Wow has time flown. It seems like we were just opening the fall season for high school sports, but here we are in the final two weeks of the regular season.
With that in mind, here is a look at the playoff push and what is ahead ...
The Lowry High School softball team may have surprised a number of people throughout the Division I-A North, but they are where they thought they would be.
After two crushing defeats to Churchill County and Fernley a season ago in the regional championships in Winnemucca, the Lady Bucks are back on top of the league with the aid of two wins against the Greenwave in Fallon. Lowry will get its second major test of the season with a road trip to Fernley this weekend. The Vaqueros, who are the defending Division I-A state champion, are second in the league at 15-2, while the Lady Bucks are 16-2.
It is no secret that these two teams don't like each other, but I feel there is a mutual feeling of respect. There are no secrets between them and they know what to expect. The winner of the three-game series will likely earn the No. 1 spot for the regional tournament.
If they finish second, that likely means a first-round date with Churchill County in the first round of the regional. The regular season champion would get either Dayton or Spring Creek. Dayton has one of the best pitchers in the league and just beat Churchill County twice. So, seeding shouldn't really matter, knowing that they have to win twice to advance to the state championships.
Lowry doesn't have that pitcher that will post 200 strikeouts, but Taylor Schwartz and Alyssa Dendary have produced well. With one of the best lineups that features Shelby McKinnon, Lexie Coleman, Ere Higbee, Kylee McClellan and Jaecee Munger, this a group to be reckoned with.
This group has a lot of similarities to the girls basketball team that won the state championship. What's preventing the softball team from doing the same thing?
To say that the Lowry baseball team has its back against a wall in the race to the playoffs would be an understatement. The Buckaroos got of to a quick start with a sweep of Sparks, but nothing has gone right since this past weekend against Truckee.
Lowry put itself into a corner, losing twice at home to Dayton, who was winless at the time in the Division I-A North. The Buckaroos had two leads against South Tahoe go by the wayside and Lowry dropped three games to Churchill County, where another lead got away.
It is tough to put a finger on this team because they are so much better than what the record shows. Whether it's their own fault or other reasons, this team has had no luck this season. Sometimes, you have make your own luck. This group of guys are athletic and smart. They have been on academic state championship teams in football, wrestling and basketball. They have been on teams that have played in state tournaments.
It is pretty simple math for Lowry to reach the playoffs - win its remaining six game or else. That feat is not impossible and it all starts this weekend in Fernley.
The only postseason ahead for the Lowry boys golf team is the state championships in Pahrump. The Buckaroos are the golden standard in boys golf in Nevada with 12 championships - six more than any other school.
Lowry has won three of the last four state championships, including the last two. One can get used to winning so much and get complacent at times. The Buckaroos suffered a rare loss at Elko just a couple of weeks ago. That may have been the best thing in the world for them. It gives them the chance to refocus for the home stretch.
Ethan Gray has shown he is the one of the top golfers in northern Nevada and his 68 at Spring Creek showed that. The brother combination of Andy and Chris Mendoza has been strong, as has Josh Shaver. Josh Rose came to life with an 83 at Spring Creek and will be a key figure at state. The Buckaroos need to lock in on a sixth golfer in either Joseba Criswell, Hunter Dimock or Blake Duncan. Each one has played in tournaments this season.
If everything plays out like it should, Lowry and Faith Lutheran will battle it out for state supremacy. Not many thought the Buckaroos could take down the Crusaders last year, but they did. It will take a solid two days from everyone to bring back a 13th title.
The best thing that happened to the Lowry swim team was the split between Division I and I-A. That showed itself last year with the most successful season in school history.
This spring has been no different as the Lady Bucks are undefeated in duals and the boys have one loss. Kelsea Perkinson, Emma Kracaw, Madison Lozano, Sabrina Jensen and Kenzie Maddox have led the girls. Matthew Jock, Leo Avila, Christian Gray, Wyatt Lester and Tristen Waller have been strong for the boys.
With large numbers this season, Lowry has qualified a number of swimmers to the regional championships. The hope is to get them to the state championships, where a top five finish in the team standings is not out of the question.
The Lowry and McDermitt track and field teams will see a clearer future at the regional championships. Va Draunidalo and Brendan Wilson will have opportunities to reach the state championships for the Bulldogs.
Rachel Sigurdson, Kenadee Jeppsen and Auri Criddle will have chances to make it for the Buckaroo girls as will Sergio Castaneda, Roberto Sanchez and Robert Stepper for the boys.
Winnemucca Publishing sports editor Tony Erquiaga cane be reached at t.erquiaga@winnemuccapublishing.net.[[In-content Ad]]
