Carson wrestlers lead zone meet

Since the Carson High wrestling team is in first place, the first day of the Northern 4A Championships went a little better than expected.

Carson led after the first day of competition on Friday at Galena with 68 points. The Senators were followed by Galena (62), Douglas (61), Elko (53) and Fallon (50.5).

The Senators still have all 13 of their wrestlers left in the meet, which resumes at 10 a.m. today. The championship finals are set to begin at 6 p.m.

In addition, seven Carson wrestlers advanced to the semifinals, placing them one win away from clinching a spot in next weekend's NIAA/U.S. Bank State 4A Championships in Las Vegas:

Joe Neiman (112 pounds), Chris White (130), Chandler Brown (135), Paul Carter (140), Nick Shine (189), Allen Wooldridge (215) and Eric Klug (heavyweight).

Galena and Douglas are also well-represented in the semifinals. Galena wrestlers in the semifinals are:

Joel Rivadeneyra (103); Micah Parker (119); Kyle Know (130); Justin Ellmaker (135); David Kirn (140); Robert Turek (152); Jeremiah Jones (heavyweight).

In the semifinals for Douglas are: Brad Johnson (125); Louis Gabriel (130); Dart Johnson (152); David Tingle (160); Drew Hall (171); Nathan Bennett (189).

Carson coach Tim McCarthy said he was hoping that his team would be in at least the top three after the first day.

"This is a little bit of a surprise," said McCarthy about being in first. "We've just got to keep doing what we've been doing. We seem to be wrestling pretty well."

Even though Carson is one wrestler short with 13 participants, McCarthy said his team should still have the advantage in depth over Galena.

"That's one thing that we have that Galena doesn't," McCarthy said. "We've got a quality kid at every weight."

McCarthy said how Carson does in the consolation matches will be a key to how it finishes.

"Tomorrow's going to be the big day," said McCarthy about today's consolation matches. "We kind of figured we were going to win it through the consolation bracket."

Carson still has a chance to advance all 13 of its wrestlers to state. The top five advance to state.

"They'll be battling back to get a place," said McCarthy about his wrestlers in the consolation bracket. "Everybody's still alive."

"It's certainly still possible at this point," McCarthy also said about advancing all 13 wrestlers to state.

Among the highlights was Carter beating defending zone champion Dane Ashley of Elko in the first round on the way to the semifinals. "That's how strange the seeding was this year," McCarthy said.

Neiman pinned the No. 1 seed, Fallon's Rudy Maynez, in the second round on his way to the semifinals.

Among the key semifinal matchups will be White and Gabriel, Klug against Jones and Shine against Spanish Springs' Ty Bader.

"They're going to be good pretty much across the board," said McCarthy about the semifinals.