Christopher Drexel

Story Archive

Centennial grad returns to valley to face UNLV: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008; When Mike Josserand signed to play basketball for Southern Utah, he figured the holidays would be one of the only reasons he would return to Las Vegas.
But the 2007 Centennial graduate will receive an early gift Dec. 23 when he gets the chance to play in his hometown again. Josserand's Thunderbirds visit Thomas & Mack Center that night to take on UNLV.
With a family legacy to uphold, Meadows freshman poises a double threat: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008; Most high school athletes graduate without winning a state championship.
But Gerard Martinez captured one in his first semester, starting as a freshman quarterback for The Meadows football team, which captured the 2A crown last month.
Faith Lutheran sports to make debut in 4A: Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008; It has been almost five years since Faith Lutheran's sports teams made the jump from state's 2A classification to 3A. Now, the Crusaders are on the verge of raising the bar again.
Bishop Gorman alum makes welcome homecoming in Las Vegas Bowl: Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2008; Keola Antolin has fond memories of playing in Sam Boyd Stadium.
The 2008 Bishop Gorman graduate and freshman running back for Arizona is hoping to make a few more memories when his Wildcats football team takes on BYU at the stadium for the Pioneer Las Vegas Bowl XVII on Saturday.
Gorman's Therrell headed to UNLV: Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008; Plenty of athletes are coached by their fathers as youngsters, but John Therrell will get the chance to play for his dad as a Division I football player.
The Bishop Gorman senior committed to play safety for UNLV following an official visit to the school Dec. 12-14. Therrell's father, Dennis Therrell, is the Rebels defensive coordinator.
Palo Verde senior earns rare fencing scholarship to Stanford: Friday, Dec. 12, 2008; When Kian Ameli realized he had been accepted to Stanford, he was excited. A month later, when the Palo Verde senior learned he also earned a scholarship for fencing, he was downright ecstatic.
Former Palo wrestler returns early from injury: Friday, Dec. 12, 2008; Kyle Barrett got a taste of collegiate wrestling in the past year. Now, he's ready to feast.
Palo Verde wrestling team beats Gorman without key heavyweights: Thursday, Dec. 11, 2008; With both their schools' football teams advancing deep in the playoffs, neither the Palo Verde nor Bishop Gorman wrestling teams have competed with a full lineup this season.
Injury never slowed Del Sol's power rusher: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008; Three games into the season, Derek Eamon never imagined he'd be in the position he is now.
Bishop Gorman blasts Faith Lutheran: Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2008; The Battle of Hualapai is born.
Summerlin's two biggest private schools, Bishop Gorman and Faith Lutheran, played a boys basketball game for the first time Tuesday with the knowledge Faith Lutheran would be moving to Class 4A next season.
Palo Verde's dream season shattered: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008; You can't get any closer to a state championship than this.
The Palo Verde football team was woken up from its dream season with a nail-biting 13-12 loss to Reno's McQueen High in the large-school state championship Saturday at UNR's Mackay Stadium.
Palo Verde faithful flock to Reno: Saturday, Dec. 6, 2008; RENO - UNR's Mackay Stadium is roughly an eight-hour bus ride from Summerlin.
But for supporters of Palo Verde football, the site of the 2008 large-school state championship game may as well have been a couple miles down the road.
Gorman baseball player takes time out for wrestling: Friday, Dec. 5, 2008; It's safe to say baseball is Johnny Field's day job. But every winter Field takes about three months to get away from baseball, trading in his cap and bat for a singlet and headgear while competing for the Gaels wrestling team.
On the court again: Bishop Gorman girls basketball coach happy to return to her team after bike crash; Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008; The last thing Sheryl Krmpotich remembers about July 21 is riding her bicycle through a park by her house near Valle Verde Drive and Interstate 215.
Palo Verde prepares for final showdown: Undefeated Panthers to meet McQueen in state finals; Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008; There is only one more opponent left for the Palo Verde football team to conquer.
After a 10-game regular season and four-game playoff run that saw them handily defeat all comers, the Panthers will face arguably their toughest challenge yet when they play Reno's McQueen High in the 4A championship Saturday at UNR's Mackay Stadium.
Twins to be inducted into state tennis hall of fame: Thursday, Nov. 27, 2008; Catrina and Christian Thompson have done everything together in tennis since starting in the sport at the age of six. On Friday the Green Valley residents and 2003 Bishop Gorman graduates will be inducted into the Nevada Tennis Hall of Fame during a luncheon at the Stirling Club at Turnberry Place.
Prospects' founder climbing college basketball coaching ranks: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008; The man who started one of Nevada's top Amateur Athletic Union basketball teams as way to get local players noticed by colleges has made it to the college level himself.
Physiotherapist acts as sport-injury detective: Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2008; The walls of Bob Donatelli's southwest Las Vegas office are lined with autographed pictures of professional athletes he has helped rehabilitate injuries.
Prep basketball star transfers to Cheyenne: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008; One of Southern Nevada's top basketball players now calls a different gym home.
Mike Cutright, who led Southern Nevada with 28.8 points a game for Cimarron-Memorial as a junior last season, has transferred to Cheyenne.
Clash of the valley's final two titans: Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008; Playing on Thanksgiving weekend has become as much a tradition for the Palo Verde football team as turkey and stuffing.
Former Basic and Cimarron coaches inducted into Hall of Fame: Monday, Nov. 24, 2008; Between the two of them, Ron Smeltzer and Cliff Frazier have more than seven decades of coaching experience.
For their dedication to football in the state, both have been inducted into the Southern Nevada Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
The Meadows captures 2A crown: Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008; The Meadows had waited long enough.
It had been seven years since the school had won its last state football championship.
Palo Verde blows out defending state champ: Saturday, Nov. 22, 2008; As soon as coach Darwin Rost addressed his Palo Verde football team following the Sunset Regional championship Friday, he took a swig of water and yelled to his players, "I don't have the bad taste in my mouth anymore." Only it wasn't the water that washed out the bad taste.
The quiet champion: Friday, Nov. 21, 2008; Kari Higa is known for having a shy personality around the Spanish Trail Country Club. She just lets her game do the talking for her.
Gorman hoops teams no strangers to pressure: Friday, Nov. 21, 2008; Dealing with pressure is part of the job description when you're a Bishop Gorman basketball player.
Teen fencing duo headed to Germany for international competition: Thursday, Nov. 20, 2008; When it comes to fencing, Nik-Nik Ameli and Dakota Root do just about everything together. They are the only two teenage girls who regularly compete out of the Fencing Academy of Nevada and this weekend, Ameli and Root compete in the Federation International d’escrie World Cup on Saturday and Sunday in Heidenheim, Germany.
One epic rematch: Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2008; It seems like the Palo Verde and Bishop Gorman football teams have been on a collision course for the last year.
Palo Verde remains perfect: Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008; The last time these teams met, it took 10 unanswered points for Palo Verde to dispatch of Northwest Division rival Cimarron-Memorial in overtime.
Six weeks later, it didn't take nearly that long for host Palo Verde to run away with the rematch, as it defeated Cimarron 35-21 on Friday night in the Sunset Region semifinals.
Gorman soccer coach continues path built by father: Friday, Nov. 14, 2008; It's not easy to replace a legend, but Nick Arbelaez has done pretty well with it so far.
Sisters sacrifice free time to become top gymnasts: Thursday, Nov. 13, 2008; When Julia Ross began gymnastics at age 4, her baby sister Alicia followed in her footsteps almost as soon as she could walk.
No place like home for Wranglers center: Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2008; Adam Miller presumed his hockey season was over when his Ferris State team was eliminated from the Central Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs in March.
But that very night, Miller's agent called saying he would have Miller signed to a professional team from the East Coast Hockey League within 24 hours. The agent told him it would either be the Idaho Steelheads or the Las Vegas Wranglers.
Faith Lutheran wins third straight soccer title: Sunday, Nov. 9, 2008; Seconds after coach Nate Hagge was handed a plaque signifying his Faith Lutheran boys' soccer team as the 3A Southern League champions for the third year in a row, leading scorer Ryan Sniezyk yelled out, "Feel free to burn that Hagge!"
Boulder City's season comes to a close: Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008; Boulder City's postseason may have ended with a 39-20 opening round defeat at Virgin Valley Saturday, but the team's mood following the game was not filled with sorrow.
Cimarron rolls over Spring Valley, 35-14: Saturday, Nov. 8, 2008; With a new coaching staff in place and a top running back transferring before the season began, Cimarron-Memorial had every excuse to write off 2008 as a rebuilding year.
Palo Grad seeks shot at Wyoming: Friday, Nov. 7, 2008; After attending four schools in the last four years, Anthony Smith has finally found a home.
The 2005 Palo Verde graduate is currently a walk-on and member of the practice squad with Wyoming's football team.
Las Vegas man ready for cold northern trek: Friday, Nov. 7, 2008; To most people, the North Pole means Santa Claus. But to Dell Weingarten, it means the challenge of his life.
The Centennial Hills resident will be one of three Americans to participate in the Polar Challenge, a 368-mile ski and hike from northern Canada to the Magnetic North Pole.
Faith Lutheran midfielder said he would trade all his records for a 3A state title: Friday, Nov. 7, 2008; Ryan Sniezyk has broken every scoring record for Faith Lutheran's soccer program.
But when the Crusaders take the field Friday in the 3A Southern League playoffs, the senior midfielder would trade impressive offensive performance for his ultimate goal — winning the state title.
UNLV cross country coach, wife met in last place they looked for love: Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008; Tony Houchin was coaching cross country at Butler University in Indianapolis four years ago when he noticed a woman running on the track as his team was finishing practice.
Houchin, a Green Valley resident and UNLV women’s cross country coach, immediately took an interest in the woman and approached her. Little did he know the runner would end up being his wife.
Popularity growing for a cycle that has no need for pedals: Thursday, Nov. 6, 2008; A new mode of transportation is gaining popularity in America, and it started right here in Green Valley.
Footbike, which resembles the offspring of a bicycle and scooter, has sold more than 600 units in the United States in about one year of availability on the Internet. It also became available in major cycling stores across the country last month.
Bishop Gorman eyes state title: Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2008; Bishop Gorman's football team has become more potent offensively since late August.
Bishop Gorman breezes past Legacy into semifinals: Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2008; Playoff games aren't supposed to be this easy.
Bishop Gorman's girls volleyball team made its opening match of the Sunset Regional tournament look more like a scrimmage against the junior varsity than a postseason contest, as it cruised to a 25-8, 25-8, 25-9 home win against Legacy on Monday.
Gorman rolls up 10th win against Bonanza: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008; The Bishop Gorman offense has gotten a whole lot more potent in the last 11 weeks.
Son of football great helping students get recruited: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008; Despite having Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Johnny Unitas as a father, Summerlin resident Joe Unitas wasn't happy with the way he was recruited as a high school athlete.
Faith Lutheran defender lives up to hype: Friday, Oct. 31, 2008; Through its first 12 games, Faith Lutheran's girls soccer team has given up 0.083 goals per contest.
Faith Lutheran coach Dave Elliott considers the feat a team effort. But Elliott also knows it doesn't hurt having the reigning 3A Defensive Player of the Year anchoring the defense at sweeper.
That would be junior Jessica Nelson.
Brothers chasing state title for Palo Verde football: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008; Even though they're just one year apart, brothers Chaz Thomas and Chappell Thomas had never played on the same football team before.
Meadows sophomore specializes in diversity: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008; In an era when high school athletes tend to consolidate their varsity sports, Austin Brown competes in everything he can.
Meadows soccer headed to playoffs: Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008; For the first time in a decade, The Meadows soccer team will know what it's like to compete for a state championship.
Palo Verde linebacker ponders commitment to Hawaii: Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008; Liloa Nobriga said he liked what he saw during a weekend visit to the University of Hawaii, but the Palo Verde senior linebacker isn't yet ready to commit to the school — at least not yet.
Centennial Hills resident named Nevada's Special Olympics Coach of the Year: Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2008; For years, Bill Rohret had dedicated his free time to his children, James and Nicole. But after both children graduated from Palo Verde and left home for college, Rohret, a Centennial Hills resident, yearned for something to fill the void.
Six years later, he is the head coach for the program's basketball and golf programs in the west Las Vegas Valley, overseeing about 40 basketball players, 20 golfers and more than 15 assistant coaches.
Adams lifts Spring Valley over Bonanza: Saturday, Oct. 25, 2008; Bonanza running back Antonio Beals entered Friday night as Southern Nevada’s leading rusher. But it was his counterpart, Jacques Adams of Spring Valley, who made the case as the area’s top rusher.