Vaqueros to debut new gym with two playoff games Tuesday

Robert Perea, The Fernley Reporter

The Fernley High School boys and girls basketball teams will debut the school’s newly constructed gym when they host the first round of the 3A North Region Tournament Tuesday night.

The girls team will host Hug at 6 p.m., with the boys scheduled to face North Valleys at 7:30. Tickets are $12 for adults and $5 for students and must be purchased online at niaa.com/tickets/index.

Although there are minor issues still to be completed, the school has received a temporary permit of occupancy to host the first round playoff games. The Lyon County School District held a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday attended by superintendent Wayne Workman, deputy superintendent Tim Logan, FHS principal Ryan Cross and Fernley mayor Neal McIntyre, among others.

After winning at Fallon Friday night and Lowry Saturday afternoon, both teams finished undefeated in the Northern 3A East for the second consecutive year. Both teams will be the East’s No. 1 seed for the tournament.

The winners of Tuesday’s games advance to the region semifinals Friday in Elko. The boys winner will face Spring Creek, the East No. 3 seed which beat Wooster 67-57 in a first round game Monday night.

The girls winner will play Fallon, which was the East No. 3 seed and beat South Tahoe 61-49 Monday night.

The girls team beat Fallon 53-24 Friday night led by 13 points from Taylor Tollestrup and 12 from Tia Otuafi. Saturday they beat Lowry 58-56 behind 18 points from Jaelese Wasson and 11 from Tollestrup.

The boys beat Fallon 62-52 Friday and Lowry 66-60 Saturday. Stats from those games are not yet posted.