Falcon basketball wraps up first half

The Sierra Lutheran girls basketball team took care of business Thursday evening en route to its second win of the year, dispatching Sierra Sage 36-8.

It was a defensive display from the beginning for the Falcons, who held the Rams to just two points by the end of the first quarter.

Ava Mellum and Mikayla Talkington each posted 12 points in the win for Sierra Lutheran.

“They both have really great basketball IQ, they know the game and they have a really great relationship on and off the court,” said Falcon head coach Danika Neal.

For the full recap of the Falcons’ win, visit: www.nevadaappeal.com/sports

UP NEXT: Sierra Lutheran enters its winter break with a 2-7 record and will have a few weeks off before its next contest at home against Smith Valley (4-2) Jan. 7.

Falcon boys basketball falls to unbeaten Redding Christian

Though Sierra Lutheran boys basketball fell to Redding Christian Thursday night, 51-42, the Falcons had plenty to take away from a nine-point loss to a Lions squad still undefeated (11-0) this season.

Sierra Lutheran trailed by eight points at the half, but was able to cut the contest to a one possession midway through the third quarter.

Stephen West brought the Falcons within three and Johannes Lamprecht added another score to keep Sierra Lutheran in the mix, but the Lions’ size inside was just too much.

Luke Schinzing ended the night with a team-high 13 points while Shawn Emm added nine in the loss.

“The identity we’re trying to instill in these guys is defense first,” said Sierra Lutheran head coach Ben Walther. “I’m really happy with how we played.”

For the full recap of the game, visit: www.nevadaappeal.com/sports

UP NEXT: The Falcons have hit winter break and won’t play again until Jan. 7 when they host Smith Valley (1-7).

Carson and Douglas High open ski season

The Carson Senators Ski Team opened the 2019-20 season at Alpine Meadows Ski Resort Tuesday. The Senators were missing quite a few skiers because of final exams, but still were able to make a respectable showing.

The Carson girls team was led by the Senators’ two returning state qualifiers from last year. Junior Brynn Prunty was 21st and Sophomore Sarah Wiggins was 24th. Junior Brooke Gudmundson was 48th.

North Tahoe High School swept the podium taking first through third in the boys race. Asher Koch led the Senators boys team with a 35th place finish, Trevor Castillo was 37th, Swiss exchange student Leonard Buchholz was 43rd, and Matisse Segovia was 61st.

Carson has 19 skiers on the roster this year and has high hopes to grow the program and improve their results in the highly competitive Tahoe Basin Ski League.

Legendary former Carson Ski Coach Jack Reinhardt has returned to the program as an assistant coach and consultant. Reinhardt led the Senators to 7 state titles in the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s with the last one coming in 2003.

The Tigers opened up the ski season with a fourth place finish on the boys side and a fifth place finish in the girls team standings.

Calvin Celio, a freshman, had Douglas’ best time finishing 13th overall, but several other Douglas team members were right behind him as Dante Luri (Sr.) took 16th, Zackary Korzeniewski (Sr.) was 20th and Isaac Leigh (Sr.) 22nd.

For the Tiger girls, Arianna Bilderback (Sr.) was the top finisher in 18th, Kenadee Morrow (Fr.) took 22nd, Kamryn Harper (Jr.) was 26th and Hannah Shaw (Jr.) crossed the line in 34th.

“When looking at the results of this race, which was a Giant Slalom course, Douglas Boys, which got 3rd place, were only a few points behind Truckee and South Tahoe,” said Douglas ski coach Rob Parks. “This will be our challenge – to move up to second or third at the next race.”