Members of the Sierra Vista High football team pose for a photo at the Las Vegas Sun’s high school football media day July 20, 2016 at the South Point. They include, from left, Lopaka Kolone, Chevy Eliu, and Damaen Bentley.
Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2016 | 2:42 p.m.
Prep Sports Now
Football: There is no close second
Las Vegas Sun sports editors Ray Brewer and Case Keefer ring in the start of football season by discussing some of the valley's top storylines and teams, like Bishop Gorman, Liberty, Arbor View and Desert Pines.
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Not many high school football teams in Las Vegas have this luxury.
Sierra Vista, coming off a three-win campaign in 2015, returns nearly 20 seniors and feels that leadership could lead to a successful season this fall.
“We have kids who have been in the program for four years,” Mountain Lions coach John Foss said. “The kids have been awesome so far. They know what’s expected of them.”
More important, because the players have been together for so many seasons, there’s a strong bond. They genuinely care for each other.
“The bonding was great,” linebacker Chevy Eliu said of the team’s trip for summer camp. “The teamwork was inevitable. ...We really have our goals set out this year and are focused on teamwork to get as many wins as possible.”
Sierra Vista’s defense will be a strength. Led by linebackers Lopaka Kolone (5-foot-11, 220-pounds) and Eliu, and defensive tackle Isaiah Palelei (5-foot-11, 280-pounds), the Mountain Lions plan to be hard-hitting, Kolone said.
“The kids have been in the system for three or four years,” Foss said. “They know the system.”
Oscar Aliaga, who passed for 1,100 yards and nine touchdowns last season, returns to lead the offense. Damaen Bentley will receive plenty of carries out of the backfield.
Sierra Vista opens the season Friday by hosting Moapa Valley — the same school that knocked them out of the playoffs last season.
Much has changed since then. Sierra Vista was promoted to the 4A classification in the summer along with Clark and Spring Valley, and Foss feels his team can win games in the new league.
“We are real excited about moving up a division,” he said. “We think our conference will be competitive.”
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
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