Wrestling: Four Tigers advance to regional semifinals

RENO - Dillon Spates, Michael Sepulveda, Zach Falanga and Patrick Miller all advanced to the championship round semifinals to provide highlights for Douglas High during the first day of the Northern 4A Regional Wrestling Tournament on Friday.

Competition resumes at 10 a.m., with the semifinals set for noon, on Saturday at Reno High School. The top three in each weight class qualify for the NIAA 4A State Championships next weekend at the UNLV Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas.

Spates was unbeaten on the day in the 125-pound weight class, as were Sepulveda at 130 pounds, Falanga at 189 pounds and Miller at 215 pounds.

"We have four guys there, but we've still got to wrestle tough," Douglas coach Justin Shine said of the semifinalists.

Miller supplied a highlight in his quarterfinal when he rallied from an early 8-0 deficit to pin J.J. Phoenix of Spanish Springs with 45 seconds left in the second period. Miller is making just his third appearance at 215 pounds after wrestling most of the season as a heavyweight.

"He's improved greatly," Shine said. "I just think Patrick is determined this week. He wants to go to state."

Falanga earned his way into the semifinals thanks to a 6-5 victory against Hug's David Knowles.

The Tigers did experience some misfortune when they began the day with two senior standouts sidelined due to knee injuries: Cody Spates (140 pounds) and Wes Peterson (119).

"It's a real heart breaker to lose those two, especially this being their senior year" Shine said. "They worked so hard all year. They put in all a lot of sweat and blood to get here; they deserved to have their shot."