Senators third; four advance to state tourney

BY THOMAS RANSON

Appeal News Service

RENO - Carson wrestling coach Tyson Thivierge said after Friday's matches that the semifinal round usually indicates the team champion.

Unfortunately for the defending regional champs, Thivierge was right.

After qualifying six wrestlers into the semifinals, only three advanced to the championship round - and all lost - as the Senators took third Saturday night at the Northern 4A regional tournament at Hug High School.

"I think there are a few kids that could be going with us to state but are staying home," Thivierge said. "Overall, we're happy with four. I thought we would get about seven or eight, but the cards just didn't fall in our favor."

Damonte Ranch won its first-ever regional tournament after qualifying 10 wrestlers for this week's state tournament. The Mustangs produced the most individual champions, four, and posted a significant lead over second-place Fallon, which had three champions.

"They're stacked. They've got a good squad," Thivierge said of Damonte Ranch. "Fallon and us made a good run at it, and Fallon came close. They (Damonte Ranch) wrestle very well. They've been building for quite some time."

The Greenwave finished with 146 points, 58.5 behind Damonte Ranch, and the Senators followed with 131. Bishop Manogue finished fourth with 116 points and Galena rounded out the top five with 111.

"It feels good. I knew we could make a good run at it," Fallon coach Mitch Overlie said. "I feel bad for all the guys who aren't going to get to go to state. The guys in the finals had a great run."

Nick Schlager (112 pounds), Todd Banko (130), Martin Azzam (145) and Garrett Truesdell (189) each earned a trip to the state tournament after placing in the top three. Schlager, Azzam and Truesdell, though, each lost in the championship round while Banko battled in the consolation bracket to take third.

Schlager had the most competitive match of the three finalists, losing 4-2 in overtime.

The sophomore wrestler trailed 2-0 after the first period but recorded an escape in the second. With nine seconds left in the third period, Damonte Ranch's Garrett Hekhuis was called for stalling, which tied the match at two and sent it to overtime. Hekhuis, though, recorded a takedown with 47 seconds remaining in overtime for the victory.

Fallon's Trent de Braga scored a major decision, 13-0, over Azzam, and Truesdall was pinned by Reed's Brandon Gebhardt in the first period.