The bats and gloves stay out for just one more week as the Nevada 4A state baseball and softball tournaments take place in Reno.
The baseball tournament opens Thursday at Bishop Manogue (Reno) with the final set for Saturday at Aces Ballpark. Softball starts Friday and concludes Saturday at the University of Nevada-Reno's Christina Hixon Field.
Here is a quick preview of each opening-round game:
BASEBALL
Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) vs. Reno
Top-ranked Bishop Gorman (33-3) is the four-time defending state champion and bringing a potent lineup up north. How potent is it? Junior Erik Van Meetren, who last season tied a national high school record by hitting five home runs in one game, is batting in the No. 8 spot. Sophomore Joey Gallo and senior Johnny Field, who signed with Arizona, provide plenty of pop in the middle of the order along with senior Neil Lawhorn, senior Cory Welch and junior T.J. White. The Gaels cruised through the Sunset Region, beating No. 3 Sierra Vista (Las Vegas) twice, and are riding a 24-game winning streak. If it gets quality pitching, Gorman will be tough to beat.
No. 4 Reno (31-3) can mash a little bit, too, as the Huskies went 4-0 and dominated the Northern Regional, outscoring its opponents 43-7. First baseman Patrick Gallagher, who signed with UCLA, hit his 17th home run of the season, and centerfielder Nick Bietz smashed a grand slam that ended Reno's 11-1 five-inning victory over Galena (Reno) in the regional title game. The Huskies' pitching, led by Garrett Winkelmaier, was the story of the regional, but will get a major test against Gorman. Reno went just 2-2 against southern Nevada competition, which doesn't bode well.
Galena (Reno) vs. Rancho (Las Vegas)
This game shapes up as a potential battle of offense versus pitching. Galena (22-10) rolled through the Sierra League and clinched one of the Northern Region's two berths to the state tournament with a wild 15-14 over Damonte Ranch (Reno) on junior Jeremy Rosenthal's RBI single in the 11th inning. Brian Pointer, who signed with Oregon State, hit three home runs in that game and accounted for the only offense in the 11-1 loss to Reno in the regional final with a solo homer.
No. 2 Rancho (30-3) earned the Sunrise Region title largely on the strength of its arms. After overcoming Coronado (Henderson) 12-11 in the playoff opener, the Rams' pitching took over, including a no-hitter by Zak Qualls in a 2-1 over Green Valley (Henderson) in the winner's bracket final. Junior Zak Qualls threw five strong innings in relief of Eric Holdren during Rancho's 11-5 win over Green Valley in the title game. Holdren, who has verbally committed to San Diego State, was bothered by a leg problem in the final and if he can't go, it would be a major blow for the Rams, who have won 17 in a row.
Predicted champion: Bishop Gorman
SOFTBALL
Palo Verde (Las Vegas) vs. Spanish Springs (Sparks)
Two of the top pitchers in the state square off in the tournament opener. Junior Melissa McCormick sparked Palo Verde (28-8) to the Sunset Region title with an outstanding performance in the circle on Friday. The Panthers beat Durango (Las Vegas) in the loser's bracket final 4-2 and then beat top-seeded Legacy (North Las Vegas) 5-0 and 6-0 to win the title. McCormick fanned 31 batters in the 21 innings as Palo earned its first berth at state since 2003.
No. 1 Spanish Springs (31-1) won back-to-back state titles in 2007-08, and the Cougars are the heavy favorites this time around. Senior pitcher Karlyn Jones, who signed with Pittsburgh, did not allow a run in the Northern Region tournament and gave up 10 hits while striking out 37 batters in 27 innings. Remarkably, Jones has walked three batters all season. Division I signees Ashley Decker (Cal) and Karley Hopkins (Nevada) lead a Cougars offense that has eight regulars batting better than .400.
Green Valley (Henderson) vs. Damonte Ranch (Reno)
Green Valley (29-7) emerged from the loser's bracket to win the Sunrise Region title, knocking off Foothill (Henderson) 4-1 before sweeping Liberty (Henderson) 11-2 and 8-2. However, the Gators are the only team in the tournament with an unsettled situation in the pitching circle. Coach Lauren Taylor has to decide between four-year starter Alicia Firelein or senior Desiree Laswell, who fired complete games against Foothill and in the first game against Liberty, then struck out six in three innings of relief in the title game. Firelein allowed two unearned runs in four innings. Ali Bodnar leads the Gators' offense.
This is the first appearance at state for the Mustangs (25-10), who lost 3-0 to Spanish Springs in the Northern Region title game but beat Carson (Calif.) 11-1 in the loser's bracket final to qualify. Damonte Ranch was the No. 2 seed from the Sierra League and will need to continue to get timely hits from Alexis McKinnon and Chanel Bates, and solid pitching from Kalyn Paque.
Predicted champion: Spanish Springs
MCINERNEY LEADS CORONADO TO GOLF TITLE
Sophomore A.J. McInerney shot an 8-under 134 to win medalist honors and lead Coronado (Henderson) to the team title at the 4A state golf tournament at TPC Las Vegas on Tuesday. It is the first state team title for Coronado since the school opened in 2001.
McInerney opened the tournament with a 68 and fired a 5-under 66 on Tuesday to wrap up the individual title. McInerney's 8-under total set a state record for the lowest winning score in relation to par, topping the 6-under score by Galena (Reno)'s Travis Whisman in 1999.
“It’s unbelievable,” McInerney told NevadaPreps.com. “We’ve worked hard all year, and to be rewarded like this is something really special.”
Coronado (Henderson) had four golfers in the top 20, including junior Tad Darland, who took third after a final-round 71 to finish at 146. The Cougars finished the two-day tournament at 751, while second-place Palo Verde (Las Vegas) was 13 shots back. Arbor View (Las Vegas) sophomore Zane Thomas shot a 75-70 to finish second behind McInerney.
WHARTON SHINES AT REGIONAL
Senior Garic Wharton of Valley (Las Vegas) broke the regional record in the 200 meters and also took the 100 at the Sunrise Region track and field meet at Del Sol (Las Vegas) last Friday. Wharton, who signed a letter of intent to play football at Arizona and is also expected to run track for the Wildcats, crossed the finish line in 21.05 seconds to win the 200. The previous record of 21.06 was set last year by Joeal Hotchkins of Chaparral (Las Vegas).
Wharton's time is No. 3 in the country this season, according to DyeStat.com. He won the 100 in 10.61 and will compete in both events at the 4A state meet Friday and Saturday at Damonte Ranch High in Reno.
Rancho (Las Vegas) senior Aisha Momodu was part of four Sunrise girls records as she topped her own marks in the 100 (12.09) and 200 (25.54), and was part of the record-setting 400 relay (48.53) and 1,600 relay (3:59.37) teams.
Jovani Hernandez of Canyon Springs (Las Vegas) edged Ladale Jackson of Silverado by one-hundreth of a second in the boys 400, winning in a time of 48.12 as both runners surpassed the previous region record of 48.99. Canyon Springs (Las Vegas) swept Sunrise team titles in the boys and girls meets.
Centennial (Las Vegas) captured the boys and girls team titles at the Sunset Region meet. The top individual perfomer there was Centennial's Karli Johonnot, who won the 100 and 300 hurdles to go along with her titles in the long jump and pole vault last week.
Johonnot is the first girl to win four individual events at a regional meet, meet director John Dixon told NevadaPreps.com. In the Northern Region meet, McQueen (Reno) junior Brianna Tate broke a 29-year-old record to win the girls 400 meters and led the Lancers to the girls team title. Tate, who also won the 200, crossed in 55.77, smashing the previous record of 56.44 by Marita Lum of Wooster in 1981.
McQueen won its second straight boys team title with 119.5 points, largely on the strength of its relays. Senior Richard Shroy of Carson (Carson City) set a regional record in the 1,600 with a time of 4:19.92, which was just ahead of junior Bryan Jordan of Galena (Reno). The previous record was set in 2001 by Dan Wolf of Reno (4:20.16).
David Schoen works at the Las Vegas Review-Journal, and is a former Associate Sports Editor and Turn2 columnist for the Oakland (Calif.) Tribune. You can reach him at ByDavid1@aol.com.
