Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Week: Bishop Gorman’s Nick Lazarski

The moment hasn’t been too big for Bishop Gorman soccer forward Nick Lazarski.

In Saturday’s 5A region final against Eldorado, Lazarski, a senior, stepped up to take a penalty shot with the game still scoreless.

Lazarski admitted he was nervous with all that was on the line.

“Of course, I was gonna feel some nerves, but I trusted myself and knew my teammates trusted me,” Lazarski said. “So I just stepped up and tried to

try to score.”

He did. Lazarski’s penalty kick goal gave the Gaels a 1-0 win over Eldorado to capture the 5A southern region title.

It was one of four goals Lazarski scored in Gorman’s three playoff wins to become the Nevada Preps Boys Athlete of the Week.

These playoffs, Lazarski has had a flair for the dramatic. He scored twice in Gorman’s 2-1 region semifinal victory in overtime against No. 1 seed Palo Verde.

But the performance Lazarski said he was most proud of came in Gorman’s 2-1 overtime win in the opening round of the playoffs against Cimarron-Memorial, in which he scored the Gaels’ first goal.

“It was windy. It was cold, but the team played well,” Lazarski said. “Especially in the second half when we were going against the wind, to only give up one goal was amazing itself.”

The Gaels, who entered the regional playoffs as the No. 5 seed, will be the No. 1 seed at this week’s 5A state tournament. They’ll face Sparks at 2 p.m. Friday at Coronado.

Lazarski said this season has been “up and down,” but he said he believes he and the Gaels are clicking at the right time.

“I don’t think many people expected us to be here and to keep playing this weekend,” Lazarski said. “But I think we knew we could do it. Hopefully, we can bring that state title back.”

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on Twitter.