Members of the Bishop Gorman High School football team, from left, Brevin Jordan, Derek Ng, Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Palaie Gaoteote pose for a portrait at the Las Vegas Sun’s high school football media day August 2, 2017, at the South Point.
Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017 | 10:54 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Second-round showdowns
Ray Brewer and Case Keefer discuss the next set of matchups in the playoffs, and wonder if the upper level can produce some closer games.
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The Bishop Gorman High football team entered tonight’s Sunset Regional semifinals riding a streak of seven consecutive games with a shutout.
The defense hadn’t surrendered a point since Sept. 16, rightfully earning its share of praise and accolades along the way. The Gorman offense, you could argue, has been similarly impressive.
The Gaels posted more than 50 points for the sixth time in seven games tonight, scoring 23 points in the first quarter against visiting Faith Lutheran in a 51-6 victory to advance to next week’s Sunset championship game.
Gorman spread the ball around to multiple players, including a pair of touchdowns from Miami commit Brevin Jordan, scoring runs from Ikaika Ragsdale and Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and a punt return for a touchdown by Cedric Tillman in the first half.
“We’ve got a lot of really good football players,” Gorman coach Kenny Sanchez said. “We might as well use them because it keeps the defense on their toes, instead of giving the ball to the same one or two guys all the time.”
Tillman, a senior, has developed into one of Gorman’s best weapons — and possibly best-kept secrets.
He’s the brother of Jamir Tillman, who also blossomed late in his Gorman career before becoming one of the most celebrated receivers in Naval Academy history. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Cedric Tillman is slightly taller than his brother.
As witnessed on the 65-yard punt return right before halftime, he has the same elusiveness.
“We both have really good hands, both run good routes and both are physical receivers,” Cedric Tillman said.
Tillman’s return gave Gorman a five-touchdown lead at halftime. Amod Cianelli added a touchdown run in the second half, helping the Gaels reach their 11th straight Sunset championship game. They’ll face a familiar opponent — Arbor View. The Gaels and Aggies seems to meet each season in late November.
“They do a great job. They win a lot of football games running their scheme and they are the best in the city at it,” Sanchez said of Arbor View. “Their whole thing is, ‘We are going to do what we do.’ Well, we are going to do what we do, and that’s beat them.”
Faith Lutheran’s touchdown came on a Sagan Gronauer long pass to Dalton Kincaid in the fourth quarter, accounting for the first points Gorman had surrendered in 34 quarters.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
