Nevada 4A State Championship

Gorman vs. Del Sol

Justin M. Bowen

Members of the Bishop Gorman High football team pose for a photo with the state championship trophy Saturday after beating Del Sol 62-21 in the large-school title game at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Gorman cruises past Del Sol for second title in three years: Gaels cap undefeated football season with another convincing victory; Dec. 5, 2009; By Ray Brewer; Winning a state championship shouldn’t be this easy. But, then again, the Bishop Gorman High football team has made most of its victories appear leisurely this season.

Football state championship preview notebook: Dec. 4, 2009; By Ray Brewer; Get the most-important players, top victories earlier in the season and keys to the 2009 4A football state championship game for Bishop Gorman and Del Sol.

Del Sol linemen run drills during practice Monday in preparation for their last game. Del Sol will play Bishop Gorman for the state championship Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Del Sol seeks upset against powerhouse Gorman in state championship: Dec. 4, 2009; By Ray Brewer; Minutes before the Del Sol High football team started its Monday afternoon practice, a maintenance worker was busy painting lines on the Dragons’ field. Del Sol was preparing for its first appearance in the state championship game. The worker, however, was transforming the football field into a soccer field in preparation for the upcoming girls soccer season. In most years, the change would have been right on schedule. But, then again, this isn’t like most years.

Bishop Gorman defenders, from left, Trevor Stuart, Tim Wilkinson, Jalen Grimble and Ian Bobak, cheer from the sidelines during a home game against Desert Oasis.

Gorman defensive tackle is football team's unsung star: Dec. 4, 2009; By Ray Brewer; Tim Wilkinson doesn’t need the attention and doesn’t care about the accolades. The only recognition the Bishop Gorman High senior defensive tackle needs will come on Saturday when the Gaels play in the large-school state championship football game against Del Sol.

Running back Dezerick Reed gets ready for practice Monday in the Del Sol locker room. Del Sol will play Bishop Gorman for the state championship Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Reed honored as Nevada's top player: Dec. 4, 2009; By Case Keefer; Gatorade named Del Sol’s Dezerick Reed the 2009 Nevada Football Player of the Year on Thursday. Reed has led Del Sol (12-1) with 1,885 rushing yards and 22 touchdowns. He also plays linebacker and has recorded 70 tackles and 12.5 sacks. “I’m real excited,” Reed said. “I didn’t want to think about it too much, but it was really exciting. I wasn’t expecting it at all.”

Del Sol's Evan Weinstock trots uncontested into the end zone for a second quarter touchdown against the visiting Liberty Patriots in a playoff game.

Del Sol's silent leader primed for state championship: Dec. 4, 2009; By Case Keefer; Evan Weinstock isn’t the typical high school football standout. Although he’s Del Sol’s leader on the field, Weinstock is not known for fiery speeches. Heck, Weinstock barely even talks. “I didn’t even know he was on the team his sophomore year because he barely spoke three words,” Del Sol coach Preston Goroff said.

Del Sol High football coach Preston Goroff shares a moment with senior wide receiver Evan Weinstock following the Dragons' 20-19 victory against Basic on Saturday in the Sunrise Regional championship game.

Del Sol coach has the respect of his players, peers: Dec. 3, 2009; By Ray Brewer; The top high school football coaches in Southern Nevada are widely considered to be Las Vegas High’s Chris Faircloth, Palo Verde’s Darwin Rost and Bishop Gorman’s Tony Sanchez. It’s time to add another coach to the mix. Missing from the list, and always flying under the radar, is Del Sol’s Preston Goroff.

Del Sol High senior tight end Daniel Doph throws water on Dragons' coach Preston Goroff to celebrate a Sunrise Regional championship game victory against Basic.

Playoff format produces all-Las Vegas state title game: Dec. 2, 2009; By Ray Brewer; Las Vegas area high schools Bishop Gorman and Del Sol are located roughly 17 miles apart. Yet, come Saturday, they will meet for Nevada’s state football crown. When most states have title games featuring schools from opposite ends of the state, Nevada’s unique three-region format in the large-school classification often produces an all-Las Vegas championship.

Bishop Gorman takes the field Monday to begin practice in preparation for its last game. Bishop Gorman will play Del Sol for the state championship Saturday at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Gorman is the highest scoring prep team in the nation: Dec. 1, 2009; By Ray Brewer; The Bishop Gorman High football team is scoring touchdowns at a record pace this fall. The undefeated and hardly challenged Gaels have scored 736 points in 14 games, which makes the Catholic school the highest scoring team in the nation, according to maxpreps.com.

Members of the Del Sol High defense react after they forced Basic quarterback Tyler Dobbins to fumble with less than a minute to play in the Sunrise Regional championship game.

Del Sol rallies without top rusher to win Sunrise title: Nov. 28, 2009; By Ray Brewer; The Del Sol High football team easily could have thrown in the towel and called it a season. The Dragons trailed visiting Basic by 12 points at halftime Saturday afternoon in the Sunrise Regional championship game and their chances of mounting a comeback appeared slim with star running back Dezerick Reed on the sidelines nursing an injured ankle.

Xavier Grimble, No. 6, leads Bishop Gorman on to the field Saturday in Sparks to take on Reed. Despite not catching a pass, Grimble helped Gorman topple Reed 62-21.

Notebook: Impact of Bishop Gorman's Grimble goes beyond the box score: Nov. 28, 2009; By Case Keefer; The answer might have come as a surprise to Bishop Gorman fans. Asked which player impressed him most on a day where his team’s offense exploded for more than 500 yards, Bishop Gorman coach Tony Sanchez named one player whose name didn’t even appear in the box score. “Honestly, the guy I’m really proud of is Xavier Grimble,” Sanchez said. “People have spent so much time focusing on him and trying to take him away that it’s just completely opened up the run game.”

Bishop Gorman's football team celebrates Saturday after beating Reed in Sparks for a shot at the state title next week in Las Vegas.

Bishop Gorman crushes Reed to head to state championship: Nov. 28, 2009; By Case Keefer; During the week leading up to its state semifinal game against Reed, Bishop Gorman heard all the horror stories. The Gaels heard how much teams from Southern Nevada struggle when they travel North. They heard how the cold weather favored the home team. They heard how this could be the game to derail their state title dreams. All the while, the Gaels waited to prove everyone wrong.

Bishop Gorman's Xavier Grimble looks for yards after the catch during the Sunset Regional semifinals against Palo Verde.

Gorman ready to battle the elements, Reed in state semifinals: Nov. 27, 2009; By Ray Brewer; The Bishop Gorman High football team hasn’t faced this type of challenge all season. It’s a challenge that some of Southern Nevada’s best teams haven’t been able to overcome in years past.

Del Sol's Evan Weinstock fights for a reception in a game against Basic earlier in the season that Del Sol won 21-19. The two teams will meet again Saturday in the state semifinals.

Del Sol enters Sunrise title game in familiar position: Nov. 27, 2009; By Case Keefer; Del Sol will compete in the Sunrise Regional Championship for the fourth straight year when it takes on visiting Basic Saturday. But the Dragons are determined to make the outcome different this time around. For the last three years, Del Sol has lost to Las Vegas High in the game. With Las Vegas out of the picture this year, it could finally be Del Sol’s time to advance to the state championship game. “It’s a game we have missed in the past,” Del Sol coach Preston Goroff said. “We’re fortunate that we’re getting another shot at it. We’re going to ...

Bishop Gorman High freshmen football coaches Adam Hutchins, right, and Rod Burgman share a laugh Monday during the Gaels' varsity team's practice in preparation for Saturday's state semifinals against host Reed High of Sparks.

Gorman coach doesn't let disability slow him down: Nov. 26, 2009; By Ray Brewer; Adam Hutchins has always had to compensate for his disability. When the other football coaches at Bishop Gorman High instruct their players by showing them the proper technique or by giving an example of how a play should look, Hutchins, a paraplegic, isn’t able to do so.