Amid the changing high school football landscape in Southern Nevada, it’s business as usual for Bishop Gorman.
The Gaels won’t face other top Las Vegas programs like Liberty or Arbor View this season – 30 CCSD teams have moved to independent status – but will still feature a loaded nonleague schedule against the top programs in the country.
“We all have one goal in mind: That’s to win the national championship,” said four-star safety and Oregon commit Hayden Stepp. “That is what’s in the back of our head every game, just knowing that there’s a bigger end goal than just trying to win a game. We know what we have to do to get that end goal.”
Gorman enters the season ranked No. 2 nationally by MaxPreps and No. 3 by USA Today. The Gaels open their season at 7 p.m. on Friday against Losee in a 5A Southern League game at home at Fertitta Field.
Gorman’s first nonleague test will be in a week at home when St. John Bosco (California), ranked No. 1 by MaxPreps, comes to Fertitta Field on Aug. 21 in the two teams’ first meeting since 2016.
The Gaels will follow against Columbus (Fla.) on Aug. 29, Lone Peak (Utah) on Sept. 4 and No. 9 Mater Dei (Calif.) on Sept. 18. At the end of the year, it’s expected the Gaels will participate in the inaugural four-team Overtime Nationals, a national tournament with the top teams around the country.
The CCSD independence saga left holes in Gorman’s schedule usually filled by local league opponents that were replaced by the remaining 5A and 4A private and charter schools.
“We’re always grinding,” Bishop Gorman coach Brent Browner said. “We’ve been going since January, so it’s just a long time coming. Think the kids are ready to play a game. They’re kind of at that point where they’re done tired of practicing, which is good … just focusing in on the craziness we’re about to go into.”
‘Two good quarterbacks’
One of the biggest changes on the field for Gorman is at quarterback. Kansas commit Chance Thomas, a senior, transferred in from California and junior Ace Amina, who backed up former quarterback Maika Eugenio the past two seasons, will compete for the starting role.
Thomas threw for 3,327 yards and 33 touchdowns with a 71.5 completion percentage, and seven rushing touchdowns last season with Western (Anaheim, California). Amina is a three-star recruit with more than 20 Division I offers. Gorman did not name a starter for its opener on Friday against Losee, but it’s expected that both quarterbacks will see the field.
“It’s just competing,” Browner said of what he’s expecting from his quarterbacks. “The whole premise of this place is competition, bringing the best guys together that can compete every day so when we go play a game, it should be easier.”
The quarterbacks have made an impression on Gorman’s stout defensive back group, which includes Stepp, Cal commit Kamil Loud and UNLV commit Azavier McDaniel.
“Going against our two good quarterbacks, that helps us get better as well,” Stepp said. “Almost every time they throw the ball is a perfect ball, so it’s kind of hard to defend, but it’s going to be a good year for sure.”
Veteran defense
Gorman’s offense will feature new skill position players such as running back Corey Hinton, receiver Gavin Horone and tight end Seager Milholen – to go along with returning running back Noah Cole and receiver Zyren Menor to accompany a handful of returners on the offensive line.
“It’s a good group of guys that have been here forever. … It’s a good group of kids, and they’re kind of like little old souls,” Browner said.
That’s the makeup of Gorman’s defense with Stepp and senior linebacker Tamatoa Gaoteote, who are both four-year starters among the Gaels’ returning group that’s played against some of the top teams in the country.
“The experience (of playing big games) definitely helps,” Gaoteote said. “It’s nothing new to me, and I just help the young guys understand how the game goes and our standard that we hold ourselves to every game.
“We have to play up to our level and never down to (the opponent’s). The best team we’re going to play is ourselves.”
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
