Douglas tops Reno for league title

Saturday's home finale against Reno was more or less a microcosm of what the Douglas High wrestling team's entire season has been.

Utter dominance.

The Tigers wrapped up their first outright Sierra League crown with a 68-15 victory against the Huskies, completing a perfect 7-0 run through league action. Douglas also improved to 15-2-1 overall on the year with its only losses coming to Carson at the Damonte Ranch duals before several of the Tigers' varsity wrestlers were cleared for competition, and Lemoore, Calif.

In total, the Tigers outscored their league opponents 399-116 on the year, and took the title at their home tournament, the Carson Valley Lions Invitational. They also nearly won the Alhambra Invitational, taking second after holding the lead heading into the final round.

The Tigers made it look easy Saturday, racing ahead with two pins and a major decision to go with eight forfeits.

The highlight of the morning came, of all things, in an exhibition match. Douglas 275-pounder Matt Castro and Reno's 215-pounder met in an exhibition after the school's traded forfeits in the upper weight classes.

Castro, wrestling in his final match under the spotlight in the Douglas gym, scored a quick takedown and swiftly turned that into a pin just 38 seconds into the match.

He wrapped up his senior regular season with a 40-7 record.

Bryan Kaplan, also a senior, pinned his opponent in 2:33 in the 125-pound category and Cameron Ames scored a major decision in the 140-pound weight class.

Reno picked up its points on a pin and a decision in the low-middle weights and a forfeit at 215.

145-pounder Jake Williams had a pin in 2:56 for Douglas the day's only other contested match.

Ryan Pruitt (152), Tony Ferris (160), Sean Molina (171), Shane Miller (189) and Castro all picked up forfeit wins in their respective weight classes.

Miller improved to 43-1 on the year.

n Joey Crandall can be reached at jcrandall@recordcourier.com or at (775) 782-5121, ext. 212.