SOUTHERN NEVADA LACROSSE ASSOCIATION DIVISION I

The Team to Beat: Palo Verde

After leading Bonanza to three straight league titles, Gary Campo has taken over the program at Palo Verde and brought former Centennial head coach Darren Gagnon with him to be his assistant. Campo and Gagnon inherit a team that returns seven starters -- including two on attack, two in the midfield and two on defense -- from the squad that advanced to the SNLA Division I championship game last season.

Palo Verde hasn't won the Las Vegas championship since the league's inaugural season in 2001, and this year they have the guns to bring home the title for the first time in almost a decade. Junior middie Jordan Grant, senior goalie Connor DeVane, senior defenseman Johnny Nitti, senior middie JoJo Milosevic and senior middie Malik Matthews all helped lead the Panthers to the title game last season, and all are back.

Joining them will be a key transfer, Vermont-bound senior attackman Mike Quinn, who has come over Faith Lutheran and will give Palo Verde a huge boost.

Contenders: Centennial, Bonanza

Centennial hasn’t won the league title since 2006, but the Bulldogs have their best team in some time. Centennial graduated just three seniors, and only two of them started. Among the Bulldogs' eight returning starters, they bring back all three attackmen, two first-line middies and all three defensemen.

The Bulldogs will be led by junior defenseman/long-stick middie Michael Morse, junior attackman-middie Harrison Krueger, junior defenseman Tyler Zaffuto, senior attackman Brandon Krowicki, sophomore attackman-middie Blake Krowicki and junior attackman Cody Milligan.

Three-time defending league champion Bonanza has a new coaching staff and graduated four senior starters. But those were four major impact players. The Bengals won’t be out of it, though, because they bring back six starters, including all three on defense. Junior attackman Mason Garrett, senior defenseman Chaz Rapp, senior middie Dakota Barrix and junior defenseman Dylan Davidson will lead this year’s team.

Sleeper: Henderson

There is a new coaching staff in place at Henderson, which will field two varsity teams this year because it is replete with players. The Cougars went just 3-10 last season, but one of those wins was a stunner over eventual league champion Bonanza.

If junior middies Jet Harding and Brandon Knudson can help Henderson recapture its form from that game, the Cougars could surprise this season. And freshman middie-attackman Kieran Eissler is primed to be one of Las Vegas’ next big stars.

NCAA Division I Recruits: Mike Quinn, Att.-MF, Palo Verde (Vermont).

When he takes the field next spring, Quinn will be just the second male product from Southern Nevada Lacrosse Association to suit up for an NCAA Division I program.

Other Top Players: Dakota Barrix, MF, Bonanza; Andrew Bustamante, Def., Legacy; Joey Bustamante, MF, Legacy; Doug Calder, MF, Legacy; Jacob Connell, Def., Faith Lutheran; Dylan Davidson, Def., Bonanza; Connor DeVane, G, Palo Verde; Kieran Eissler, MF-Att., Henderson; Nick Forte, Att., Legacy; Mason Garrett, Att., Bonanza; Jordan Grant, MF, Palo Verde; Jet Harding, MF, Henderson; Brandon Knudson, MF, Henderson; Blake Krowicki, Att.-MF, Centennial; Brandon Krowicki, Att., Centennial; Harrison Krueger, Att.-MF, Centennial; Miles Joyce, MF, Faith Lutheran; Malik Matthews, MF, Palo Verde; Cody Milligan, Att., Centennial; JoJo Milosevic, MF, Palo Verde (Mesa State); Michael Morse, Def./LSM, Centennial; Johnny Nitti, Def., Palo Verde (Mesa State); Chaz Rapp, Def., Bonanza; Matt Smith, G, Faith Lutheran; Tyler Tuitama, G, Legacy; Tyler Zaffuto, Def., Centennial.

Preseason Top 6: 1. Palo Verde, 2. Centennial, 3. Bonanza, 4. Henderson, 5. Faith Lutheran, 6. Legacy

Notes: Former assistant coach James Gravitt has taken over at Faith Lutheran, which is mourning the loss of former head coach Richard Fiore, who passed away on Thanksgiving. Gravitt inherits a team that returns eight starters and graduated just four seniors. Faith Lutheran returns all three of its starting defensemen from last season, as well as two players from the attack, two first-line middies and a standout goalie....Of all the Las Vegas teams, Legacy has the most rebuilding to do. The Longhorns graduated 11 seniors and bring back two starters in senior goalie Tyler Tuitama and junior attackman Nick Forte.