Desert Pines football dedicates season to player killed in Halloween shooting | Football

Desert Pines football coach Jose Flores didn’t have much interaction with linebacker Se’Mauri Norris-Johnson last season.

Flores spent the year as an offensive assistant. But as the season went on, he said Norris-Johnson warmed to him. The junior continued to playfully ask to get snaps on offense.

“’Coach, could I be a tight end for you next year? But now?” Flores said he would ask Norris-Johnson at the end of practice. “He was always smiling and going about his day. (I’d catch him) always smiling and never (see) the kid having a bad day.”

Norris-Johnson should have had a senior season this year. But he was killed in a shooting in North Las Vegas on Halloween night.

Desert Pines will play its first game of the day when it hosts Centennial on Friday at 6 p.m. The Jaguars dedicated their season to the memory of Norris-Johnson.

“Se’Mauri was a great individual. He was a great person. A great football player,” said junior wide receiver/defensive end Majik McMillion. “Every time you (saw) him, he had a smile on his face and always cheered you up. Every time you were down, he cheered you up. I miss him every day.”

Desert Pines is wearing LL13 decals on its helmets this season, which stands for “Long Live 13,” Norris-Johnson’s number. The Jaguars also have a banner under the press box overlooking their court that reads “Rest in Love #13”.

“He was a great person. He was a beautiful soul. He kept a smile on his face every day,” safety Eddie Loera said. “He always made people laugh. From seeing him every day to not seeing him anymore, it sure hurts. We have to get through and everything we do is for him.”

“It still hurts”

Norris-Johnson was solid as a junior. He made 62 total tackles and had five sacks in five games. He was named to the All-5A Division I second team by the coaches.

Desert Pines’ season ended with a 35-12 loss to Coronado in the state quarterfinals on Oct. 26. Norris-Johnson was killed a few days later. He and a group of masked teenagers ran into a pair of teenagers while the two were trick-or-treating in a neighborhood near Shadow Oak and Spotted Pony roads, police said. One of the trick-or-treaters fired into the group, killing Norris-Johnson.

A 16-year-old was arrested in January in connection with the murder.

Flores said in the days after Norris-Johnson’s death, “It was nothing short of beautiful from my perspective to see the guy’s energy, how much he affected the school, the program and the community. There’s a lot of love for that kid.”

Added senior defensive end Zeyshawn Martin, “Everybody was feeling really hurt. I was with him the same day he died. It still hurts to this day. Everyone was crying, no one really came to school. It was hard for everyone.”

Loera and McMillion both said that while it was a tough time, preparing to honor Norris-Johnson this season brought the team together.

“He kept us going,” McMillion said. “Every time we meet, we always talk about him. We share the great times we had with him. When we’re on the field or in the weight room, we’re always working for him. If he were here, he’d be grinding hard and working hard.”

“Find a Way”

Desert Pines’ football program has undergone many changes over the past year. Flores took over the team after longtime coach Tico Rodriguez resigned in March.

The Jaguars also lost 16 players from last year’s roster. Many, including quarterback AJ Stowers and highly recruited athletes Massiah Mingo and Treyshaun Jackson, transferred to out-of-state schools.

Flores said this year’s group still has “a lot of talent.” The Jaguars will get a good test against Centennial, which won the 4A state title last season and is now in 5A Division III.

Flores said he wants his team to play solid soccer Friday and not worry about the “extra stuff.” He said this would be one of the best ways Desert Pines can honor Norris-Johnson.

“We have to find a way to play together because my success is your success,” Flores said. “That’s the mentality I want them to have: You’re only as good as your teammate, but how can you lift your teammate?

“They sometimes say, ‘Se’Mauri would do that. Se’Mauri will not bring you down, it will lift you up.’”

Contact Alex Wright at [email protected]. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.