Blog: Kickoff return for TD not enough, as Gorman comes up short in opener, 28-21

By Ray Brewer (contact)

Published Friday, Aug. 23, 2013 | 6 p.m.

Updated Friday, Aug. 23, 2013 | 9:34 p.m.

Bishop Gorman High never led today in its season opener against visiting Mountain Pointe in the Sollenberger Classic, falling 28-21 to the Phoenix school.

Gorman twice trailed by 14 points, but each time quickly erased the deficit. Daniel Stewart returned a kickoff for a touchdown for Gorman's final points with five minutes to play, but Gorman never got the ball back.

Randall Cunningham II rushed and passed for a touchdown in his first start.

Check back later for more.

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Cunningham leads Gorman on long touchdown drive, keeping it close

Bishop Gorman and Mountain Pointe have traded touchdowns in the third quarter of the Sollenberger Classic.

Gorman's score kept the game within reach at 21-14.

Trailing 21-7, Randall Cunningham scored on a short touchdown run to trim the deficit to seven points. He drove Gorman nearly the length of the field, including 33-yard run.

Mountain Pointe took a two-touchdown lead on Paul Lucas' second touchdown of the game, a 39-yard run midway through the third.

Gorman has forced four turnovers. The fourth was a fumble recovery near the end of the third quarter to give Gorman the ball in Mountain Pointe territory.

This game won't be decided until the end.

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Gorman picks up pace on offense but trails at the half

The Bishop Gorman football team will have to erase a halftime deficit to win its season opener against Phoenix's Mountain Pointe in the Sollenberger Classic.

Mountain Pointe's Timmy Hernandez caught a 19-yard touchdown with 8 seconds before halftime to give the Pride a 14-7 lead.

Mountain Pointe scored on a long touchdown run on its first play from scrimmage for an early 7-0 lead and limited Gorman to 30 first-quarter yards.

But Gorman's offense picked up the pace in the second quarter. After Nick Gates recovered a fumble deep in Gorman territory for the Gaels second forced turnover of the game, Randall Cunningham led them on their lone scoring drive of the game.

Senior Obim Okeke's catch-and-run for 48 yards evened the game at 7. He raced down the sideline and stiff-armed a defender to fight his way for the score.

In the other game of the night, Faith Lutheran is losing to visiting Parker Lutheran of Colorado, 21-7, early in the third quarter.

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Interception among few highlights for Gorman, as offense remains stagnant

In an otherwise sluggish first quarter for the Bishop Gorman High football team, Terrance Chambers helped grab some much-needed momentum for the Gaels on the quarter's last play.

Chambers jumped high to intercept a pass on the Gorman 4-yard line to halt a Mountain Pointe scoring drive. Still, Gorman trails 7-0 after one.

The Gaels had 12 plays for just 30 yards in the quarter with Randall Cunningham completing 1 of 3 passes for just one yard. Gorman punted three times and had just one first down.

Gorman went three-and-out on its initial drive of the second quarter. Keep everyone posted.

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Bishop Gorman off to rocky start against Mountain Pointe

The Bishop Gormam High football team is struggling in the first quarter of its season opener against Mountain Pointe of Phoenix.

The host Gaels have gone three-and-out on their initial two offensive possessions. Meanwhile, Mountain Pointe needed just one play to score.

Senior Paul Lucas rushed for a 48-yard touchdown on the first Mountain Pointe play, outracing the Gorman defense down the sideline for a score.

Randall Cunningham II has been shaky, misfiring low on his first two passes. He also has two carries for seven yards.

Check back for more later.

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Friday night roundup: Bishop Gorman, Faith Lutheran are the first LV schools to start season

Let the games begin.

The high school football season officially starts tonight in Las Vegas with a pair of local teams hosting out-of-state opponents.

Faith Lutheran and its first-year coach Vernon Fox will take on Parker Lutheran of Colorado, and four-time defending state champion Bishop Gorman battles visiting Mountain Pointe of Phoenix in the Sollenberger Classic.

Both area teams should look different offensively than last season.

Fox, a former standout running back at Cimarron-Memorial High, will attempt to achieve offensive balance with more focus on the running game. Previously, Faith Lutheran’s offense was pass-heavy.

At Gorman, which is ranked No. 21 by USA Today, there is much curiosity as to how the Gaels offense will look with a new quarterback under center.

Senior Randall Cunningham II, the son of the NFL and UNLV legend, brings the ability to dominate with his rushing and passing skills. He takes over for Anu Solomon, Gorman’s starter the past four seasons.

The 6-foot-5, 185-pound Cunningham, who is being courted by major Division I schools such as LSU and Baylor, is super-athletic with a 4.6-second time in the 40-yard dash. But this is his first start — a big reason for that curiosity.

Gorman must also replace a pair of Division I wide receivers and a four-star running back no longer with the program.

Speculation and preseason questions will soon be answered. I will keep everyone posted on both games all night.

BREWER’S PREDICTION: I’ll take the local team in both games. Faith Lutheran beat Parker Lutheran last year in Colorado, and there's no reason to believe the Summerlin school won't defend its home turf today. ... Gorman makes a statement with a three-touchdown victory. The Gaels are huge on both lines and should be able to push around Mountain Pointe. More important, Gorman players are motivated to make a statement on national television. I watched Gorman practice this week and it felt like a mid-October practice. They are ready.

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