Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

High School Football:

Gorman’s Sanchez downplays UNLV talk, leads Gaels past Liberty and into state championship game

Game played amid speculation that Gaels’ coach could be headed to UNLV

Bishop Gorman vs. St. John Bosco

L.E. Baskow

Bishop Gorman head coach Tony Sanchez yells instructions to a player as his team warms up before a game Friday, Sept. 26, 2014, against St. John Bosco.

A Bishop Gorman High football game typically draws more attention than most sporting events in Las Vegas. Today's 50-0 victory against Liberty in the state semifinals at Rancho was no exception.

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Gorman is the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, and its players are heavily sought-after college recruits. But it’s another person from Gorman’s program being tied to college football that has everyone talking.

Gorman’s sixth-year head coach Tony Sanchez has emerged as the leading candidate to replace Bobby Hauck as UNLV’s football coach. Hauck resigned Friday.

Sanchez downplayed the speculation, saying his top priority is coaching Gorman to its sixth straight state championship. Next Saturday, Gorman plays Northern Region champion Reed for the title.

“I have a great job right now at Bishop Gorman,” Sanchez said after the game. “I am just trying to finish the season with these kids. It’s hard to even answer questions about that.”

Sanchez, who has a reputation of being detailed in his game-planning, says the speculation won't interfere with preparing for the title game. A Gorman victory would complete an undefeated season and likely give the Gaels a mythical national championship.

“The whole thing is making sure you stay focused,” Sanchez said. “At the end of the day, I have got one thing that needs to be the forefront of my mind: that’s Reed."

When Sanchez talks about finishing, he's not only talking about this season. Six years ago, he came to Bishop Gorman from Northern California determined to build a state-championship-contending team. The Gaels won the first state championship a few months later and have never lost to a Nevada opponent.

In Sanchez's second year, Gorman started scheduling national opponents with aspirations of becoming a national brand. This season, the Gaels went 6-0 against those nationally respected opponents, rising to a No. 1 national ranking in multiple polls. All that's left is beating Reed.

"You just want to finish," he said. "That is what life is about: finishing.”

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

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