Bishop Gorman running back Micah Kaapana (22) carries the ball against Liberty during the Class 5A Southern Region final at Liberty High School in Henderson, Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.
Thursday, June 29, 2023 | 2 a.m.
A preseason high school football poll released this week by MaxPreps has defending state champion Bishop Gorman ranked as the No. 2 team in the nation.
USA Today will release its rankings in a few weeks, and Gorman will likely be in the Top 10.
Gaels coach Brent Browner is humbled by the respect his program has received nationally, but he also realizes it’s still June and no games have been played. The season starts in mid-August.
“We are lucky and blessed to have the ranking,” the coach said. “The kids have been working hard. But the rankings don’t really matter until the end of the year. Either way, you have to play the games.”
And those games will be a challenge, as Gorman has four contests against top national opponents to open the season. The biggest challenge will come Sept. 1 against visiting Miami Central of Florida, ranked No. 5 in MaxPreps’ preseason poll and whose roster is loaded with Division I prospects, Browner said.
Gorman also plays at Corner Canyon of Utah (Aug. 18), at Long Beach Poly of California (Aug. 25) and plays host to No. 15 Centennial Corona of California (Sept. 8).
“Those are going to be fun nights,” Browner said of the schedule.
Gorman also has a star-studded roster, including Michigan-committed running back Micah Kaapana, who rushed for 1,001 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. In the state championship game, he had five long touchdowns — on the only five times he touched the ball.
Gorman also returns four-year starter Micah Alejado, the reigning state player of the year and a Hawaii-commit, at quarterback. Alejado passed for 3,575 yards and 54 touchdowns with only two interceptions last season, when Gorman finished in the top five nationally with 14-1 record.
The Gaels’ lone loss was to Mater Dei of California, 24-21, in the second week of the season. MaxPreps ranks Mater Dei as No. 1 in the preseason poll.
Gorman and Mater Dei were scheduled to renew their rivalry this season, but the game was canceled after the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association realignment limited the number of schools’ nonleague games.
Gorman, if it wins out, will be in contention to be the mythical national champion. The program had that honor for three consecutive seasons through 2016.
“The kids are humbled to be in this position. They are working hard to make the most of it,” Browner said.
Gorman’s ‘Coach K’ returns
to girls basketball team
Bishop Gorman’s girls basketball program is bringing back a familiar coach to lead the team.
Sheryl Krmpotich, who led the program to state championships from 2006 to 2010, is returning to the Gaels’ bench, school officials said Tuesday. Affectionately called “Coach K,” Krmpotich amassed 500 wins over 18 years as head coach through the 2016 season.
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