Las Vegas pride at the All-American Bowl

By Ray Brewer (contact), Adelaide Chen

Published Friday, Jan. 2, 2015 | 2 a.m.

Updated Friday, Jan. 2, 2015 | 11:05 a.m.

Las Vegas will again be well-represented in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl high school football game and marching band on Saturday at the Alamodome in San Antonio. There's a chance the halftime show, which features one mellophone player from Clark High, might not be televised, but the live show will be streamed online.

The game, which features 90 of the nation’s top players, and about 100 band members, will be televised at 10 a.m. on NBC (local channel 3). But it’s more than a game — there’s a marching band performance at halftime comprised of high school seniors who have excelled musically and scholastically, football players do community service during a week of preparation and activities, and it’s heavily covered by national media. The U.S. Army has officials involved in each step of the process.

"It's a tribute to the students, the staff, the support of the army, and everyone that's involved in doing this of how amazing this comes out, it really is," said Staff Sergeant Brandon Boron of Las Vegas. "It's really a tribute to the students, really, in the end, whether they be athletes or musicians that really just make this a phenomenal show."

Here’s a primer to get you ready:

Las Vegas participants include: Two football players from Bishop Gorman High — safety Nicco Fertitta and tight end Alize Jones — will play for the West team; Abigail Miller, a drum major from Clark High who plays the mellophone; and Staff Sergeant Brandon Boron, guitarist and vocalist with The U.S. Army Field Band rock ensemble The Volunteers, will perform as part of the week's events; the band members will also mentor the rhythm section as they did last year.

Past Las Vegas participants include: Last year, UNLV coach Tony Sanchez (formerly of Bishop Gorman) was the coach of the West team. Running back Nate Starks, who played at Gorman as a sophomore and junior, also was part of last year’s game. In 2006, Gorman product DeMarco Murray, now with the Dallas Cowboys and one the NFL’s best running backs, also played. He committed to Oklahoma during the game.

Representing Las Vegas:

• Credit: U.S. Dept. of Defense

  Name: Staff Sergeant Brandon Boron, 43

  How long he's been in the military: Eight years. "I've never looked back. It's such a phenomenal career...and I plan on doing it until I retire."

  School: University of Massachusetts, Lowell (majored in music), former UNLV full-time biology student (prerequisites for medical school), he joined the military while living in Las Vegas.

  Role at event: SSG Boron will perform for participants as part of The Volunteers, a music ensemble of the The U.S. Army Field Band which plays classic rock, hip hop, country, bluegrass, patriotic – both originals as well as covers. "Part of what we do is reach out and engage communities around the country really. We play for a huge diverse audience. One day, we're playing for predominantly high school kids, teenagers, the next day we might be performing for an older crowd, veterans, veterans hospitals," he said. The Volunteers will attend marching band rehearsals and give advice and mentor the rhythm section as they did last year.

  Family: His father is an Air Force Veteran Major serving from 1964 to 1985, both parents retired in Las Vegas near Summerlin, brother lives in Las Vegas, reasons SSG Boron calls himself a “Nevada surrogate” as he spends more than 100 days a year on the road.

  Notable: SSG Boron toured in Iraq for one year in 2010 and performed with the 1st Armored Division Band in Bagdad for Vice President Joe Biden.

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  Credit: All-American Games

  Name: Abigail Miller, 17

  School: The Clark High senior was one of three drum majors on the marching band this school year. Was she bummed not to be selected as drum major for All-American? "I am not sad at all. I'm enjoying interacting with my section and not have that pressure," she said. The brass section consists of eight high school seniors, about twice the size of this year's marching band at Clark High. Next fall, Miller will attend the University of Alabama as an honors student with an undeclared major.

  Role at event: Mellophonist in the All-American Marching Band, the only Nevada representative, last year there were three from the state.

  Family: Younger brother Jed is a freshman at Clark High, both participated in marching band this season, he's a cellist who joined the percussion section; parents are heavily involved in supporting band and other school music activities; father videotaped Abigail’s audition tape, part of which was in front of the famous Las Vegas sign. He says since she got her start at Hyde Park Middle School, he’s seen “how she has grown through music in the last six years. It’s just wonderful how well the school district invests in the their music program.”

  Notable: Abigail also performed with UNLV’s french horn choir, known as the High Desert Horns last summer, plays with the Las Vegas Youth Philharmonic; is a two-time district honor band participant, and once in the all-state orchestra. Still, the All-American Marching Band is a challenge as the students have one week, about 24 hours of practice, to learn a halftime show.

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  Credit: All-American Games

  Name: Nicco Fertitta, 18

  School: The Bishop Gorman High senior is as four-year varsity performer. He was a first-team all-state selection in 2014, helping Gorman go undefeated to win its sixth straight state championship. He’s verbally committed to Notre Dame.

  Role at event: Safety on the West team.

  Family: Older brother, Lorenzo Jr., is a redshirt freshman defensive back at Villanova.

  Notable: Fertitta is one of five committed to Notre Dame playing in Saturday’s game.

  Fertitta and Jones, who led Gorman to a sixth straight state championship, close their high school careers in the game. Here’s more on their week in San Antonio.

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  Credit: All-American Games

  Name: Alize Jones, 17

  School: The Bishop Gorman High senior, who is verbally committed to UCLA but still considering other schools, is the nation’s No. 1 ranked tight end by scouting service Rivals.com. He caught 41 passes for 930 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2014, helping Gorman win the mythical national championship.

  Role at event: Tight end on the West team.

  Notable: Jones missed the state championship game in early December with an ankle injury and has been slowed this week during practices for the All-American game. Tuesday, he said he plans on playing Saturday.

  Fertitta and Jones, who led Gorman to a sixth straight state championship, close their high school careers in the game. Here’s more on their week in San Antonio.