With several of Northern Nevada's top wrestling programs in attendance, the Carson Valley Lions' Club Invitational at Douglas High School on Saturday could have easily been a sneak preview of next month's regional championships.
If Saturday's results were any indication, the regional team title race could end up being pretty tight.
Spanish Springs won the Carson Valley title Saturday with 181 points, edging out host Douglas by just one point. Lowry was third at 169, Carson was fourth with 118 and Manogue rounded out the top five of the 20-team tournament with 114.
"I was really excited about the turnout," Douglas coach Lamont McCann said. "We saw a high level of wrestling today. There were a lot of kids that we'll see at regionals, so it was a good preview of what is to come.
Both Spanish Springs and Douglas produced three individual champions, although the Tigers had five wrestlers make the finals compared to Spanish Springs' four.
Nico Barker (140), Michael Sepulveda (130) and Timmy Souza (119) each won their respective brackets for the Tigers while Dillon Spates (112) and Wes Peterson (125) advanced to the finals of theirs. Eddie Kollar (145) and Justin Freeman (152) each took home third-place medals for the Tigers.
"We had a great tournament," McCann said. "The lower weights really came through and wrestled solid for us. Peterson had a knee injury and we thought he wouldn't be able to go. We got it taped up though and he made it through to the finals. Sepulveda wrestled really well, there were a lot of good things.
"We just have to keep the tempo up and taking those steps toward the league title. That's what we're shooting for."
Carson didn't end up putting any wrestlers through to the finals. Still, the Senators managed to bring home six medals.
Owen Craugh (103), Ricky Ugarte (119), Bryce Landolt (135), Junior Valardes (160) and Justin Barlow (215) each took third place in their bracket and Adam Welch (130) took fourth.
"We didn't get anyone in the finals, but we had a couple of weight classes where we had the second-best guy," Carson coach Tim McCarthy said. "Picking up six medals shows that we have a lot of overall team strength, but we still have a lot of work to do before regionals. At this point no one is breaking through."
One of the most impressive performances of the day came from Fallon's Trent de Braga, who cruised through his four matches in the 160-pound bracket and won the title with a 16-1 technical fall in the first minute against Lowry's Tanner Schick.
"It's hard to do," said de Braga of the technical fall. "I like to score points, I guess, and just got after it tonight. It was good competition, a lot of people you'll be seeing at zone. Give credit to the Reno schools and Douglas and Carson. There are a lot of tough kids out there."
De Braga scored a takedown and a near fall in the first 10 seconds and strung together three more near falls and another takedown to push ahead to the quick win in the finals.
"He can put up points in a hurry," Fallon coach Mitch Overlie said. "He is one fun kid to watch."
De Braga was named the upper weight outstanding wrestler for his efforts.
