Sierra Nevada Media Athletes of the Year

YERINGTON

Boys co-athletes of the year: Sean Watson and James Roberts. Both played a huge roll in leading Yerington to the NIAA 2A State Championship game where the Lions literally came within seconds of winning the state title. Watson waas the state's Defensive Player of the Year while Roberts was the state's Offensive Player of the Year.

Watson also won the 3A state title at 189 pounds in wrestling while Roberts was an all-Northern 4A honorable mention pick in basketball and placed fourth in the NIAA 3A State Track Meet in the pole vault. Roberts was also a winner of the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association Farmers Insurance $2,500 scholarship.

Girls co-athletes of the year: Kiara Ross and Kayla Lommori. Lommori is arguably the state's best volleyball player on any level. She and Ross have lead Yerington to the 3A State title in volleyball the past two years. Lommori has committed to play volleyball at Santa Clara.

Lommori was also an all-Northern 3A first team choice in basketball and won the 3A state title in the discus. Ross was named to the all-state 3A first team in volleyball and was an all-state honorable mention choice in basketball.

WHITTELL

Girls: Jordan Reeder, a senior, led the Whittell volleyball team to its fifth straight state championship in November. Reeder was selected as Nevada 2A state and Northern 2A player of the year. She also was a key contributor to the Warriors' track and field team, which captured its fourth straight regional and state titles in May.

At the Nevada 2A state track meet, Reeder finished third in the 300 hurdles and fifth in the 100 hurdles.

While between sports in the winter, Reeder helped coach the Kingsbury Middle School seventh-grade volleyball team to league and Optimist tournament titles.

She recently was selected as an NIAA top 10 student athlete. Reeder will attend Cornell next fall and play volleyball for the Big Red.

Boys: Paul Waite, a senior, was an All-Northern 3A second-team soccer goalie. Waite captured a Northern 2A regional track and field title in the 110 hurdles and was runner-up in the same event at the Nevada 2A state meet in Reno.

SOUTH TAHOE

Girls: Co-winners Kate Lambdin and Tess Braun.

Lambdin, a senior, didn't allow the destruction of her family home to the Angora fire to spoil her senior season. Lambdin, a four-year varsity runner, was third in the Nevada 4A state cross country championships in the fall and claimed first place in the 3,200 meters and second in the 1,600 at the regional track and field championships. In her final weekend as a STHS athlete, Lambdin placed second in the 3,200 meters and third in the 1,600 at the state meet. The three-sport athlete also was one of the top racers on STHS's cross-country ski team. She will run for San Jose State University next fall.

Braun, a senior forward, was a key component during the South Tahoe girls' soccer team's unprecedented unbeaten run during the Northern 4A regular season. At 14-0, the Vikings were the first team to ever register an unblemished Sierra League record.

The four-year varsity player had a team-high 15 assists and scored 14 goals to earn first-team all-league recognition and selection to the All-Sierra Nevada team.

She made a big impact on the hardwood as well. Braun, a tenacious point guard who averaged 7.1 points per game, earned second-team All-Sierra Laeague, was named to the All-Sierra Nevada team by the Sierra Nevada Media Group and garnered all-tournament honors for her play in the El Dorado Invitational.

Boys: Co-winners Tony Stagnaro and Jimmy Roberts.

Stagnaro proved to be one of the more intense and competitive players to come through the STHS football and basketball programs.

He unselfishly switched from quarterback to wide receiver midway through his senior football season. In limited time at wide receiver, Stagnaro was able to earn selection to the Sierra League second team.

Stagnaro seemingly went unnoticed during the Sierra League basketball season despite averaging 10.8 points and 2.8 steals per game. He also was one of the league's top playmakers and often found Vince Capellino for easy baskets. He was given Sierra League and All-Sierra Nevada honorable mention.

Next fall, Stangaro plans to play football at Cabrillo College in Aptos, Calif.

The athletic versatility of Roberts was mind-boggling. Whether it was on the tennis court, bump course or track, Roberts performed at a high level.

In tennis, Roberts, a senior, finished runner-up in the Northern 4A regional tournament and was selected as Northern Nevada's top player. For the third year in succession, Roberts lost to Canyon Springs' Stan Breland at the state tournament " the final time coming in the semifinals. Roberts finished as the state's fourth-best player.

Although he wasn't affiliated with a school team during the winter, Roberts finished third in dual moguls at the Junior Olympics and captured the Rip It Trick of the Day and $2,500 with a backflip at the Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships in Park City.

In the spring, Roberts gave track and field a try and nearly earned a spot in the regional finals as a first-time pole vaulter. He cleared 11 feet, 6 inches, only half of a foot below the regional final qualifying height.

FALLON

Boys: Trevor DeBraga. Trevor was a standout player on the football team, state champion wrestler, starting third baseman and heaviest hitter on the baseball team. In football he was named to the all-High Desert League first team as a punter, runnning back, and linebacker. In baseball he was HDL honorable mention at third base. In wrestling he was state runner-up at 160 pounds. This year he was MVP of the baseball team, and won four scholarships: The Mike Llamas Memorial Scholarship, Mike Connor Memorial Scholarship, Dave McDonald Baseball Memorial Scholarship, and the Fallon Artemisia Club Scholarship. He is undecided as to where to go to college, but has had several offers to play football, baseball, or wrestle. He wants to major in physical therapy.

Girls: Tosha Nunes. Tosha was a starter and top player on the volleyball team and also was on the basketball team. She was named honorable mention all-sierra nevada in volleyball at outside hitter. She won the Lucia Collaci-Bell Memorial Scholarship, Mike Connor Memorial Scholarship, and Churchill County Basketball Boosters Scholarship. She will attend the University of Great Falls in Montana on a volleyball scholarship. She plans to major in business.

DOUGLAS

Boys: David Laird. Laird threw for 1,714 yards in two seasons at quarterback for Douglas, finishing No. 3 on the school's career yardage list. He is one of only two quarterbacks at the school to ever lead a team to a league title in the large-school classification. His career-high 250-yard performance against Hug helped key a 14-point comeback in the second half as Douglas picked up a 32-28 win during his senior year. He also helped lead Douglas to its first state tournament appearance in 16 years, averaging nearly 10 points per game this season. It was his work away from the ball, however, where he truly stood out. He was regarded as one of the best front-court defenders in the region, keeping tabs on All-American Luke Babbitt and Duke-bound Olek Czyz along the way.

Girls: Bridget Maestretti. Maestretti was a four-year starter for the girls' basketball team, finishing as a first-team all-region pick in her junior and senior seasons at point guard. She also started for three years for the volleyball team, leading them to a league title and regional runner-up finish her senior year. She played one season of softball in the spring and came back her senior year to qualify for state in track with the 4x400 relay team. Basketball coach Werner Christen called her one of the best all-around athletes he's ever been able to coach.

GALENA

Girls: Langley Iverson. She was a four-year varsity letter winner in basketball and track. She average 14 points and seven rebounds a game this past season to earn all-Northern 4A first team honors. She made all-league all four years in basketball.

But in track is where Iverson really made her mark as she won four straight Northern 4A and NIAA 4A State titles in the high jump. The eight individual titles is a school record. Iverson will compete in track at the University of Utah.

Boys: Jake Hess. He played varsity baseball all four years, varsity football three years and varsity basketball two years. In basketball this past season, Hess was one of Galena's top defensive players.

In football, Hess was an all-Northern 4A first team performer. This past season, Hess led the team with 72.5 tackles. He also rushed for 591 yards and nine touchdowns on 108 carries and caught 11 passes for 91 yards and another score.

Despite a monster season in baseball, Hess earned just all-league second team honors this past season, but was an all-league performer for three years in baseball and football. This past season he hit .433 with eight home runs, 45 RBI, 10 doubles, one triple and 48 runs scored. Hess will walk on to play football at Boise State.

DAYTON

Boys: Hans Meyer. Meyer played basketball for four years, football for two years and ran track and cross country for two years. He carried a 4.0 grade point average and will attend the University of Nevada.

Girls: Brittany Hill. She played four years of basketball, four years of softball and two years of volleyball. She will attend Lassen Community College.