Baseball title first for north since ‘92

Spencer Patterson

Monday, May 20, 2002 | 9:38 a.m.

One of Southern Nevada's most significant high school athletic streaks has come to a surprising end.

On Saturday, the Wooster Colts became the first school from the Northern Region to capture the large-school state baseball title since Carson in 1992 and the first Reno city champion since Reno High in 1984.

Southern Nevada, which has long prided itself on the quality of its youth baseball, had won 20 of 22 titles since 1980.

"If I'm a 16-, 17-year-old kid, I'm probably tired of hearing about (the south's dominance in baseball)," Wooster coach Ron Malcolm said after his team's 8-7, come-from-behind win over Centennial in eight innings at CCSN's Lied Field.

"A northern team hasn't won since '92, but Galena was in the finals last year, Reno a couple years before that. So the north is getting better, definitely more competitive with the south," Malcolm added.

Reno High spent most of 2002 looking like Northern Nevada's top hope to break through, going 28-3 during the regular season and even earning a spot in Student Sports' southwest regional rankings.

But the Colts (30-9) got hot at the right time, reeling off four wins to capture the Northern Region title two weeks ago. The north's top seed then stunned Bishop Gorman, Silverado, Gorman again and finally Centennial last week to take the trophy for the first time.

"I can't really explain it," said Wooster senior pitcher Chris Toto, who figured in all four Colt decisions at state, winning two and saving two. "Our coach has been preaching about the team effort all year, and we all came together as a team in the postseason."

Wooster capped its playoff run by rallying from a 7-2 deficit, scoring five runs over the final four innings while blanking the state's top-scoring offense.

The Colts also became the first school to win large-school state baseball and softball titles in the same year since Reno High in 1984. The Colts took home their third consecutive 4A softball crown last Friday on pitcher Brianne McGowan's fourth shutout in four state tournament games.

The Eagles won six of nine individual events and all three relays. Bret Lundgaard led the way with victories in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke while Travis Tyler (100 freestyle), Dougie Broadbent (100 butterfly), John Foster (500 freestyle) and J.P. Morgan (50 freestyle) took first place in one individual race each.

Only Silverado senior Kurt Cady, who set state records in the 200 freestyle and 100 breastroke, and Palo Verde diver Andrez Posada prevented a Boulder City 12-event sweep.

On the girls side, Reno ran away with the team competition, keeping the state title in Northern Nevada for the 11th straight year.

Bishop Gorman's Angelina Colavito and Silverado's Alyssa Cady, who tied for first in the 50 freestyle, Bonanza's Liane Publow (100 butterfly) and Palo Verde's Wendy Williams (diving) were Southern Nevada's only individual event winners.

In boys action, Galena edged Cimarron-Memorial by the narrowest of margins, 71.5-71, with third-place Reno also close behind with 68 points.

Clark's Bever-leigh Holloway capped her sensational freshman campaign with victories in the 100 and 200 meter dashes and 100 meter hurdles, as well as a second-place finish in the 300 meter hurdles.

Western's Paul Smith was a double-event winner on the boys' side, crossing the line first in both the 100 and 200 meter dashes.