Nevada Appeal Staff Report
WINNEMUCCA " Nick Schlager split two matches on Saturday and finished second at 125 pounds at the NIAA 4A State Wrestling Championships at the Event Center.
Schlager, 23-2, lost 9-3 in the finals to Centennial's Brady Worden. Schlager reached the finals by knocking off Basic's Mark Bleuze 11-4.
"For Nick to make the finals in a tough weight class, I'm satisfied," Carson coach Tim McCarthy said. "It capped a great season for Nick."
Schlager wrestled just 25 times this year because of a broken finger which caused him to miss three to four weeks of action.
Schlager, who received a first-round bye and then beat Las Vegas' Hugo Carrillo 4-1 on Friday, never got untracked against Worden.
"He (Worden) controlled things pretty well," McCarthy said. "He was a pretty strong kid and good on his feet; good at takedowns. Nick couldn't get a whole lot going. Nick never got his legs under him."
In his opening match, Schlager dominated from the outset, jumping out to a 5-0 lead.
"He was able to take him down and get him on his back," McCarthy said.
Fallon's Trent deBraga returns as the state champion winning the 160-pound bracket. DeBraga pinned Mitch Van Ronk from North Valleys for the title. DeBraga won as a 145-pounder last year.
Colin Merkley, also of Fallon, finished in third place at 112 pounds.
Douglas' Nico Barker finished second losing in the finals to Legacy's Jake Evans by a 10-2 major decision. Barker advanced to the finals by pinning Green Valley's Daniel Allen.
In 3A wrestling Yerington's Blaine Tibbals finished second losing to Lowry's Jace Billingsley at 125 pounds. Teammate Wesley Taliaferro also finished second. He was pinned by Spring Creek's Bryar Saddoris in the finals at 160 pounds.
Fernley's Josh Cutts claimed the state title at 189 pounds after winning a 8-4 decision over Moapa Valley's Riley Staley. Fernley's Hazyn McGrath finished second losing a 9-6 decision to Stetson Ruth at 135 pounds. A.J. Estrada also finished second for Fernley, losing 6-2 in the finals to Lowry's Trevor Grant at 171 pounds.
Dayton's Kyle Firestone fell to eventual third place finisher Jordan Kendall of Spring Creek at 152 pounds.