Columnist Spencer Patterson: Unbeaten Cimarron primed for tourney

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, Feb. 11, 1999 | 10:58 a.m.

Spencer Patterson's high school notebook appears Thursdays. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or 259-4085.

For the third straight year, the story line is the same for Cimarron-Memorial's wrestling team as it gears up for this weekend's 4A Southern Zone tournament.

Capture another zone title, stay healthy and, most importantly, qualify as many wrestlers as possible for next week's run at that elusive state championship.

"We want to use this as a sounding board for the state championship," said Spartans coach Tim Jeffries, whose squad has been edged by Wooster for the state crown the past two years. "We want to start to peak this week and carry it through."

Cimarron established itself as the class of Southern Nevada with a 19-0 (7-0 Sunset Division) run through the regular season.

The Spartans will host the two-day event, which begins Friday at 3:30 p.m. and concludes Saturday, with the championship round slated for 5 p.m.

"We want to try to qualify everyone (for state)," Jeffries said. "That's always our ultimate goal."

For that to happen, Cimarron wrestlers would need to finish among the top six in all 14 weight classes. And while that may be unlikely, the Spartans are certain to dominate in several weights.

Chief among those is 173 pounds, where senior Kendall Thacker is gunning for his third consecutive state title. Despite battling injuries this season, Thacker takes a 25-0 mark into the event.

The Spartans are also all but guaranteed a first-place finish at 137 pounds, where junior Chris Harris comes in with a 26-0 record and a 1998 state championship.

Bud Nollet (114), Hosh Fitzgerald (132), Rayes Gonzales (142), Scott Leavitt (147) and Mason Allred (154) should also compete for zone titles for Cimarron.

The event won't be all maroon and silver, though. Several weight classes should be wide open, including 105, 140 and 152 pounds, while several others feature top-notch wrestlers from other area schools.

The 105-pound weight class could be among the most interesting, with Green Valley's Brent Baumgardner trying to defend his state championship against several strong contenders, including Las Vegas' Ricardo Osorio, Rancho's Jared Medina and Bonanza's Cody Chapman.

Wrestlers expected to dominate their brackets include Rancho's Josh Medina (127), Green Valley's Luke Lichtenstein (162) and Kenny Reed (heavyweight).

Doors open to the public Friday at 2:30 p.m. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for students, with free admission to children 8 and under and senior citizens.

* DREAM MATCHUP: The brackets are set for the upcoming 4A Southern Zone girls soccer tournament, and the first round will feature a rematch of last year's title game.

Green Valley and Bishop Gorman, two schools that have become synonymous with success in girls soccer in Southern Nevada, will meet Saturday at 3 p.m. at Durango.

The Gators (16-2-2), last year's zone champs, rolled through the regular season, losing just once in the Sunrise Division. The Gaels (14-5-1), on the other hand, were hit with a series of injuries to key players, finishing fourth in the Sunset.

Also on tap for Saturday's first round: Durango (14-2-2) against Chaparral (8-5-2) at 8:30 a.m., Cimarron (12-3-2) against Valley (7-6-6) at 10:45 a.m. and Sunset champ Bonanza (15-2-0) versus Basic (10-6-3) at 1 p.m.

The winners will meet in the semifinals next Tuesday and Wednesday, also at Durango. The championship is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 20 at noon.

Tickets are $5 for adults and $5 for students, with free admission for children 8 and under and senior citizens.

* MITCHELL MOVES ON: Cary Mitchell recently ended his second stint as Rancho's football coach, resigning the position after two seasons.

Mitchell coached the Rams to a 13-13 record from 1992-94 before calling it quits the first time. He returned in 1997 to rebuild a program decimated by a lack of bodies.

"Basically, they needed someone to step in and get something going," Mitchell said. "(Principal Charles Jauregui) knew what I was capable of going, and we kind of got it turned around."

Although the Rams won just five games in Mitchell's second stint, he helped rejuvenate the school's junior varsity and freshman programs. As many as 17 lettermen will return for the varsity squad next year.

"I think we have it where a coach can come in and win his first year," Mitchell said.

Mitchell said the highlight of his five years at the school was his team's 4-1 record against rival Las Vegas in the annual "Bone Game."

As for future plans, Mitchell said he'd like to get back into coaching, possibly as an assistant at Henderson's new Foothill High School.

* TIDBITS: Silverado senior Ryan Hunt has been named the NIAA 4A Boys Prep Athlete of the Week. Hunt scored 45 points and went 15-for-16 from the free-throw line for the Skyhawks in a three-game span. ... Palo Verde's girls bowling team recently clinched the school's first varsity postseason appearance.