Sam Morris / Las Vegas Sun
Friday, Sept. 21, 2012 | 11:21 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
The best players in town
Las Vegas Sun sports reporters Ray Brewer and Case Keefer talk Liberty's statement victory, Bishop Gorman's error-filled night and Centennial's time to shine against Arbor View. In the middle of the usual discussion, they break into an argument over which player is having the best season so far — D.J. Pumphrey or Niko Kapeli.
If Virgin Valley can figure out how to play well off the bus, coach Chris Sawyers said, then it will really be in business. As it is, the Bulldogs had enough in the second half to hold off Chaparral and improve to 4-1 with a 28-25 road victory.
“We didn’t put it together but a win is a win,” Sawyers said. “We’re not ecstatic, but it’s better than losing.”
Virgin Valley trailed 12-6 at halftime but then stormed back to take a 22-12 lead. Sawyers’ halftime speech may not be hall-of-fame worthy, but it got the desired result.
“I tried to find the right button to push and all I could come up with was scream at them,” Saywers said.
Quarterback Garret Leavitt went 7-of-10 for 119 yards and a touchdown pass to Dillon Graves, and Dee Bowler paced the Bulldogs on the ground with 206 yards and two scores on 20 carries.
Chaparral made it close down the stretch but the Bulldogs came up with just enough plays. Next time Virgin Valley hits the road, Sawyers would like to see those plays a bit earlier.
“If we play the first half like we did in the second,” Sawyers said, “then it’s not a close game.”
Chaparral High School has seen better days.
Once among the top performing schools in the Clark County School District, Chaparral High is undergoing changes to counter dismal test scores and the lowest graduation rate in the district.
The campus located near East Flamingo Road and U.S. 95 is one of five turnaround schools not meeting the expectations outlined in No Child Left Behind.
Chaparral is now looking to clean up its reputation, touching every aspect of the school from restrooms to test scores.
Changes weren’t received well by students who openly protested the cuts to faculty and the new order that banned the use of cell phones and music players during the school day.
Under stricter rules, tardy students are locked out of classrooms, bathroom breaks during class time aren’t allowed and the lunch hour was pushed back to 1:40 p.m.
Superintendent Dwight Jones told students he’s not settling for half successes.
“Right now, 50 percent of the kids in this school don’t graduate high school. Is that acceptable to you? Think about that. Right now, some of the friends that you’re with aren’t going to graduate. Is that OK? That’s unacceptable to me. I think you guys ought to kick all of us out.”
- Year built:
- 1971
- Mascot:
- Cowboys
- Principal (Year Hired):
- David Wilson (2011)
- Enrollment:
- Approximately 2,250
- School Report Card:
- 2010-2011
Compiled by Gregan Wingert
Taylor Bern can be reached at 948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Taylor on Twitter at twitter.com/taylorbern.
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