Bishop Manogue Miners Season Preview
Updated: Aug. 2, 2024
By: J. Ray Dockter
We are two weeks away from the start of the high school football season in the Silver State and I couldn't be more excited. Over the next few weeks, I'll be previewing many teams from our local area as well as a few other surprises, before getting into football season full swing on Aug. 16th when the first games kickoff. Today's team: Bishop Manogue.
Bishop Manogue Miners
Head Coach: Ernie Howren, eighth season at Manogue (59-22 overall, 31-5 league in seven seasons at Manogue; 205-75 overall, 106-24 league in 22 seasons total)
Previous Season Record: 10-2 overall, 5-0 league; NIAA 2023 5A-II State Champions.
Overview: For the Miners of Bishop Manogue last season was a storybook ending. This was the vision for the school when they hired head coach Ernie Howren away from Reed.
The Miners delivered a season for the ages last year as they saw Howren earn his first state championship victory in his seventh try. "It was a relief, complete joy, lots of excitement - like finally getting the monkey off my back, it started to weigh on me a little bit after so long and coming up short so many times, it was truly special when the kids said 'that's for you'" said Howren when I interviewed him for this piece last month. It was also the school's first title since they went back-to-back in 2002 and 20023. Howren also went over 200 career victories last season, finishing the season with 205 and placing his name squarely in Northern Nevada coaching lore with his mentors Ken Dalton (228) and Joe Sellers (250) within striking distance if he continues to coach for the next five years or longer as he's previously indicated. Howren continued on saying "if you think we have arrived - we haven't yet, we are still trending up. See us in five years."
The outlook for this season's group of Miners is simple, Howren stated "we want to win, our goal is to win league, region, and state." Howren continued on saying "[It's] a new year, we [the coaching staff] keep telling the kids it's a new year - make your own story." Manogue has had great success the past few seasons because their program is all about winning for each other. As a coaching staff and a program Manogue leans on their foundation of hard work for the last twenty-five years.
The Miners look to return a plethora of contributors from last season and also received an infusion of talent, now with possibly four D-I guys on their roster. Look for the Miners to reload this season as they have welcomed a handful of transfers/freshmen into their program that will be looked at to infuse some juice into the program this coming season. If Manogue is going to repeat as state champions this season they'll do a lot of their work on the road and away from their campus as they are only scheduled to have three home games. Howren dubbed them "[The] Road Warriors" for this upcoming season.
Speaking of 'Road Warriors' the Miners stretch of road opponents begins Aug. 30th at Rocklin and goes all the way until Sep. 20th at Spanish Springs. It could be referred to as a 'Murderer's Row' and is probably the toughest stretch of games any team in our area will face all season. This includes a game against Pittsburg (Calif.) who is rumored to have five 'Power 4' players on their team this season, as well as a road game against Central Catholic (Modesto, Calif.) who snuck out a 16-7 road victory against the Miners last season in Reno.
Howren called the offensive line the strength of his team and "the biggest thing we are excited about" headed into fall camp, they average 6-foot-4, 269 pounds along their starting front. He was quick to point out that the unit is lead by three-year starter LT Jackson Ramsey (6-foot-4, 280), and two-year starters C Matt Harrington (6-foot-3, 290), G Kole Cronin (6-foot-6, 240). The group also welcomes Junior G Heuston Kolvet (6-foot-2, 240) and RT Max Zuro (6-foot-6, 295) to the group this season as projected starters. In my opinion I can see why Howren is excited about that group headed into this season.
Battle to watch during fall camp: Howren reports three-way battle at quarterback headed into fall camp as Caden Evans, Grady Montoya and Brandon Mann will battle for the right to lead the first team offense on to the field two weeks from now.
Seniors to watch:
TE Vince Clark: Clark, a 6-foot-6 physical beast who weighs in at 225 pounds, is expected to be a tone setter and great blocker for Bishop Manogue this season. He is the latest in a growing list of Bishop Manogue Tight Ends who dominated in high school and are on Division-I rosters right now. Howren said "we've been blessed with really good tight ends in our time here and Vince is next in line." Howren continued on saying "His knowledge of the scheme is unmatched. He's great and he'll be a bigger option in the passing game this season."
TE/DT/LS Cian Stack: Reports a full ride offer from Nevada with many more to come this season due in large part to his ability as a long snapper. Recently selected to the Army All-American Bowl as one of the Top 12 Long Snappers in the country. Multi-sport athlete who has accumulated 111 Tackles, 25.5 TFL, 12.5 Sacks and Two Forced Fumbles in three years on varsity.
WR Dulin Hukari: Described as a hard worker in the weight room, leader on and off the field, and someone who is bought into having a great season this year. Howren said "We expect big things from him this season."
DB/RB Pele Masina: A three-year starter at defensive back who has gotten better each year. He will be looked at for senior leadership this season. He is described as "super athletic" and has a chance to be a FBS guy when it's all said and done. Will also see time at running back for the Miners this season.
Seniors Nate Shannon (RB), Marley Spuhler (LB), and Josh Zarcone (LB) were all singled out by Howren as players to watch for the Miners this season. Howren said "Shannon is a threat to score from anywhere on the field and will be a difference maker for us this season." He also said "[Spuhler] is an animal on the field, a physical team first guy." Lastly, Zarcone was identified as "someone who has waited for his time and will be a difference maker for us."
New Blood:
QB Brandon Mann, Junior: Mann, a 6-foot-2, 205 pound three-star recruit, transferred into Bishop Manogue this year to be the next great signal caller of the Miners. Last season at St. Ignatius Prep in San Francisco, Calif. he was described as a "big arm, who can throw deep down the field with a tight spiral." He also displayed "[a] quick release, and velocity" at his previous stop in San Jose, Calif. at Leland HS, where he started as a freshman. Look for him to be a playmaker this season for the Miners as he is the presumptive starter headed into the season opener against Damonte Ranch.
DB/WR Joey Thomas III, Junior: Thomas, a three-star recruit, transferred into Bishop Manogue's program (from Kennedy Catholic in Burien, Washington) this past offseason when his father was hired to coach DBs at the University of Nevada on Coach Choate's staff. Thomas is rumored to have seven scholarship offers to date and 247sports lists him as a Top-400 national recruit. His preference is to play DB at the next level as his father is a former NFL player.
WR Demari Stacker, Freshman: Stacker was described to me as "[a] physical specimen, who is a day one starter - his development is unmatched." He has drawn comparisons to Courtney Gardner for his athleticism and Devin Gray for his ability to run routes. He is a "legacy" player for Coach Howren as his father played for Howren at Reed many years ago. It has been rumored that he has an (unofficial) offer from the school on N. Virginia as of this post.
Quoteworthy: Bishop Manogue Head Coach Ernie Howren "We haven't changed anything in our approach - we are still just as hungry. We are working hard. This team, this group of individuals hasn't achieved anything yet as a team - that's our mindset. We keep asking our kids 'How do we get there again?'"
Season Schedule:
Aug. 16 at Damonte Ranch
Aug. 24 vs. St. Mary's (Stockton, Calif.)
Aug. 30 at Rocklin (Calif.)
Sep. 6 at Pittsburg (Pittsburg, Calif.)
Sep. 13 at Central Catholic (Modesto, Calif.)
Sep. 20 at Spanish Springs
Sep. 27 vs. McQueen
Oct. 4 at Reed
Oct. 18 vs. Reno
Oct. 24 at Douglas
J. Ray Dockter has been covering high school sports since 2022. If you have a story worth telling, let him know via Twitter @J_RayDoc.
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