When the Northern 1A regional championship match starts in Elko next Saturday, there's a reasonable chance that the Sierra Lutheran and Coleville volleyball teams will be facing off for the second time in as many weeks.
Coleville wrapped up the regular season title Wednesday afternoon at the Capital City Volleyball Club, sweeping the Falcons 25-19, 25-21, 25-17.
Sierra Lutheran has enjoyed a breakout season with a relatively young squad (only four seniors), going unbeaten against everyone except for the Wolves, who have swept the Falcons twice now.
The Wolves had an outstanding performance from its attacking line as Lela Gnuse-Stokes hammered down eight kills and Elizabeth Pierce added seven kills. Pierce added six aces, three of which came during a crucial run late in the first game, and Tori Park had four aces.
"It's hard playing against a team like Coleville," Sierra Lutheran coach Debbie Conner said. "It's the only team we've had to block against this year. You just do the best you can, practice blocking and work on your coverage.
Even so, the Falcons kept things close and led late in the each of the first two games Wednesday.
No more than three points separated either team through the first game as the lead switched hands nine times.
Tiffany Patrick set up a kill from Hannah Ediss to put the Falcons up 19-18 but Coleville's Pierce tied things back up at 19 with a kill of her own. Pierce then served up three consecutive aces. A Sierra Lutheran error and a kill from Gnuse-Stokes closed out the game.
Ediss led the Falcons with six kills while Patrick and McKinze Tynes each had three. Mariah West added two and Mandy May had one. Patrick had three aces and West and May each added two.
Sierra Lutheran advances to the regional playoffs as the No. 2 seed, where it will likely face Eureka in the first round (seeding was determined after press time).
"We're going to try to get a team in here next week that we can practice against and a couple boys from the school are going to come over and hit against us," Conner said. "We've got some blocking dummies we use to work on coverage and things. We'll put in the work and see how it turns out."
- Joey Crandall, Nevada Appeal News Service
DAYTON SWEEPS FERNLEY
The Dayton varsity volleyball team swept Fernley, 25-20, 25-17 and 25-19, on Wednesday.
The Dust Devils were lead by Madison Foley with eight kills and three digs, Brittney McArthur with two digs; McKenzie Kielty with two aces, five kills, four digs and 23 assists; Amanda Arana had two kills and eight digs; Kathie Arias had four kills, six digs and an assists; Erin Edison added three blocks and kill; Cora Jeffreys added three aces; Jamie Darragh added three aces, eight blocks, 10 kills and an assist; and Cassie DePew had two blocks and four kills.
DAYTON JV WINS IN THREE
The Dust Devil JV team won in three games, 11-25, 25-17 and 15-13 Wednesday night against Fernley.
The girls came back after losing the first game to win the match.
Leading the team was Kelsie Torres four kills; Ashley Vickers an ace, two kills and a block; Heather Niemi had an ace, three kills and two assists; Alyse Fletcher had an ace, two kills and four assists; and Chyanne Corley had three kills and a block.
The freshman team also beat Fernley in three games.
FOOTBALL
CARSON HIGH FRESHMAN WIN EASILY
The Carson High freshman football team played its best game of the year en route to a 40-0 win over Reno on Wednesday night.
Carson scored its first points when Kyle Denning caught a 25-yard TD pass from Garrett Schafer. Stefan Sobkiewicz added the point after for a 7-0 lead.
Andrew Gutirrez put Carson up 13-0 after a two-yard scamper.
Schafer and Denning hooked up again to give Carson a 19-0 halftime lead.
In the second half, Joey Thurman scored on a 20-yard run. Then Sobkiewicz caught a 20-yard pass from Schafer, his third TD toss in the game. Sobkiewicz added the PAT for a 32-0 lead. Carson closed out the scoring with Alan Cohen caught a 15-yard pass from Austin Shaffer. Thurman added the two-point conversion.
Coach Billy McHenry praised the play of the entire team. Carson never punted or turned the ball over on Wedneday. Carson finished the year 8-1.
Playing well defensively were: defensive ends Jesse Knight and Anthony Estrada; defensive tackle Nevin Elliot; and linebackers Cody Cunningham and Austin Shaffer.
SOCCER
Carson girls to host McQueen
The top seeded Carson High girls soccer team, which finished the regular season with a 12-0-4 league record, will host McQueen (5-7-4) at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday at Carson High in the opening round of the Northern 4A playoffs. Carson beat McQueen 6-0 earlier in the year.
Carson boys to host Reno
The second seeded Carson High boys soccer team will host Reno (8-6-2), the No. 3 seed in the High Desert league, at 6:30 p.m. Monday in the opening round of the Northern 4A playoffs.
Carson, 12-1-3, beat Reno 4-1 earlier this year.
CROSS COUNTRY
REgional meet today in Reno
Local teams will travel to Reno this afternoon for the Class 2A, 3A and 4A Regional boys and girls cross country meets. The races will be run at Reno's Rancho San Rafael Regional Park in Reno.
The meet will will serve as the state qualifiers for the championship meet Nov. 6 at Veteran's Memorial Park in Boulder City.
The 2A boys will kick things off at 2 p.m. The 3A boys will run at 2:35 p.m., followed by the 4A boys at 3:10 p.m.
The 2A girls will run at 3:45 p.m. followed by the 3A girls at 4:25. The 4A girls will run at 5:05 p.m.
The Carson boys, the defending state champions will be challenged by Galena and Reno.
Coach Pete Sinnott said the race will be very close.
The boys team is very strong from top to bottom, having at least four different runners finish first for the team this year.
"We have got four seniors (Logan Philippi, Evan Richards, Brent Moyle and Brandon Buonacorsi) who have been there before and they know what to do," Sinnott said.
On the girls side, the Senators - also the defending state champion - have been led April Shonnard, Alex Drozdoff and Cindy Juchtzer this year.
Sinnott cited the sixth place runner as being important for the Senators who will be challenged by Reno and Damonte.
"This is the meet you train for," Sinnott said. "They are are excited and focused."
Two teams will advance to state in the 4A races.