Columnist Spencer Patterson: Wranglings in court delay northern tournament

Spencer Patterson

Thursday, May 4, 2000 | 10:13 a.m.

Spencer Patterson's prep sports notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at spencer@lasvegassun.com or 259-4085.

The Sunrise and Sunset Region baseball tournaments are under way in Southern Nevada, but in the state's northern half, battles are being waged in an entirely different arena -- Washoe County District Court.

Already, the start of the Northern Region Tournament has been pushed back one day, and there's a strong possibility it won't begin today either.

The controversy stems from a ruling by the Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association last week that stripped Galena of 11 victories for fielding an academically ineligible player.

The Grizzlies appealed the decision to a three-member NIAA panel earlier this week, and got the number of forfeited games reduced to two. That put Galena back into the postseason as the north's No. 2 seed, bumping Sparks from the playoffs instead.

So on Wednesday, Sparks took the matter to court, seeking an injunction to prevent the tournament from starting without it. And sure enough, the judge in the case ruled in favor of the Railroaders, putting them back into the playoff bracket and bumping Reed.

Now there are reports that Reed will seek a similar injunction today, with the Raiders already consulting with an attorney to consider their options.

Putting aside the issues of who will play in the tournament and when it will ultimately begin, Wednesday's ruling could have implications statewide.

The judge in the case ruled that the NIAA's guidelines regarding eligibility are vague and ambiguous, and therefore can not strictly be enforced. And that means that every student-athlete who has been ruled academically ineligible might have a beef with Nevada prep sports' governing body.

Just two years ago, Las Vegas High missed out on the football playoffs for using an ineligible player. Likewise, Bishop Gorman's boys soccer team lost out on the postseason for a similar infraction.

In both of those cases, the schools self-reported the mistake. In Galena's case, the situation was discovered by people outside the school.

Yet the Wildcats and Gaels accepted their fate and stayed home for the playoffs, while the Grizzlies look for a way to force the NIAA to overlook their error.

"The schools in Southern Nevada have taken responsibility to enforce the rules as they're written," NIAA Executive Director Jerry Hughes said. "Galena High School has not taken responsibility for their actions. They've looked for an excuse."

* COLLEGE SIGNINGS: Las Vegas High forward Tremmell Darden, a member of the Sun's All-State first team, signed a letter of intent to play for Division I school Niagra on Wednesday.

The 6-3 Darden, best known for his explosive offensive exploits, also routinely drew the task of guarding the opposition's top scorer on the other end of the floor. Last season, he averaged 21 points and 9.8 rebounds while leading the Wildcats to a 24-7 record, the Sunrise Region title and an appearance in the 4A State Tournament.

On Tuesday, Green Valley outfielder Ben Schiess signed a letter of intent with Nevada-Reno, joining Durango shortstop Brandon Perry as the second local player to commit to the Wolf Pack.

Schiess is batting .389 with a .597 slugging percentage, 23 RBIs and two home runs for the Gators. He becomes the fourth Gators player to sign this year, joining David Krynzel (LSU), Billy Schmitt (Kansas) and Ben Scheinbaum (UNLV).

* CAMPS: Durango will hold its annual Blazer Basketball Camp for players ages 8-16 in two sessions, the first June 5-9 and the second June 12-15. The camp, which will feature instruction from TCU's Thomas McTyer and UNLV's Donovan Stewart and Chris Richardson among others, costs $125. Participants will receive a T-shirt, mesh shorts, a photo package and a basketball. For more information, call 363-7805.

Centennial will hold its second Bulldog Basketball Camp for players entering grades 3-9 June 5-8 from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Registration fees are $75 in advance or $80 at the door. Participants will receive a T-shirt and a shooter's notebook. For more information, call 799-3440 ext. 269 or 869-5994.

Boulder City High will provide free tennis instruction in conjunction with the 11th annual USPTA Tennis Across America program on May 13 from 12-3 p.m. at the school's tennis courts. Players of all ages and levels are invited to attend. For more information, call 361-8539.