STATE: Palo Verde teams primed for sweep

Northern Nevada schools have been dominant in swimming, winning 29 of a possible 40 team championships since 1989 and claiming at least one of the two team titles every year since 1991.

But that streak could end today at the state meet at UNR’s Lombardi Recreation Center. The meet begins at 2 p.m.

“It’s going to be the South this year fighting it out on the North’s home turf,” Palo Verde coach Bob Nicholson said.

Nicholson’s Panthers are looking for their own sweep. Palo Verde is the favorite to repeat as boys state champion and should contend with Green Valley for the girls title.

“Green Valley and ourselves are just about dead even, and that’s going to be a slug-out,” Nicholson said of the girls race.

Green Valley has 12 entries, one more than Palo Verde. Both schools have the No. 1 seed in three individual events and one relay.

“I think we can run our relays a little faster than we did at the region (meet),” Nicholson said. “If the girls have good swims, anything can happen.”

Addie Oswald (200-yard individual medley) and Allie Dodds (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle) are seeded No. 1 for the Gators.

Palo Verde’s Mikayda Mills (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) and Megan Kelley (100 butterfly) are the Panthers’ top seeds.

Other top-seeded girls from Southern Nevada are Bishop Gorman’s Ciera Cortney (diving) and Faith Lutheran’s Samantha Pearson (100 backstroke).

In the boys meet, it appears Palo Verde has breathing room over top contender Boulder City.

“They’ve got about a 20-some odd point advantage over Boulder City on paper,” Nicholson said. “But who knows. Anything can happen in this pool.”

Both Palo Verde and Boulder City have 11 entries. Each school is seeded No. 1 in one individual event and one relay.

Palo Verde’s Gianni Sesto is the No. 1 seed in the 100 backstroke. Boulder City’s Zane Grothe is the top seed in the 500 freestyle.

The area’s other top-seeded boys are Spring Valley’s Dylan Wolf (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly), Arbor View’s Brian Martinez (100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke) and Green Valley’s Robert Hommel (200 individual medley).