Sneak Peek: West Las Vegas looks to flourish under new coach
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In many ways, Patrick Rodriguez was the perfect choice to become head football coach at West Las Vegas High School. Rodriguez has spent most of his life living in Las Vegas, so he fully understands the town, the people, the…
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Continue ReadingIn many ways, Patrick Rodriguez was the perfect choice to become head football coach at West Las Vegas High School.
Rodriguez has spent most of his life living in Las Vegas, so he fully understands the town, the people, the culture and the thirst for football.
He graduated from WLV, played college football at nearby New Mexico Highlands University (2001-05), coached at rival Robertson for two years (and won two state titles), has been a WLV assistant and served three different stints on the coaching staff at NMHU.
In addition, he was the head coach at Pojoaque Valley for two seasons (2010-11).
Finally, Rodriguez coached many of WLV’s rising junior and seniors during their middle school days, including his son Patrick Rodriguez Jr. and standout rising junior (2025) quarterback C.J. Perea, who has thrown for 4,245 yards and 45 TD in his first two seasons as the Dons starting QB.
As a result, WLV’s new head coach has hit the ground running since being named to his post in January.
“When I coached these kids as seventh and eighth graders, I never thought in a million years I would have a chance to coach them as juniors and seniors,” Rodriguez told Prep Redzone New Mexico. “These kids mean a lot to me. They are a great group. I really believe in them and I think they believe in me. This was meant to be.
Rodriguez especially looks forward to working with Perea again. Possessing a stocky and powerful frame, Perea is arguably the top quarterback in Class 3A going into the 2023 season and is the key to the Dons meeting their high expectations considering most of their major contributors are back.
“I’m keeping the offense exactly the same,” Rodriguez said. “I installed this offense with C.J. and the other kids when they were eighth graders. There is no point to changing anything. I’ve always enjoyed working with C.J.
“He’s a gamer. He likes to stay in the pocket and throw the ball. He has a pass-first mentality. He will pick teams apart. He has the ability to deliver a pass that can change the course of a game. He’s willing to put the game on his shoulders.”
Perea has a powerful and accurate throwing arm and zips the ball around the field to his receivers. He completed 62 percent of his passes in his first two seasons as the Dons’ QB.
“The biggest quality he has is he is willing to take a hit,” Rodriguez said. “He will stand in the pocket, take a hit straight to the face and still deliver the pass. Offensively, that changes everything. And he can finish drives with his legs. He’s a good-sized kid but he’s fast for his size. He wears on the defense.”
Rodriguez’s offensive scheme isn’t all about throwing the ball, though. He wants to establish the run as well, and he looks to convert 6-foot-3 Jonathon Gonzales Jonathon Gonzales 6'2" | 200 lbs | DL West Las Vegas | 2025 State NM , a standout basketball player for the Dons, into a running back. He has played offensive line and defensive line on the gridiron.
“He’s so athletic and has great size,” Rodriguez said. “I have coached college running backs and I feel like he is prototypical of running backs at that level. If we can make him a little more agile, looser in the hips and more flexible, he has the speed to do it. When we’re trying to empty the box and the defense is trying to defend the perimeter, that’s when we’ll give it to him.
Rodriguez Jr. missed the second half of last season with an injury but averaged 5.6 yards per carry when he was healthy. He scored four touchdowns against Portales in Week 3 last season.
“He has the potential to change the game for us,” Rodriguez said. “If we get him back, he’s another running back who should do well.”
Speedy brothers DeVaughn Kensey (2026) and DeShaun Kensey are expected to spearhead the WLV wide receiver corps.
“They are super fast kids,” Rodriguez said. “And they can jump out of the gym. I coached their father at New Mexico Highlands many years ago during my first stint there. He was pretty good.”
Daniel Bustamante Daniel Bustamante 5'10" | 155 lbs | WR West Las Vegas | 2025 State NM , whose older brother Antonio posted consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons (2018-19) and scored 47 career TDs for WLV, should also have a role in the passing attack.
“Daniel is a stud. I think he’s faster than his brother,” Rodriguez said. “The Kensey brothers and Bustamante are definitely three guys I’m depending on.”
Pablo ‘P.J.’ Montano is a big, fast tight end who caught 23 passes for 241 yards and 1 TD in 2022. He could have a bigger presence in the Dons’ offense in 2023. Montano is running track this spring and so far has increased his speed.
“We’re fast across the board,” Rodriguez. “We have so much speed, I’m going to have fun with it.”
Defensively, rising senior LB Isaiah Ortiz Isaiah Ortiz 5'6" | LB West Las Vegas | 2024 State NM , who made 79 tackles as a sophomore in 2021, brings impressive strength and he’ll be counted on to be the leader on that side of the ball. He’s also an elite power lifter. Rodriguez Jr., Perea (LB) and Gonzales are excellent two-way players.
The key for West Las Vegas now is the convert that talent and promise into success on the field. The Dons didn’t advance past the quarterfinals of the 3A playoffs in 2021 and 2022, and were eliminated by crosstown rival Robertson two years ago.
Rodriguez pointed out the current crop of WLV leaders beat Robertson as eighth-graders, and he hopes history repeats itself in 2023.
“This group knows and believes they can win that game,” Rodriguez said. “But we have to have a great summer and a great season to beat them. I understand that. The team I’m worried about is St. Mike’s. They’re loaded. Both of us have to go through them. If I can get my talent to work hard, we’ll have a chance.”