RENO -- When Douglas beat Reno 1-0 earlier this season in Minden, it scored in the fourth minute and clinged to that lead throughout. The Huskies, though, didn't allow the same thing to happen again on Wednesday night.
Reno scored three goals in the second half and rebounded from a 1-0 halftime deficit for a 3-1 at Foster Field.
The Huskies earned the final playoff spot into the Northern 4A playoffs with the win. As the No. 4 seed from the Sierra League, they will face High Desert League champion Galena in the first round on Saturday.
"I've seen them play now five or six times," said Galena coach Marco Merlo. "I feel pretty good about our chances."
The Grizzlies finished the league season undefeated and will have some extra incentive when the two teams meet again. Reno ended Galena's season last year with a 2-1 overtime win. The Huskies then went on to win the Northern 4A before being dominated in the state semifinals to eventual state champion Chaparral.
Douglas needed a win over Reno to clinch the final playoff spot but instead will miss them for the second consecutive year. The Tigers finished 4-8 in league play, the second straight losing season for coach Phil Sheridan.
With only two seniors on the roster, Sheridan was certain that Victor Posadas' 35-yard bomb early in the first half wouldn't hold up.
"We didn't think it would," Sheridan said. "We talked about that at halftime. The last time we had a 1-0 lead we lost 4-1. They walk out at halftime with 12 seniors and we walk out with two."
Douglas nearly went up 2-0 early in the second half and then probably would've held on. In the 53rd minute, Ernie Aquino headed a ball to Colton Mellows, who sent his shot from inside the box over the goal. Two minutes later, Reno captain Robert Langsner made the Tigers pay when he beat two defenders outside the box, then drilled a low shot that was partially saved by goalie Chase Zumpft. The only problem was it saved right to an unmarked Eric Welsh who tapped the ball in for the equalizer. In the 65th minute, Langsner played a nice ball out wide to Welsh, who then sent low cross in front of Zumpft and Chris Smith was there to put it in for the game winner. By then, the Huskies had all the momentum and effectively wore down the inexperienced Tigers.
Parker Ball added a brilliant goal in the 77th minute with his left-footed blast to the far post.
"He (Reno coach Rob Moreland) must have subbed 30 times in the game. I had one sub," Sheridan said. "We played really well in the first half, really played the ball out of the back well. And if we score at the beginning of the second half, it's 2-0 and we might win. But we have a young team. Reno will see the same team next year."
DOUGLAS JV 3, RENO 2
Kyle Currence scored a pair of goals in the Tigers' narrow victory over the Huskies on Wednesday at Foster Field.
Douglas finishes the season at 9-6 overall and 8-4 in the Sierra League. The Tigers finished in third place in the league behind Carson and South Tahoe.
