For the Dayton and Yerington boys basketball teams, the nemesis remains the same. For the Galena girls basketball team, it has already beaten one nemesis, only now to face a new one.
The three teams head into the NIAA State semifinals facing a daunting task in their effort to win the state crown. Galena faces Bishop Gorman at 6:20 p.m. tonight at Lawlor Events Center. In Gorman, the Grizzlies have drawn a team that eliminated four-time defending state champion Centennial.
If Galena wins, it would advance to face the winner of the Reed-Basic game for the state title at 8 p.m. Friday at Lawlor.
Standing in the way of Dayton and Yerington is Faith Lutheran, the favorite to repeat as the state 3A champion. Faith Lutheran eliminated Yerington and Dayton last year on its way to the state crown.
The Lions will have first crack at Faith Lutheran in one semifinal game at 4:40 p.m. Friday at Spanish Springs. Dayton will play Spring Creek at 8 p.m. Friday in the other semifinal at Spanish Springs. The winners will meet for the title at 1:40 p.m. Saturday at Lawlor.
One thing that Faith Lutheran will likely have to face that it didn't have to face in full force last year is sizeable crowds as the Dayton Nation and Purple Wave should be out in full force this weekend.
DAYTON VS. SPRING CREEK, 8 P.M. FRIDAY, SPANISH SPRINGS
The Dust Devils will meet Spring Creek for the fifth time this year, having beating the Spartans in three of the first four meetings, including a 46-39 win in last weekend's Northern 3A title game.
"It could go either way for you I think," said Dayton coach T.W. Cunningham if it was an advantage to meet a team so many times. "Obviously you know what they're going to do. I don't know if it's any advantage for anybody, though."
Spring Creek has a physical, athletic team with players such as James Edwards. "I think the keys are rebounding and matching how physical they are," Cunningham said.
Dayton has been led by Jordan Stokes, but has many weapons, including Erik Hopper, Travis Wood, Josh Aaker, Shane Castro, Josh Waggoner and Jacob Jones. Dayton has plenty of depth with Joe Delaski, Kenny Goss, Josh Nieubuurt, Doug Stroble and Mike Vincent rounding out the roster.
YERINGTON VS. FAITH LUTHERAN, 4:40 p.m. FRIDAY, SPANISH SPRINGS
The Lions had their "Hoosiers" moment last weekend to reach the state semifinals. In "Hoosiers" there's the moment in which one of Hickory's players is fouled on a shot and makes both free throws in the waning seconds to send Hickory to the state title game.
In Saturday's Northern 3A third place game against Sparks, Yerington trailed 44-42 with six seconds left. After Sparks missed the front end of a one and one, Tyler Brown grabbed the rebound, passed off to Ryan Rife, who found Jeremy Means for a three-point attempt.
Means was hammered on his shot attempt with three-tenths of a second left. After the officials took about two minutes to sort everything out, Means went to the line. After hitting just 1-of-5 free throws, Means sank all three foul shots to give Yerington a 45-44 win and send it to the state semifinals.
"That's kind of what our season's been," Yerington coach Daron Wildermuth said. "A lot of ups and downs, a lot of not quit until it's over, so to speak."
The Lions have to be considered a heavy underdog against Faith Lutheran, a team that won the Carson Valley Classic early in the season, a tournament that featured many 4A teams. "We've definitely got a huge mountain to climb with Faith Lutheran," Wildermuth said.
But Wildermuth isn't counting his team out. "I believe in Karma and I believe in destiny," he said. "We have a lot of faith and belief in each other."
Yerington has been led by Means and Rife, but has had a balanced attack in which many players have risen up throughout the year. There's also Brown, Casey Wildermuth, Scott Veil, Marcus Kness and Darren Mattheus, Jefferson Emm, Gary Smith, Jordan Begay, Tim Fitzpatrick and Jordan Begay.
GALENA VS. BISHOP GORMAN, 6:20 P.M. TODAY, LAWLOR EVENTS CENTER
The Grizzlies have an experienced team with eight seniors, but faces a daunting task against Gorman, which beat Centennial 82-81 for the Sunset Region title.
Galena coach Karen Friel isn't complaining about the draw. "That's the way it goes," Friel said. "I'm glad to be playing, that's for sure."
When asked if it was encouraging that her team was also able to beat Centennial, Friel said, "That they put up 82 points, not really because we haven't score in teh 80s all year."
Gorman provides Galena with a dilemma. Gorman has already shown it can score, but also goes 6-4, 6-2, 6-1 across its frontline. "I'm not sure how we're going to match up," Friel said.
Friel said it will be difficult for her team to play a halfcourt game against Gorman and may have to run. But the outside shooting of its two leading scorers - Caitlin Anderson and Caitlin Crofts - along with Katlin Porter may also be a key for Galena.
Also for Galena, there's Langley Iverson, Amy Scott, Colleen Mullins, Megan Molinari Caitlin Mullins, Caitlyn Bailey, Micheon Aguilar, Chelsea Fike and Colleen Kern.