RENO — The Carson High wrestling team has a great deal of ground to make up today in the final day of the NIAA Regional Championships at Reno High School.
Carson is in fifth place after the first day of competition with 42 points, trailing Damonte Ranch (63), Reno (64 1/2), McQueen (72) and Spanish Springs (79).
Carson does have five wrestlers in today’s championship semifinals — Brandon Basa, 1-0 at 113 pounds; Nolan Shine, 1-0 at 160; Brady O’Keefe, 1-0 at 145; Brady Rivera, 1-0 at 220; and Sheldon Miller, 2-0 at heavyweight.
The Senators, though, took a hit in three weight classes when Hector Perez didn’t make weight at 138 and Jared Butler could wrestle at 152 because of a skin condition.
Nathan Mersino also had tough luck at 132 after losing his first match by one point. He was ahead 9-1 in his second match, but was then called for slamming his opponent into the match on a controversial call and was disqualified.
Spencer Rogers, the No. 1 seed at 126 also received a tough draw when he had to open against an unseeded wrestler who Carson coach Paul Carter said was arguably the best wrestler in the class. Rogers came back to win his next two matches.
But Carson still has 10 scoring wrestlers left in the tournament. Others still alive for Carson areTerin Keller, 1-1 at 106; Kyle Rudy, 2-1 at 120; Abel Carter, 2-1 at 170; Connor Sievers at 182; Corey Jasper at 195. Casey Stevens, a non-scoring wrestler at 113, is 1-1 and still alive.
Carson was also hurt by the fact four of its best wrestlers in Basa, Shine, O’Keefe and Rivera wrestled only once.
JC SOFTBALL
WNC upsets No. 3 team
YUMA, Ariz. — It was a history-making day for Western Nevada College.
The Wildcats upset Great Western Shootout tournament host Arizona Western College, 2-1, and Eastern Arizona College, 11-7. It was the first time in school history that WNC had beaten either team.
WNC also defeated Yavapai College for the second time in a week, winning 8-3 in eight innings.
The victory over third-ranked Arizona Western College is the highest-rated team WNC has ever beaten.
Pamela Sakuma started the winning rally in the seventh with a single and advanced to second on Makaylee Jaussi’s bunt single. Jaussi eventually scored on an error on a double steal.
Kristina George also hit a home run in the fourth to tie the score 1-1.
Jaussi went 2-for-2 and Sakuma and Lauren Lesniak each contributed a hit.
The Wildcats totaled 11 hits against Easter Arizona.
Covione had three hits, while Jaussi, Briauna Carter and Kacie Freudenberger delivered two hits. Both Carter and Covione had doubles.
Sadee Sorensen pitched five innings to earn the victory, and Dakota Robinson picked up the save by throwing the final two innings.
WNC opened the day with a hard-fought win over Yavapai. The Roughriders threatened to win it in the seventh inning, putting runners on first and third with one out. But George, who relieved starting pitcher Kaitlyn Jimmy in the fifth, used a strikeout and groundout to extend the game.
In the eighth, the Wildcats erupted for five runs. Jaussi stole third base after starting the inning at second base under the international tiebreaker rule. Covione plated Jaussi with a go-ahead single. Freudenberger added another RBI single. Carter, Covione and Melanie Mecham accounted for six of the Wildcats’ 11 hits. Lauren Lesniak hit a solo homer, while Jaussi, Freudenberger, Nicole Lesniak and Gabriella Canibeyaz supplied one hit.
WNC (4-3) concludes the tournament with three games today. The Wildcats play Yavapai at 7:30 a.m., Golden West College of Huntington Beach, Calif., at 9:45 a.m. and Arizona Western at 2:15 p.m.
JC BASEBALL
Wild win for WNC
HENDERSON — Nothing short of a wild finish could separate WNC and Cochise College at Morse Field.
Tied at 4 in the 10th, the Wildcats parlayed two wild pitches into a come-from-behind 7-4 victory over the third-ranked team in the country.
WNC loaded the bases with one out in the 10th before reliever Brad Danzeisen uncorked a pair of wild pitches that allowed Matt Young and D.J. Peters to score.
Connor Zwetsch picked up the victory with four superb innings of relief. Cochise only scratched out two hits against Zwetsch, who had eight strikeouts.
The win raised WNC’s record to 4-1 going into today’s doubleheader with previously unbeaten Cochise (4-1).
Fans can follow the Wildcats games through the live stats link in the baseball schedule on the new athletics website at www.wildcats.wnc.edu.
VARSITY GIRLS BASKETBALL
Manogue clinches title
RENO — The Miners wrapped up the No. 1 spot with a 64-51 win.
The Miners, who host Carson on Tuesday, led 36-20 at the half.
VARSITY BOYS BASKETBALL
Miners top Tigers
RENO — Despite 17 points from Connor Lyons and 16 by Sam Broersma, Douglas dropped a 65-55 decision to third-place Bishop Manogue on Friday.
FROSH GIRLS BASKETBALL
Carson wins big
RENO — Dajarrah Navarro had a big game with 16 points, Katelyn Morse had 12, Blanca Sosa and Lauren Lemburg added eight apiece in the 49-24 win.
Carson improved to 16-6 on the season.
JV GIRLS BASKETBALL
Senators edge Galena
RENO — Molly Otto scored 13 points and Mallory Otto, Sophia Ruedy and Camiell Simpson added nine each to lead Carson to a 54-49 victory on Friday.
Carson improved to 19-3 overall and 13-1 in league.
JV BOYS BASKETBALL
Galena edges Carson
Wyatt Rooker scored 12 points, Connor Quilling had eight points and Brandon Gagnon added six points for Carson (14-8) in its 36-35 loss .