Las Vegas Review-Journal (Sunday)
Best of Nevada Preps awards banquet honors top athletes in 24 sports
Chaparral’s Nelson acknowledged for his courage
Five years ago, Richard Nelson couldn’t have imagined getting an ovation from a crowd of more than 1,000 at an awards banquet.
Then a seventh-grader, Nelson was battling depression after moving from Raymore, Missouri, with his siblings to live with his paternal grandmother in Las Vegas.
Determined to earn an athletic scholarship, Nelson achieved that and much more.
The Chaparral senior football player was honored with the Courage Award at Saturday’s Best of Nevada Preps awards banquet at Red Rock Resort. More than 1,000 people attended the inaugural banquet, which honored the top athletes in Nevada in 24 sports.
“No way,” Nelson said. “I didn’t even expect to get an award like this. I don’t even know what I’m feeling right now. This is just great.”
Nelson helped the Cowboys advance to the Division I-A state semifinals last year and signed a national letter of intent to play football at Missouri State University.
It was a long road from a move five years ago when Nelson left his mother, who was battling a drug addiction. Now sober, Roxanne Bruce rejoined her son and his siblings in Las Vegas in 2013 and has witnessed his journey.
Nelson’s grandmother was in attendance Saturday.
“She has been with me through the ups and downs, and it’s such a good feeling to have her here,” Nelson said.
Nelson was one of six major award winners Saturday.
Bishop Gorman junior football standout Biaggio Ali Walsh, grandson of boxing legend Muhammad Ali, was named Male Athlete of the Year on the day after the death of the former world heavyweight champion.
“I just want to dedicate this award to a very special person, not just to me, but to the whole world, and that’s my grandfather,” Ali Walsh said.
Centennial junior Karina Haymore, who won the Division I state cross country meet and the 800-meter run in the Division I state track meet, was named Female Athlete of the Year.
Pahranagat Valley’s football team, which tied a national record when it finished the season with its 93rd straight win in 8-man football, was named Team of the Year.
Karen Weitz, who led Centennial’s girls basketball team to a Division I state title and a No. 4 national ranking by USA Today, was named Coach of the Year.
Desert Oasis senior Ron Chan won the No Limit spirit award. A boys basketball team manager, Chan, who has autism, appeared in four games this season and scored 10 points.
A list of players of the year in each sport is on Page 12C.