for the boys, because they deserve to be cheered at, but not go online and put down who will get smashed and who doesnt deserve to play against whom, Every team in Vegas is good, because if they werent, we wouldnt be seeing them play football at all, or we wouldnt have any football games to watch.
Lets not put bad thoughts and hatred towards the game and schools. Its a game and all the boys loves it and our boys needs our support by giving the best support we can but not create hatred towards people. Let the boys enjoy their game and we as parents enjoy it too by supporting them.
airamay,
You must be one of the Fans on the Gorman side that never gets up out of their seat & cheers during the game. You know who you are, always on Facebook telling everyone you know, that your at the game, but don't have a clue what is going during the game. I agree this is a pointless artice that doesn't deserve to be the front & center story, when the real games like Canyon Springs/Basic or Centennial/Arbor View will be going on. Anyways if you want to know what a real sideline sounds like during key momments of a game, then tuck your G block shirt inside your coat & come to a Liberty Game either Home or Away & you'll Hear, See, & Feel what a real game should be like. Or just hang loose & keep Facebooking & we'll see you on December 1.
i'm not saying airamay is one of those folks but to piggyback on CoachDD's comment, I actually look forward to Gorman losing to a local opponent because maybe then those fair weather, upitty "fans" that don't stand up and yell, don't cheer on big third downs and only show up for ESPN games no longer go to the games.
I admire what the G Block INTENDS to do, it's awesome. When I went to Gorman we were called the Zoo and we were lucky to have 10 of us. We'd travel to Reno for any sport and we got loud and kicked out of a few games for it but it was great. MOst of the student body was too cool for us so I envy the numbers the G Block has but i'd rather see 10 kids screaming their heads off than 400 of them with 90% them on twitter not paying attention to the game or making a sound. Made worse by the 2/3 of the people in the stands that are too cool to stand up.
Kudos to the G Block kids that actually are there to cheer you guys are doing it right but for the rest of you, go big or stay home.
Best student section i've seen by far has been Green Valley's. They were a lot smaller than Gorman but also a lot louder. Freaking Bergen Catholic and their couple hundred fans from Jersey were louder than Gorman's fans. If there's one beef I have with my team its the "fans" that aren't actually fans.
CoachDD
How do you know I dont go out and cheer for any games. You dont know who I am, and I dont facebook, because it's not my thing, but my kids and family does and I just look through theirs. I dont have time to go in and post and do all that. And for your information that I dont know what a sideline sounds like, I know becasue I am one of those on the sidelines cheering on for Liberty, Centenial, Palo Verde, and Gorman. When Gorman played against Liberty last year, I chose to sit with my family on the Liberty side and cheered on for my nephew who lives with me, whom is also like a son to us, plays for Gorman and then we also cheer for my nephews Nacua and Seau and kapeli who are playing for Liberty. When Palo Verde plays I cheer for my nephew #52 Sal Young the only Island and Samoan kid on that team, when Centenial plays we as a family goes and support my nephews #9, #68 & #42. For Gorman, my nehpews #55, #79, & #81. So you see I know what cheering is like, myself and my family are one of the loudest in your crowd too if you must know. I know you but you dont know me. But I wont disrespect you because again I was raised to respet. Me my family are big time supporters and we try to make ourselves available to every game we can since most of these games are all played the same time Gorman plays.
Tonight we sat on Palo's side to cheer on for my nephew #52...And at the same time we cheer for Gorman too becuase of my nephews are there too. ....Yes Palo's supporters looks at us like who the hell are we....but because my nephew is the only one on Palo we all decided we will be on his side for tonights game. It's just how we are.
Centenial and Gorman next week, we will stay on Gormans side but will cheer my nephews on the other side and cheer for my nephews on our side with part of the our family, while the other part of our families are doing the same for both teams on the other side. This is just how we are. Oh you will definately see me there on December 1st we'll be there.
Airamay,
I think you misunderstood my post, I by no means tried or will insult you, I apologize if I offended you. My point is that covering a blow out game, should not be front and center every week on this site, especially for a sideline which mostly does not pay attention to the game, but just wants to hang out & tweet or facebook. You being at multiple games should see this also. Another point why would a teams coach need to run the score up on a pointless game. If you been to a liberty game we choose to take a knee when winning, not running the ball in the end zone with 20 seconds left in the game so you can humiliate the losing team, it very classless on the coach that makes this type of a call. Who are you rooting for to win state, you'll have to pick a side sooner than later.