Grapplers eye state berths

All of the hard work during the offseason and the many two-a-day practices may see their reward this weekend for the Greenwave wrestling team.

After finishing 6-2 at the Northern Division I-A duals last week in Fernley, Fallon will have seven wrestlers seeded in the top three as the Greenwave compete in the regional tournament today and Saturday at Sparks High School. The tournament begins today at 3 p.m. and will pick up on Saturday at 9 a.m. with the championship bouts slated for late afternoon.

Even though Fallon wrestled well against the division with the only losses coming to Lowry and Spring Creek, Fallon coach Mitch Overlie wants more.

“I like the way our team wrestled. I would like to beat Spring Creek and Lowry, so I am not satisfied with our performance,” Overlie said.

Overlie, though, likes his team’s chances this weekend because he feels Fallon competes better in a tournament environment. It will help having three middleweight wresters entering as the top seed as well as two as second seeds and two as third seed.

“We are a better tournament team so if we wrestle to our potential, the quality is there,” Overlie added.

Anthony Sabatino (126 pounds), Sam Goings (138) and Trae Workman (145) didn’t lose a match during the league duals, while Workman didn’t surrender a point during the two-day event. Dakota Schelling (195) and Ricky Rogers (220) are not far behind the undefeated trio as they each lost one bout in eight tries. Robert White (132) and Jesse Francki (182) each finished at 6-2 to nab No. 3 seeds in their weight classes.

If the team can wrestle to its potential, Overlie doesn’t see why Fallon cannot send almost the entire team to next week’s state tournament in Las Vegas

“We could have as many as five champions, and seven or eight in the finals,” he said. “So I think it will be a fun zone tournament this weekend.”

In the team standings, though, all eyes will be on Lowry once again as the rest of the division tries to dethrone the defending state champion and powerhouse. The better battle could be for second among Fallon, Spring Creek and Elko, which Fallon barely defeated during the duals.

Aside of Fallon’s seven high-seeded wrestlers, the Greenwave will have plenty of representation to not only score points and make it deep in the tournament, but take away some points from the opposition.

Terry White (106), Tucker Stritenberger and Dylan McAfee (113), Jordan Schultz and Nathan Heck (152), Brock Uptain (160), and Wyatt Hampton (285) each competed during the duals and will be just as important as the team’s leading wrestlers if Fallon wants a shot at knocking off Lowry and advancing as many as possible to the championship round.