Community, athletes savor the moment

Realignment has been good for schools such as South Tahoe, Elko and Fallon.

After seasons of competing in former Northern 4-A against teams from schools that were almost twice the size of the aforementioned three, they have found parity in the Division 1-A that consists of teams with comparable enrollments.

Although the Greenwave has won a handful of state titles during the past five seasons, Fallon has not dominated every sport in the D1-A and neither has South Tahoe or Elko. We are very proud of our boys and girls athletic teams and individuals who have won state championships since realignment.

As a community, we are proud of the teams who have won state titles this year beginning with softball and baseball in the spring and culminating with Fallon’s first state football title in 37 years when the Wave defeated Moapa Valley.

We also applaud the individual athletes who persevered and showed grit and determination to win state titles in wrestling, track and rodeo.

When the volleyball team won its first of two state championships as a 4-A school more than 15 years ago, the community showed its support for the players who reached the pinnacle of success in Silver State athletics. Likewise, the same could be said about the boys golf team, which won the state title in 2006, and the league success of the wrestling team which had one of the longest dual winning streaks in the 4-A in the mid-2000s.

Reaching the top in this year’s D1-A captured the excitement of a community waiting since 1978 for a state football title.

“After 37 years, it’s nice to call us state champions — a good feeling,” said Greenwave coach Brooke Hill, a former quarterback who led Fallon in the late 1980s.

The Greenwave came close in 1988 in the former AA league and lost in the playoffs in 1989 to Wooster after realignment moved Fallon to the state’s largest league, the AAA.

We applaud the football coaches, players, managers and parents for what they have brought this community this fall. Both players and parents have expressed their appreciation to the community for its support.

Living in a one high-school community has its advantages, especially when supporting the teams and athletes during the season and into the playoffs. Each team’s success brings pride to the community such as when Carson City’s boys soccer team won state this year or when Yerington captured its third state football crown, also on the same day Fallon won its championship.

Our community is equally proud of the latest accomplishments displayed by our youth and coaches and also appreciative of the support the city shows to the teams.

Winning a state championship is special ... savor it and understand you have joined a special group who will remember these accomplishments for a lifetime.

LVN editorials appear on Wednesdays.