Gorman football’s next trip to the north could yield ultimate prize

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Friday, Dec. 5, 2014 | 2 a.m.

When the Bishop Gorman High football team traveled to Reno six seasons ago to play the north’s Reed High in the state playoffs, some expected the Gaels to lose.

Few Las Vegas area teams previously had success in Reno. A majority couldn’t even score.

But Gorman led 35-0 at the end of the first quarter, scoring on four of its first 10 plays to lead by four touchdowns less than six minutes into the game.

“We just exploded on them,” Gorman coach Tony Sanchez said, rehashing plays still fresh in his memory.

Gorman that cold afternoon in Northern Nevada proved to be not like other Las Vegas teams. They’ve continued that trend the past six years, going from a state-championship contender in Nevada to a national power.

Gorman returns to Reno Saturday to face Reed in the state championship game, playing for more than a sixth-straight state championship. A Gorman title Saturday would come with an added bonus, the mythical national championship.

Undefeated Gorman (14-0) opened the season by beating a who’s who of national opponents in six straight weeks and being elevated to No. 1 in the national rankings. A victory Saturday would put the finishing touches on the six-year journey, one you can easily argue started by storming past Reed in 2009.

That a message Sanchez delivered to players Monday:

“At the beginning of practice, coach Sanchez said, ‘It is the first time I have coached here where I am not playing for a state championship. I’m playing for a national championship,’” said Nicco Fertitta, Gorman’s four-year safety. “It is a lot bigger than a state championship. Obviously, a state championship is huge. But if we win this we are making history — first national champions from Nevada and first six-time state champions.”

Reed is a familiar opponent.

Gorman beat the Sparks school in the 2009 and 2012 state semifinals, and in the 2011 and 2013 state championship games. Gorman has outscored Reed 231-87, including leading 55-7 by halftime of the 2011 championship game.

But Gorman isn’t taking Reed lightly, especially with what happened in 2012. The game was tied at 14 with less than a minute to play in the first half before Gorman scored on a long pass play to take the lead for good.

“We had a real lethargic first half and we struggled,” Sanchez recalled. “You are sitting there in the second half thinking, ‘Man, we need to get going.’ ... (We know) those things can always occur when you are playing on the road. It is one of those deals where we have to start fast and be clean.”

Starting fast hasn’t been a problem against Nevada teams — this year and for most of the past six seasons. Gorman has not lost to an instate opponent during the six-year Sanchez coaching era, outscoring eight local opponents 473-26 this season. It’s trailed just once — in the first quarter against Legacy before winning 70-13.

Gorman is one victory away from an accomplishment most would have considered unthinkable six seasons ago. Long before Gorman took on the challenge of playing a national schedule, it struggled to beat Las Vegas area powers in the playoffs. Beat Reed and the Gaels would be the benchmark program nationwide.

“At the end of the day, the accomplishment is pretty darn important for the state of Nevada,” Sanchez said. “Having a national title team would be pretty special.”

Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21