Senators eager to battle for regional title, state berths

Carson High, fresh off a second-place finish at the Placer Duals, sends its 18-man squad to Reno High today for the NIAA Regional Championship.

Action gets under way today at 3:15 p.m. On Saturday, action begins at 10 a.m. The top three finishers in each weight class will advance to the state meet Feb. 13-14.

The Senators, second to Damonte Ranch in the regular season, will battle Spanish Springs, Damonte and Reno for the team title. Carson lost to Spanish Springs in the final match at Placer last week.

“If things play out like I think they can, and we do our part, I think we will be a viable contender,” Carson coach Paul Carter said. “I think we can contend with Spanish Springs. It’s been a battle between our teams the last couple of years.

“Our goal is always to get everybody to state, but I don’t think —100 percent — that’s going to happen. We would like to get everybody to the second day. If that happened, we would have a good chance to win.”

Carter said Carson has three wrestlers who could win their weight class — Brady O’Keefe (145), Nolan Shine (160) and Brady Rivera (220). O’Keefe has posted a 30-3 record, Shine is 28-8 and Rivera is 37-7. None of the trio is a No. 1 seed because they all missed the Damonte Ranch meet at the start of the season, and Sierra League seedings are based on league win-loss records.

Rivera won the 182-pound title last year after finishing third in the previous two regionals. At 220, his biggest challenge appears to be Zach Singer of Douglas. Rivera, seeded second on the Sierra side, is 3-0 against Singer this year. He would like nothing more than to win another regional title.

“It means everything to me,” Rivera said. “Obviously not as winning state would mean.

“I don’t care where I’m seeded. I’m not just concerned with Singer, I’m concerned about the next guy I wrestle.”

O’Keefe had the option of 138s or 145s, and he chose the latter because he believes it gives him the best shot advancing out of regionals and placing high at state.

“The only guy I’m thinking about is Jacob Ruiz (Spanish Springs), and that’s if he wrestles,” O’Keefe said. “He didn’t wrestle last week at Placer.”

“I think he could have qualified at either weight,” Carter said. “He’s feeling healthy and strong. He’s got a chance to win regionals.”

Shine, a state qualifier last year, will be at 160. He will be challenged by Reno’s Devyn Cox. Shine went 4-1 last week at Placer.

“I feel pretty good,” Shine said before Wednesday’s practice. “I’ve had some nagging injuries, but they shouldn’t slow me down too much.”

“Nolan is in a tough weight class,” Carter said.

Here is Carson’s entire line-up:

106: Terin Keller (20-14); 113: Brandon Basa (29-10) and Casey Stevens (13-13), who’s a non-scorer; 120: Kyle Rudy (2-2); 126: top-seeded Spencer Rogers (26-11) and Jake Roman (5-11), who’s a nonscorer; 132: Nathan Mersino (22-15); 138: Hector Perez (2-4); 145: O’Keefe; 152: Jarod Butler (7-6); 160: Shine; 170: Abel Carter (17-19) and Kevin Rusler (13-14), who’s a nonscorer; 182: Connor Sievers (28-13); 195: Corey Jasper (6-13); 220: Rivera; Heavyweight: Sheldon Miller (25-13).

After O’Keefe, Shine and Rivera, the best shots at advancing would appear to be Basa, Rogers, Mersino, Sievers and Miller.

“I think Basa has a great chance,” Carter said. “He’s opposite of (Ian) Timmins, so he wouldn’t see him until the finals. After Timmins, the weight class is wide open.

“Stevens has always been a 113-pounder which is why I dropped him down. He’s got a chance.

“Mersino has got a legitimate shot to move. I like Sievers’ chances. He’s in a pretty good spot in the bracket.”

Miller, who would probably drop down to 220 next year, has been solid most of the season.

“Right now he is wrestling the best he has all year,” Carter said. “He’s giving up 30 and 40 pounds to some of these guys. He will probably see the guy from Spanish Springs in the semis. I think he has a good shot to go top three.”