So, who will be the team to beat when the Northern 4A Regional Volleyball Tournament starts this afternoon?
First off, tournament host Galena comes in as the undefeated High Desert League champion and the defending regional champion. Douglas is the No. 1 seed from the Sierra League and a perennial title contender in the Northern 4A tournament. Fallon was the top challenger to Galena during the High Desert League season, and Sierra League runner-up South Tahoe is never a team that can be counted out.
The list is even longer than that, if you listen to Galena coach Teresa Burrows.
"It's a new season. Everyone is a favorite," she said.
"It's hard to tell who's going to win," first-year Douglas coach Velvet Steel said. "Galena ... Fallon ... South Tahoe ... Carson ... all of the teams in the North have great athletes. I think it's going to come down to the team that has the best attitude on the court and wants it the most."
It all begins at 1 p.m. in the Galena gym when Bishop Manogue takes on South Tahoe in the first opening round match. Carson plays Fallon at 3, Galena plays Reno at 5 and Douglas plays McQueen at 7. The winners return to the court for the semifinals Saturday at noon and the championship is scheduled for a 5 p.m. start.
At stake in all this are two berths in the NIAA State Championships, presented by the Las Vegas Review Journal, next Friday and Saturday at Galena.
The Carson Senators, third in the Sierra League race with an 8-4 record, have shown improvement throughout the season and first-year coach Shana Wilkins hopes to see that trend continue into the postseason.
"We've improved a lot," Wilkins said. "This is a new season now, and hopefully we'll play well. We do have good athletes, and a lot of them. It's going to be a matter of getting six on the court who can get the job done and win. We'll see how it goes."
The only meeting between the Senators and Fallon Greenwave was a preseason scrimmage.
"It should be a good match," Wilkins said.
Fallon (12-2 league) showed some grit late last month in taking Galena to five sets before losing in Reno. Galena won the first set before Fallon took the second and third sets. Galena recovered to take the fourth set 25-12 and then the fifth 15-8.
Steel is also hoping the Douglas Tigers can continue their momentum after sweeping through the second half of the Sierra League season to overtake South Tahoe for the championship.
"I just want them to go out and give it the best they've got," she said. "And if they play well, I'm hoping we can keep playing for the next two weeks."
Getting to the state tournament is always a strong incentive.
"It's exciting. We just prepare for the best," she said.
Lahontan Valley News Sports Editor Steve Ranson contributed to the story
High Desert League
Galena140
Fallon122
McQueen95
Manogue95
Reed59
Elko410
Damonte Ranch311
Spanish Springs014
Sierra League
Douglas111
South Tahoe102
Carson84
Reno66
Wooster57
North Valleys210
Hug012
Friday
Manogue vs. South Tahoe, 1 p.m.
Fallon vs. Carson, 3 p.m.
Galena vs. Reno, 5 p.m.
Douglas vs. McQueen, 7 p.m.
Saturday semifinals
Douglas-McQueen winner vs. Fallon-Carson winner, noon
South Tahoe-Manogue winner vs. Galena-Reno winner, 2 p.m.
Championship
Semifinal winners, 5 p.m.
NORTHERN 3A
Dayton142
Incline124
Lowry115
North Tahoe97
Yerington88
Truckee88
Spring Creek............88
Fernley...................214
Sparks....................016
Regional tournament at Dayton
Saturday
North Tahoe vs. Yerington, 10 a.m.
Lowry vs. Spring Creek, 11:40 a.m.
Semifinals
Dayton vs. North Tahoe-Yerington winner, 1:20 p.m.
Incline vs. Lowry-Spring Creek winner, 3 p.m.
Third Place
Semifinal losers, 4:45 p.m.
Championship
Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m.
Top 3 finishers advance to state tournament Nov. 12-13 at Galena
