Gorman’s Loyd, Silverado’s Richard net top honors

Johnathan Loyd and Taylor Richard made their athletic achievements look easy as high school seniors.

Loyd authored a historic year in football, basketball and track at Bishop Gorman, and Richard stood out in girls volleyball, soccer and track at Silverado.

But it was an uncommon competitive drive underneath the surface that enabled each to excel in three sports, win state championships and secure college scholarships.

They now share another distinction, having been named the Las Vegas Review-Journal’s High School athletes of the year.

Loyd, who has signed to play basketball at Oregon, enjoyed a year that ranks among the best in state history. He chalked it up to his competitive nature.

“When I get into a head-to-head battle,” Loyd said, “I always think I’m going to pull it out. I’m a competitor.”

Loyd was an integral component of Class 4A state title teams in football and basketball, overshadowing a state track meet appearance in the 800-meter relay.

The 5-foot-9-inch, 170-pound Loyd carved out a college future as a point guard, providing a stabilizing influence as a pass-first floor general.

But he was electric enough in football as a defensive back and return specialist to draw a scholarship offer from UNLV.

Despite early objections from his father for fear of injury, Loyd went out for football. He went on to earn first-team all-state honors as a kick returner, bringing back six kicks or punts for touchdowns, as the Gaels (15-0) romped to their second state title in three years.

“It was tough when I first came out because my dad didn’t want me to play, so I kind of had to go against what he was saying,” Loyd said. “But I didn’t think anything was going to happen, so I just decided to play.

“I thought I was going to return some (for touchdowns), but I didn’t think I’d have the success that I did.”

Loyd made a smooth transition to the hardwood, where he averaged 14.1 points, 8.2 assists and 3.3 steals to help Gorman (30-2) win its second consecutive state crown and finish No. 10 in USA Today’s national rankings.

“You come from a winning season, and you jump into another winning season,” said Loyd, who was named Nevada player of the year in boys basketball by the Review-Journal and Gatorade. “You just want to win all the time.”

Loyd then ran the third leg on Gorman’s 800 relay team, which took second at the Sunset Region meet in 1 minute, 28.72 seconds and finished sixth in the state at 1:30.21.

If Loyd could have played more than three sports, he might have done so.

“I had to stop him from going in and getting on the wrestling mat during basketball season,” Gaels basketball coach and athletic director Grant Rice said with a laugh. “He’d go in there and mess with the (wrestling) guys.”

But Loyd has never questioned his true love: basketball.

“That’s the one I love and have a passion for,” he said. “I do the other (sports) for fun, to help the team and be with my friends. Basketball is what I’m trying to make a living at.”

Richard also enjoyed wire-to-wire success from August to May.

As an outside hitter in volleyball, Richard was the driving force behind a Skyhawks team that went 14-0 in Southeast League play and went on to win the 4A state championship.

Richard had 19 kills in a 3-1 victory over rival Green Valley in the state final. She was named 4A State Player of the Year by the Review-Journal, and eventually signed with Western Michigan.

Richard said she’ll most remember the season for how Silverado rallied from a 3-2 loss to Green Valley in the Sunrise Region final to capture its first state crown since 2007.

“Probably the chemistry we developed after we lost,” she said. “We were so sick of each other after regionals, it was crazy, but we became so much more of a team.”

Richard then moved on to soccer, taking on a starring role at midfielder. She earned All-Sunrise and All-Southeast honors to help the Skyhawks (15-3-1) reach the Sunrise title game, where they lost 2-1 in overtime to Coronado.

Finally, Richard went out for track for the first time, figuring the high jump could help improve her vertical leap for college volleyball.

She did more than just train, eventually tying for fourth in the high jump at the Sunrise meet at 4 feet, 8 inches, and finishing one spot short of clinching a state berth.

Like Loyd, Richard relied on talent and athleticism to reach great heights, literally and figuratively, as a senior.

Also like Loyd, though, her mental makeup had just as much to do with her success, said Silverado volleyball coach Jennifer Boeddeker.

“When you have the competitive mindset that Taylor has, the time you’re not doing something competitive is almost scary,” Boeddeker said. “She maintains a competitive edge in everything she does.”