Year in Sports

Year in Sports

By Staff Posted June 6, 2024

One last hit for the varsity volleyball season

The Lady Bucks played hard through the summer and fall months. They gave it their all and pushed through their hardships throughout the season. In the end, they ended up with a 4-14 record.

Their coach, Skylar Estes, is pleased with coaching these girls throughout the season, and how they talk to each other throughout the game.

“This team has been one of my favorites to coach,” said Estes. “Even with the season not going as well as we would have liked with wins and losses; the team still was positive and showed up to work hard every single day.”

Seniors: Destiny Medicine-Cloud, Hadlee Bengochea, Cambria Tisue, Savannah Stoker, Angeleena Burke Alexis Galarza, and Maddison McClure.

Alexis Galarza and Savannah Stoker set a block on the net. /Ron Espinola • The Brand
Alexis Galarza and Savannah Stoker set a block on the net. /Ron Espinola • The Brand

Varsity boy’s soccer takes one last shot

This year’s soccer season has been through its ups and downs with the boy’s varsity team, whether it be the way they played or one of their teammates getting hurt.

The season for Jovanny Cuevas went better, he worked hard every day at practice for his team.

“As for the team, I would say we work every practice to get to where we are now,” Cuevas said.

Seniors: Nazareth Razo, Rojelio Leon, Jesus Guizar, Danny Castaneda, Jesus Prado, and Timothy Patchen.

Victor Cruz and Nazareth Razo celebrate scoring a goal.   /Alexis Galarza • The Brand
Victor Cruz and Nazareth Razo celebrate scoring a goal. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand

Varsity girl’s soccer has a season to remember

Varsity girl’s soccer had a season to be remembered. The girls continued their success from last year and this year’s season was even better.

Coach Chris Entwistle was back with his third year coaching the Lady Bucks and this year he was proud of how hard they worked to get to the playoffs.

“There are a lot of reasons to be proud this season, but the biggest reason would be our girls being welcoming, accepting, and supportive of each other,” said Entwistle.

Senior Melene Nye believed this was the best season the varsity girl’s soccer team has had in a long time. Everyone has worked very well together helping them to their win against Elko’s soccer team.

“I believe the team’s biggest accomplishment this year is beating Elko for the first time in at least four years (the whole time I’ve played soccer at Lowry) as well as Elko’s first loss of the season,” said Nye.

Seniors: Alia Novi, Bryce Binkerhoff, Melene Nye, Katlyn Gomez, Briseidy Razo-Chavez, and Katlyn Esquibel.

Britain Backus steals the ball from a player on Pershing County. /Ron Espinola • The Brand
Britain Backus steals the ball from a player on Pershing County. /Ron Espinola • The Brand

Varsity football looks back on the season

Each season has its unique challenges and expectations and this year was no exception for the Bucks.

Lowry played a close game against Spring Creek during which the starting quarterback Erick Valencia sustained a season-ending injury.

“It’s been a rough last few weeks,” said Cabatbat. “There had been lots of injuries, especially with what happened to our quarterback.”

However, that didn’t stop them from making the most of the season. They picked up another win against South Tahoe 38-20 and that was enough to get the Buckaroos into the playoffs against Fallon. Unfortunately, they fell 48-14 to the Greenwave in the final game of the season.

Senior Anthony Guzman was recognized as a 1st-team All-League offensive player. For him,  football was more than just two-a-days. 

“In my four years at Lowry football was the highlight for me every year as I feel like it helped me grow as a person and understand myself better,” said Anthony Guzman.

Seniors: Joseph Vankuiken, Anthony Guzman, Jesse Jeronimo, Luke Fentress, Carson Primeaux, Marcas Ricci, Manuel Gallardo, Nathan Jeffries, Nomar Aguirre, Roan Hornbarger, Michel Staas, Felicity Snyder, David Walker, and Canaan Ortega.

Marcas Ricci and Luke Fentress celebrate after Fentress scored a touchdown. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand
Marcas Ricci and Luke Fentress celebrate after Fentress scored a touchdown. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand

Girl’s golf swings to victory

The 2023 girl’s golf season was a huge success for all the players and coaches. All the players from last year returned and two freshman girls joined.

“This was my first year ever playing golf,” said Naomi Miller, “It was a very fun experience and I improved a lot throughout the season.”

In the end, Cassinelli was the only player that qualified for State in Las Vegas this year. She was the first-place individual qualifier.

“State was a very fun experience,” said Cassinelli, “I loved being able to play with others that were on the same skill level as me even though it was really hot in Vegas.”

Seniors: Isabella Bartell

Isabella Bartel tees off on hole 7. /Destiny Medicine Cloud • The Brand
Isabella Bartel tees off on hole 7. /Destiny Medicine Cloud • The Brand

Varsity boys shoot till the end

Lowry varsity boy’s basketball has had its ups and downs throughout their season but they fought hard for every score.

“This year was tough with all the new things thrown at us but we made it work the best we could and pushed through,” said Jaden Jimenez.

Even if the season had not gone quite as planned, the boys worked well together, made good plays, and took their chances on the court.

“The overall season felt like a success, despite wins and losses,” said head coach Jesse Zamudio. “The team worked extremely hard daily, not only to grow their basketball skills and IQ, but to grow as a team and learn how to play together.”

Seniors:  Anthony Guzman, Kasyn Garner, Dempsey Jenkins, and Jack Delong.

Dempsey Jenkins keeps the ball away from a Fernley player. /Ron Espinola • The Brand
Dempsey Jenkins keeps the ball away from a Fernley player. /Ron Espinola • The Brand

Another year, another state title

During League play, they had an 8-2 record and were 22-6 overall. Both league losses were against Fernley. In the state championship game, it was Lowry against Fernley just like last year’s state championship game.

Savannah Stoker (22.2 ppg) and Britain Backus (20.1 ppg) lead the league in scoring. Although it ended with the big win there was still some trouble along the way.

“If I had to say a struggle it would be sickness and injuries during the season,” said Bryce Brinkerhoff.

Coach Chelsea Cabatbat agreed that the girls worked and pushed through any struggles.

“We had the opportunity to go play some great teams in Idaho and really exposed our weaknesses,” said Cabatbat. “We came back and worked hard on our weaknesses.”  

Seniors: Autum Sanches, Bryce Binkerhoff, Cambria Tisue, Savannah Stoker, and Katlyn Gomez.

Savannah Stoker goes up strong at the basket, scoring for her team. /Ariana Rothe • The Brand
Savannah Stoker goes up strong at the basket, scoring for her team. /Ariana Rothe • The Brand

Wrestlers takes 4th at state; Harbor wins second title

Coach Brant Corak and John Brooks have led their athletes from start to finish. Without their coaching, the team would never have known its limits and accomplishments they could achieve. After a long season, the Lowry Bucks end their season with pride.

“As far as the state wrestling tournament goes, I’m really proud of how our team wrestled,” said Brooks.

Senior Marcas Ricci has wrestled his last match for the Buckaroos and has been part of the wrestling program since the age of four. He was forced into it by his dad and stuck with it because of a commitment to his grandpa and coach Brooks.

“Wrestling is fun because of the bus rides, the coaches, the tournaments… because it’s something I’ve done and it’s a part of me,” said Ricci.

Lowry finished in 4th the state with 75 points behind Elko, Moapa Valley and Fernley. Individual results were Pete Bengochea 2nd place (106); Kruz Gomez (113) 2nd place; Jhett Harbe 1st place (175); and Luke Fentress 2nd place (190).

Seniors: William DeLong, Bailey Peterson, Brauden Mezenen-Dennis, Jaycee Harbor, Christopher Gildone, Luke Fentress, and Marcas Ricci.

Luke Fentress competes at state. /Courtesy • Cripps Photography
Luke Fentress competes at state. /Courtesy • Cripps Photography

Diving into the last swim season with Coach Cassandra Jenkins

Coach Cassandra Jenkins said that this year they have many new freshmen helping build the program. This year, she wants to work on their stroke fundamentals and techniques so they can gain speed and improve their endurance.

“Swimming is one of the hardest sports you’ll ever do because you’ll have to swim every day to become really good,“ said Jenkins.

They won a couple of meets, earned many points, aimed for the state title, and made good progress towards regionals.

“I like that everyone is cheering each other on and is staying up at a meet and they are showing Lowry pride,” said Jenkins.

Kelsen Sisley is new to the team and liked the season. He thinks he did better than the last couple of years.

“It’s harder than it looks but we have good coaches that push us, encourage us, and tell us what we need to do to get better,” said Sisley.

Everybody gives more than a hundred percent and they’re supporting each other.

“The team is a lot bigger than the last few years so it’s a lot more chaotic but overall the main course of the team is really friendly with each other and we are improving on each other,” said Garrett Jensen.

Garrett Jensen, Kelsen Sisley, Tanner Hatch, and Steven Camacho got seven out of eight at State, putting five seconds off their 400 seconds.

Seniors: Garrett Jensen and Maitea Bengoa.

Garrett Jensen catches his breath before continuing his lap in the water. /Ron Espinola • The Brand
Garrett Jensen catches his breath before continuing his lap in the water. /Ron Espinola • The Brand

Softball

Each year Lowry softball has high expectations. Early in the season some may have felt they would fall short of their usual achievements. However, Lowry softball is about more than the wins and losses and means much to the players and coaches alike.

“Being a part of the Lowry softball program has meant being a part of a family for me,” said senior outfielder Hayden Case. “The program is nothing but supportive and I have made lifelong relations through this program, along with countless memories. I truly owe the softball program nothing but appreciation and gratitude, not a day I won’t miss it.”

With a league record of 8-8 and an overall record of 17-19. The Bucks didn’t exactly cruise the season. However, the Bucks played a tough out-of-league schedule under new coach Megan Maga facing 5A teams such as Spanish Springs and Bishop Manogue. In addition, the league was much more balanced on the East side than it has been in the past.

In her first year as the head coach, Megan Maga is looking forward to next year with a young team but will miss the seniors who have left their mark on the program.

“We may be young going forward, but the girls we have in our program are committed to success and they want to see themselves at the top of the podium,” said Maga. “As their coach, I am excited to watch them achieve greatness. Our 5 graduating seniors and the players of Lowry Softball past have helped to lay the foundation that I hope to continue to build upon. Go Bucks :)”

Lowry finished 4th during the regular season and traveled to South Tahoe for the first round of the playoffs where they beat the Vikings 24-4 to earn a trip to the regional tournament in Spring Creek. They opened the tournament with a win over Elko and then lost to defending state champions North Valleys. They bounced back with a 16-1 win over Sparks and their season ended with an extra inning 9-8 loss to Fernley.  

Savannah Stoker led the team in the circle and at the plate. She set a new career state record for home runs this year with 53.

“It has been an honor to work with my teammates and build strong connections with them,” said Stoker. “As well as spending countless hours with my coaches that have helped me get better. I am forever grateful to be a part of Lowry’s sports program, academics and the community.”

Maddison McClure anchored the team behind the plate for the last three years and is headed to College of the Siskiyous to play.

“Overall, I think the season went well,” said McClure. “There were a lot of learning opportunities that helped us to grow as a team and individuals.”

The Bucks are also losing the services of DH and outfielder Bailey Peterson; utility player Hayden Case; and third baseman Cambria Tisue.

The seniors before their final game at home. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand
The seniors before their final game at home. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand

Varsity baseball wraps up trying season with positive outlook for next year

Varsity baseball started out the season with a trip to the desert when they traveled to Needles, California and the Bucks were 5-6 going into league play. Unfortunately, they dropped nine games by less than four runs each.

“There were some pretty good takeaways from the year,” said first-year Head Coach Brent Riemersma. “We competed every weekend. The players began to realize what daily purpose and hard work can do. We were a ‘young team’ as far as high school varsity baseball goes.”

The Lowry varsity baseball team ended with an overall record of 6-20 and were 1-14 in league play. The team ended up sitting 6th in the 3A North-East league.

Sophomore Bryce Niblack led the team offensively with a .414 average while Jake Bauman passed the team in RBI’s. On the mound, the Bucks were led by two juniors. ReCyan Grau had two wins in 34.33 innings and a 4.08 ERA. Angus Boyles notched 50 strikeouts in 33 innings of work.

For junior outfielder Zaquery Growcock the season had some silver linings.

“One positive thing from the baseball season was the guys that rode it out till the end,” said Growcock. “Everyone always showed up ready to play.”

Riemersma is looking forward to what the team can do in the future.

“[I am] Super proud of the team for learning how Lowry baseball wants to practice and compete on the weekend,” said Riemsema. “I loved that guys were willing to put in the work needed to get to the next level. We fell short of our expectations, but the foundation was built. There is a solid core of players we can build around and I look forward to us keeping building on that next year. Our expectations should be high.”

Post-Season Awards: Txema Bengochea 2nd Team All-League East Short Stop; Txema Bengochea Honorable Mention All-League North Short Stop; Connor Peterson Honorable Mention All-League East Catcher; Angus Boyles Honorable Mention All-League East Ouitfield; Jakob Bauman Honorable Mention All-League East Utility.    

Seniors: Brayden Mezenen-Dennis

Brayden Mezenen-Dennis celebrates hitting a double. /Olivia Espinola • The Brand
Brayden Mezenen-Dennis celebrates hitting a double. /Olivia Espinola • The Brand

Boy’s golf swings through the year

This year for boy’s golf was a series of tournaments that aided the team’s growth. Players who represented Lowry on the courses achieved great scores.

The team had 11 athletes, with the three seniors being the only returners from last year’s team. Head coach Andrew Meyer is saddened by those he will lose after this season, but he is also excited for the team’s future.

“This year’s golf season was a bit bittersweet. Saying goodbye to several seniors along with new athletes stepping up to fill in their place,” said Coach Meyer. “I see a lot of hope for the years to come with many new young golfers putting in the time it takes to become good at the game.”

During the home tournament, Landon Esquivel showed off his growth by winning first place in the individual category at the home tourney. Esquivel feels that he has grown substantially over the years, and he enjoyed seeing his progress while he was a part of the Lowry boy’s golf team.

“I think [the season] it’s going pretty well actually,” said Esquivel. “My past couple years, I started off not too well, and I ended coming back pretty strong at the end of the year. I started off this year pretty strong; I think in my opinion.”

The team, including Coach Meyer, will miss the bounds they created during the season, but they are ready for the next season to begin.

“Our trips were filled with laughs and adventure all along the way, from drives up Lamoille Canyon to playing beautiful golf courses all around the state,” said Coach Meyer. “We are looking forward to next season when younger golfers can claim their spots on the travel team.”

At regionals, Lowry ranked ninth with a score of 376.

This year, the team had many members that will be difficult to replicate in the future seasons.

Seniors: John Boyle, Jack DeLong, Landon Esquivel and Gavin Tisue.

Landon Esquivel makes a shot during the Icebreaker on hole six. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand
Landon Esquivel makes a shot during the Icebreaker on hole six. /Alexis Galarza • The Brand

Sprinting for records throughout the season

Lowry sent 14 athletes to state and many more to regionals Resulting in individual championships for Nomar Aguirre and Brent Kenison.

Freshman Lilyana Walker enjoyed her first year of Buckaroo track under head coach Ty Lucas.

“My first year of track will be one of my best memories,” said Walker. “It was hard work but in the end, it was all worth it for the progress I made throughout the session and all the people I became friends with.”

Brent Kenison, a sophomore, won state titles in three events: Triple jump, high jump and pole vault. Nomar Aguirre, a senior, in two events; shot put and discus.

“This year was a rollercoaster but trying to perform to my best ability and holding myself to the higher expectation,” said Aguirre. “Sate was nerves raking in the end it trued out well and I won both my events.” 

Kenison broke two school records, 14 feet for pole vault and 45 feet and 1.5 inches for triple jump. Aguirre broke the school record for discus with a throw of 168 feet 3.5 inch.

Sophomore Jonathan Moser was one of the athletes who qualified for state in Carson City.

“I was happy I almost made it to state for discus this year as a sophomore,” said Moser. “I am happy about this year and hope to see everyone back next year.”

Seniors: Keaton Kenison, Ira Wadsworth, Luke Fentress, Quade Altman, Rojelio Leon, Chad Frazier, Nomar Aguirre, Timothy Patchen and Mackenzie Chiaratti.

Timothy Patchen jumps for Lowry at the battle mountain meet. /Eli Long • The Brand
Timothy Patchen jumps for Lowry at the battle mountain meet. /Eli Long • The Brand