Armwood heading to Vegas

Posted Aug 25, 2011 by Bill Ward

Updated Aug 25, 2011 at 09:53 PM

Approximately 75 Armwood players, coaches, support staff and school administrators are on their way to Las Vegas for a game that means nothing, yet means a lot: Friday’s nationally-televised (ESPN2) game against nine-time Nevada state champion Bishop Gorman.

No, it’s not a district game. But it’s a showdown of two teams ranked in the top 10 nationally by MaxPreps, with Armwood holding the No. 2 spot and Gorman No. 7. If Armwood wins, the Hawk could have an argument for being No. 1, currently held by New Jersey’s Don Bosco Prep.

The Hawks had a pep band parade them through the school Friday afternoon en route to two buses that took them to Tampa International Airport, where they managed to get everyone on to the same Southwest Airlines flight. Unfortunately, it wasn’t a direct flight, and the squad is currently waiting out a delay in Nashville, Tenn. Barring further delays, they are suppose to arrive in Las Vegas around midnight Tampa time.

Speaking by phone from Nashville, Hawks assistant coach Luis Varella says the players are trying to kill time until their connecting flight there is ready. He says some coaches and players were so bored, they resported to playing Brickbreaker and Angry Birds on his phone. Defensive coordinator Matt Thompson said he was relaxing at the airport in one f his favorite places, Starbucks.

The Hawks are looking sharp in their blue polos. And defensive lineman Lonzel Davis is rocking a pair of dice and his nickname “Big Pook” painted on his head. Wait’ll private school Gorman players get a load of that and his chiseled 6-foot-2, 200-pound frame, or any of Armwood massive offensive linemen.

The Hawks were suppose to hold some team meetings in Las Vegas but their late arrival there could change that. Stay tuned to TBO.com for exclusive updates on the Hawks’ trip.