Members of the Bonanza High football team pose for a photo at the Las Vegas Sun’s high school football media day July 20, 2016 at the South Point. They include, from left, Ammon Montenegro, R.J. McCarter, and Child Dore.
Thursday, Aug. 25, 2016 | 4:06 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Football: There is no close second
Las Vegas Sun sports editors Ray Brewer and Case Keefer ring in the start of football season by discussing some of the valley's top storylines and teams, like Bishop Gorman, Liberty, Arbor View and Desert Pines.
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First-year Bonanza High football coach Dion Lee doesn’t hide in his enthusiasm for the upcoming season. Lee hopes that energy carries over to his players.
“(The energy) creates excitement and with excitement creates hard work,” Lee said. “And that’s what my guys have been doing this offseason.”
Bonanza hasn’t reached the playoff since 2011, but Lee senses a change is on the horizon. The first sign that things are heading in the right direction: 120 players showed up for spring drills.
“As boys, our coaches brought out the name in most of us, if not all of us,” said Ammon Montenegro, Bonanza’s senior linebacker. “We are more of a family than we have been.”
Bonanza went 0-4 in league games last season. However, the new Southwest Division — aside from power Bishop Gorman — appears to features equally-matches teams. To a man, each coach feels any team could beat the other.
“Coming in as the new guy on the block, the new guy in the valley, I believe every game is winnable,” said Lee, a California native.
Bonanza may have struggled last season, but some of its returning players were able to post impressive numbers. Montenegro was an all-league selection in recording 60 tackles, and wide receiver R.J. McCarter had more than 500 receiving yards and four touchdowns.
Bonanza also returns capable players in defensive back Chilo Dore (5-foot-8, 170-pounds) and running back Ricardo Hill.
“We weren’t very sound last year. We didn’t focus on technique,” Montenegro said. “This year, we are definitely going to work on that.”
Bonanza opens the season Friday at Chaparral.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
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