The Sun’s first high school sports awards show to honor retiring Eldorado coach

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Saturday, April 30, 2016 | 2 a.m.

Retiring Eldorado High soccer coach Gerald Pentsil quickly became the clear choice.

When the Las Vegas Sun started taking nominations for the Hank Greenspun Lifetime Achievement Award for its inaugural Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards, more than 40 nominations mentioned Pentsil's great works the past three decades at the northeast Las Vegas school.

“As a coach and a teacher at Eldorado High School, coach Pentsil made a difference (not only) in my life, but the lives of my two sisters and countless others,” one nominator wrote. “He was our go-to for advice, encouragement, and strong words when needed.”

The Las Vegas Sun Standout Awards, a black-tie, formal gala modeled on ESPN’s ESPY Awards, is 7 p.m. May 19 at the South Point Showroom. The event will look back at the past year of prep athletics, honoring the top games, moments, teams, players and more with such awards as Male and Female Athlete of the Year, Scholar Athlete of the Year and Citizen of the Year. The awards are presented by Greenspun Media Group, publisher of the Las Vegas Sun, and Smith’s Food and Drug.

“He is a person of much integrity,” another wrote of Pentsil. “I cannot thank him enough for all he’s done for my family. I am honored to know him. This achievement will help solidify all the work he has done for the generations of Eldorado students.”

Pentsil, who coached Eldorado to the 2013 state championship, won’t be the night’s lone honoree.

We’ll acknowledge the Bishop Gorman High football team for its second consecutive mythical national championship and the Chaparral High football team for its last-second playoff win against Faith Lutheran. The Moment of the Year belongs to Ron Chan, the special needs basketball manager at Desert Oasis High who scored four points against Bonanza after coaches coordinated allowing him to participate.

A selection committee of six, including four athletic directors from the Clark County School District, picked finalists and winners for each category. More than 100 nominations were received.

Here’s a list:

Finalists for Male Athlete of the Year

Nathaniel Garcia, wrestling, Cimarron-Memorial

Dylan Leavitt, tennis, Palo Verde

Ivan Lopez, soccer, Clark

Nick Quintana, baseball, Arbor View

Biaggio Ali-Walsh, football, Bishop Gorman

Finalists for Female Athlete of the Year

Katherine Ballou, soccer, Foothill

Jeanne Carmell, flag football, Boulder City

Taylor Kornieck, soccer, Coronado

Sam Thomas, basketball, Centennial

Cali Thompson, volleyball, Coronado

Scholar Athlete of the Year recipients

Male: Christian Ong, tennis, Clark

Female: Guadalupe Gomez-Navarro, tennis and track, Spring Valley

Finalists for Coach of Year

Chad Beeten, basketball, Clark

Jon Ferry, wrestling, Green Valley

Reggie Ingram, basketball, Eldorado

Paul Nihipali, football, Chaparral

Karen Weitz, basketball, Centennial

Finalists for Rising Star (the top freshman or sophomore)

Annick Haczkiewicz, tennis, Palo Verde

Michael Pasimo, tennis, Clark

Kenyon Oblad, football, Liberty

Whittnee Nihipali, volleyball, Shadow Ridge

Ty Smith, wrestling, Virgin Valley

Finalists for Team of the Year

Boulder City flag football

Centennial girls basketball

Green Valley wrestling

Arbor View girls soccer

Support Staff of the Year recipient

Transportation coordinator Tony Betka, who makes sure athletes make it to and from their games. He works with coaches and athletic department officials to schedule bus rides. Betka is “available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. I know I can call him at any hour and he will accommodate us,” wrote one nominator.

Finalists for Citizen of the Year

Alisa Blevins, volleyball, flag football, softball, Rancho

Gabrielle Costa, cheer and track, Shadow Ridge

Madison Macove, golf, flag football, softball, Spring Valley

Game of the Year recipient

Chaparral football 22-21 upset victory against Faith Lutheran in the Division I-A state quarterfinal. Chap won on a 2-point conversion of the last play of the game.

Moment of the Year

Special needs basketball manager Ron Chan of Desert Oasis makes two baskets against Bonanza. Coaches for both teams coordinated for him to play; Chan and Bonanza coach Dan Savage will be honored.

Sun Standout Award

Bishop Gorman football

Hank Greenspun Lifetime Achievement

Gerald Pentsil, Eldorado High School

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