NOTES: NIAA moves state wrestling tournament to

Those hoping to take a trip to scenic Winnemucca for this year’s state wrestling tournament need to make a change of plans.

The Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association’s board of control voted this week to move the event, which takes place Feb. 8 and 9, from the Winnemucca Events Center to the Reno Livestock Events Center.

Success in the mining industry has meant many long-term stays in Winnemucca hotels, NIAA assistant director Donnie Nelson said. He said that resulted in higher hotel rates in Winnemucca in February, and some schools found that they wouldn’t be able to house all of their athletes in one facility because of high occupancy rates.

As a result, the tournament will move to Reno. The event is scheduled to return to Winnemucca in 2015.

In other notes from the NIAA meeting, the board approved adding Beaver Dam (Ariz.) for the 2013-14 school year.

The school of about 130 students is located about 10 miles from Virgin Valley High School in Mesquite.

Beaver Dam will compete as an independent for three years with no postseason eligibility.

Beaver Dam will be on its own to schedule games with Nevada schools for next school year, but Nelson said he expects the Division IV Southern League to work with the school to schedule games the following two seasons.

Also, the board voted to increase ticket prices for postseason events, effective next school year.
Nelson said the price for adults will increase from $7 to $10. Senior citizens, who currently can attend for free, will have to pay $3. Student prices will remain $5, and children 8 and younger still will be allowed in for free.

CSN SIGNINGS — The College of Southern Nevada’s baseball and softball programs each signed several local athletes Tuesday.

Silverado’s David Kuzma led the seven baseball signees. Kuzma was a second-team all-state pitcher last spring, posting a 6-2 record with a 1.51 ERA.

Also signing were Cimarron-Memorial’s Josh Nuernberg, Western’s Josh Yocum, Liberty’s Nate Bennett, Palo Verde’s Brett Bovee, Shadow Ridge’s Logan Hold and Durango’s Anthony Martine.
All seven of the signees are pitchers.

“We’ve seen these kids pitch, and they’re guys we think are going to be impact guys for us,” CSN coach Nick Garritano said. “You play four games in a weekend in league, so you need a bunch of arms.”

The softball team signed eight players, highlighted by Cimarron’s Sarina Creswell. Creswell was a second-team all-state performer as a junior when she hit .554 with three home runs and 45 RBIs.

Also signing was Foothill’s Gabrielle Canibyeaz and Hannah Russo, Chaparral’s Lauren Lesniak and Nicole Lesniak, Centennial’s Mia Acuna, Cheyenne’s Vanessa Sanders and Desert Oasis’ C.J. Wilson.

GATORADE AWARD — Centennial’s Sydney Badger was named the girls Gatorade Nevada Cross Country Runner of the Year.

Badger was the Sunset Region champion and placed fourth at the Division I state meet.