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Skies are bright and the temperature is cooling in Las Vegas.
By the time Saint Louis and three-time national champion Bishop Gorman take Fertitta Field tonight, it will have been nearly two years since the Crusaders played an official football game.
“The weather has surprised me the most. I thought it was going to be super hot, but it doesn’t feel too bad,” senior defensive back Kona Moore said on Thursday.
True enough, temperatures dipped into the 70s overnight on Thursday, but are expected back in the mid-90s by game time. Smoke from California wildfires was visible in Las Vegas during the week, but Bishop Gorman’s campus is 13 miles south-southwest of the Strip. It has been clear skies so far.
“I’m just glad. I’m happy we’ve got a game going. I’m happy we’ve got the ILH schedule, so it’s really, really positive for the kids, having a season and it’s a go,” Saint Louis coach Ron Lee said. “Gorman’s solid, always one of the top teams in the country. We’re anxious to see how we play. We’ve got some really good players, too.”
The Gaels are loaded with talent since losing to rival Liberty in the 2019 Nevada state final. That same year, Saint Louis defeated Bishop Gorman 31-19 at Aloha Stadium. This fall the Gaels are ranked No. 12 by MaxPreps.
Saint Louis is unranked but stoked by its most experienced position group, the offensive line.
“I feel great as always. Legendary, to be exact,” offensive lineman Jonah Savaiinaea said.
That could be a reference to the late Matt Faga, who coached linemen across Oahu year-round. Faga’s motto was, “Why be great when you can be legendary?”
“I’m blessed for the opportunity to play in front of fans and with my brothers. We’re not only representing Saint Louis. We’re repping the whole state of Hawaii as well,” Savaiinaea said.
La‘akea Kapoi, a commit to San Diego State; center Ethan Spencer (Hawaii); and Savaiinaea (Arizona) are the trench men with the most experience on a formidable offensive line. The group was bolstered by recent additions, including junior Iapani “Poncho” Laloulu, a 6-foot-3, 350-pound transfer from Farrington.
Quarterback AJ Bianco, like Lee, is playing the waiting game with a low-key approach.
“It was good today. We feel good. Confident,” the senior said Wednesday night after practice.
“AJ’s been with us three years. Now it’s his turn,” Lee said of the 6-foot-4, 220-pound senior. “AJ’s doing a good job. I’m anxious to see all of these guys play. Receivers, new running backs. We lost almost all our starters.”
Spectators will be admitted to Fertitta Field and the game will be streamed on the NFHS website, subscription required.
“It should be pretty good-sized,” said Bianco, whose parents are among those who made the trip.
Bianco has an unproven corps of pass catchers to work with. The Bishop Gorman secondary boasts four of the top five defensive backs in Las Vegas Valley, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“They’re really good. A lot of talent, a lot of speed. They’re ranked high for a reason. They’re going to give us a good battle,” Bianco said. “We haven’t played in a couple of years. The seniors didn’t have their junior year, the juniors didn’t have their sophomore year. We’re obviously grateful that we’re even playing a game. We’re blessed to have this opportunity.”
Lee became head coach for the 2020-21 season when his brother, Cal, stepped down. While Cal Lee remains the defensive coordinator, Ron has steered the program through a global pandemic. He finally gets a game tonight.
“We’ll find out who our players are when the lights go on. That’s what these games are for, to see. The big thing is they’re getting to play after waiting so long. Most of them are from the JV,” Lee said. “We’ve had some really good practices against each other, but we haven’t had a game since 2019.”
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