3rd baseman Chad Bell scoops one up for WNC Friday against Arizona Western.
SPARKS — Carson High has put itself in position to win the Northern Division I Championship in wrestling with the tournament turning into a four-way race for the title.
CHS, Spanish Springs, Reno and McQueen are all five points within each other going into today, setting up a dramatic finish after Friday’s action at Spanish Springs.
Carson advanced nine wrestlers to the semifinals and still has 13 wrestlers out of 14 weight classes alive in the event.
“To be able to come out in front after the first day is good,” Carson coach Justin Shine said. “We’re going to have to be able to finish.”
About the four-team race for the title, Shine said it was “back and forth all day. Everybody was watching the scoreboard. It was kind of cool to watch.”
CHS has eight scoring wrestlers in the semifinals. The biggest highlight for the Senators came from a nonscoring wrestler, Sam Haight at 220 pounds.
Haight upset No. 1 seed Joey Arteburn of Spanish Springs in the first round 11-5, taking away possible points that could have been earned by the Cougars. Haight went on to advance to the semifinals. Carson will have two wrestlers at 220 in the semis as Corey Jasper also advanced.
Other wrestlers who advanced to the semifinals for Carson were: 106 — Terin Keller; 113 — Brandon Basa; 120 — Kyle Rudy; 132 — Nathan Mersino; 152 — Jarod Butler; 170 — Abel Carter; and heavyweight — Sheldon Miller.
One setback for Carson came when Brady O’Keefe lost 9-7 in overtime to Reed’s Israel Casarez in the quarterfinals at 138. O’Keefe and Casarez are the top wrestlers in the class, but because of the draw had to face each other in the quarterfinals. O’Keefe led 7-5 late when he was called for stalling and then Casarez scored a reversal in the final seconds of regulation to tie the match 7-7. Casarez then went on to score a takedown in overtime to win the match.
O’Keefe can still qualify for state by finishing third. Other wrestlers still alive for Carson are Kellen McDermott (145), Jesse Case (160), Kevin Rusler (182) and Connor Sievers (195).
BASEBALL
WNC falls. 9-5
It wasn’t the home opener that Western Nevada College envisioned Friday after winning four straight games against Cochise College last week.
Roderick Bynum went 4 for 5, scored three runs and drove in three more as Arizona Western College spoiled the Wildcats’ first home baseball game, 9-5, at John L. Harvey Field.
“They are a great team,” said WNC leadoff hitter Chandler Barkdull. “They came out swinging, and they have a bunch of guys who can hit.”
Arizona Western pounded out 14 hits and built an 8-2 lead before a WNC rally fell short.
WNC sophomore hurler Matt Young shut out the Matadors for the opening two innings but ran into trouble in the third, surrendering five runs on five hits. It was a rough outing for Young, who had been named the Scenic West Athletic Conference Player of the Week after pitching six shutout innings against Cochise.
The Matadors (7-3) chased Young in the fourth, adding a two-run base hit by Austin Maltby for a 7-1 lead.
D.J. Peters belted a solo homer to bring WNC within 7-2 in the bottom of the fourth.
Bynum got the run back with a solo homer of his own off reliever Jordan Dreibelbis to lead off the sixth.
“Don’t throw too many fastballs to that guy,” Dreibelbis said. “He’s a really good hitter. Next time he came up I threw him some curveballs and he popped out.”
The Wildcats picked up two runs in the seventh — one coming on a line-drive single by Peters and the other when Blake Morin scampered home on a wild pitch.
Barkdull led the Wildcats’ nine-hit attack by going 4 for 5, including a double. Peters also was a tough out for the Matadors, connecting for three hits and two RBI. Casey Cornwell added two hits, a walk, RBI and a run scored, while Morin scored twice.
WNC left 10 runners on base, including five in the final three innings.
The four-game series continues today with a doubleheader beginning at noon.
GIRLS BASKETBALL
Sikora reaches 1,000
ELKO — Angela Sikora made history for Dayton, surpassing the 1,000-point mark for her career in the Dust Devils 84-42 loss at Elko.
Sikora scored 24 points and now has 1,014 for her career. Sikora went 8-for-11 from the foul line and had eight rebounds and two assists. Sikora’s sister, Abby had 11 points and three rebounds and Aleea McGill-How added four points for Dayton.
Sikora is going for the final spot in the American Family Insurance Women’s 3 Point contest and those interested can vote for her each day, each round at www.highschoolslam.com.
Sierra Lutheran wins
ZEPHYR COVE — Sierra Lutheran (16-8) clinched its first regional playoff berth in school history with a 44-32 win over Whittell.
BOYS BASKETBALL
Dayton routed
ELKO — Dayton played without leading scorer Josh Riders and Weston Hill, who were unable to make the trip, in a 54-17 loss at Elko.
Tyler Peterson scored six points and Chase Peterson added five points for the Dust Devils. Dayton still has a shot at a playoff berth and will go for a spot in the playoffs today without Riders and Hill at Spring Creek.
JV BASKETBALL
Douglas beats Carson
Derek Barry scored 16 points, Dawson Lamb had seven points and Trent Robison added five points for Carson (13-10, 11-5) in its 55-37 loss to Douglas.
Senators knock off DHS
MINDEN — Lauren Lemburg scored 14 points to lead Carson to a 42-32 win over the Tigers.
Carson finished 10-0 against Sierra League teams.
Ku’Ulei Haupu scored nine and Camiell Simpson seven for CHS.
