Before they ever rewrote Fernley’s record book, before the 38–2 league record and three straight regional titles, Bryce Dunagan-Stephens and Sheldon Jacobson were just two kids sitting in the bleachers, imagining themselves in orange and black.
Four years later, they leave as the most accomplished players in program history.
As four-year varsity players, the pair went 38–2 in league play, a run their coach shakes his head at.
“Thirty-eight and two,” he said. “Who’s done that? It’s not an easy league. The fact that they lost two league games their entire career, and won three regional tournaments in a row, is incredible.”
Across four years, the numbers behind their careers are as remarkable as the wins. Both played 118 varsity games, with Dunagan-Stephens starting all four seasons. He leaves as Fernley’s all-time leading scorer with 1,562 points, along with 351 assists and 558 rebounds, ranking second in both categories. Jacobson finishes with 1,474 points, fourth all-time, along with 325 assists (third) and 544 rebounds (fifth). Together, they went 97–21 as varsity players, including an almost unthinkable 38–2 in league play over four seasons.
They were also recognized across the region for their dominance. Dunagan-Stephens and Jacobson were co-MVPs of the Northern 3A East All-League and Northern 3A All-Region teams this season, and both earned first-team All-State honors.
In addition, Bodie Parsons was named to the All-League first team and All-Region second team, Michael Fitzgerald was named to the All-League second team and Skyler Ledesma-James earned All-League honorable mention. Knutson was the league and region Coach of the Year.
Asked whether they ever imagined becoming this good, Dunagan-Stephens didn’t hesitate.
“I was working since I was in the third grade with my dad, training outside,” he said. “He just said be confident. So I kind of did, yeah.”
Jacobson’s confidence came from watching the players who came before him.
“I’d always come up here watching the games when I was young,” he said. “I watched Carson Kingston a lot, the way he moved, the way he played. That’s kind of where I wanted to be.”
Dunagan-Stephens moved to Fernley in seventh grade, and his dad immediately started taking him to varsity games.
“It was like Jett (Caudle), and Carson, and those guys,” he said. “And before that, I watched Elijah Jackson from Fallon a lot. My parents used to babysit him. I learned a lot from him.”
Both played varsity minutes as freshmen, though neither remembers it as a smooth arrival.
“It was kind of back and forth,” Jacobson said. “He shot a lot better than me when he was a freshman.”
Dunagan-Stephens had his “I’m here” moment early, scoring 24 points in his second varsity game against Hug as a freshman.
Jacobson’s came a year later.
“My moment was probably sophomore year at Spring Creek,” he said. “I think I had like 26 or 28.”
For their first two seasons, they played behind older standouts like Johnnie Williams, Garrett Harjo and Jake Cumming, and others who set the tone.
“They were all really good to me,” Jacobson said. “They gave me a blueprint for what it needs to be. Just kind of had that dog mentality.”
The shift came during their junior year.
“We had more experience than everyone else,” Dunagan-Stephens said. “We knew we had to step up and be scorers and be leaders.”
Their chemistry didn’t happen by accident. Although they played against each other in middle school, they played on the same Jam On It summer team in eighth grade with Kade Snyder and future Vaquero teammates Bodie Parsons, Nolan Berreman and Mikey Fitzgerald.
“I thought we clicked right away,” Dunagan-Stephens said. “Our eighth-grade summer team was super good, all studs.”
Jacobson said trust was the key to the Vaqueros’ success the past four years.
“Playing with him for so long, you just know each other’s game,” he said. “And a lot of us have been playing together since elementary school. That helps.”
He pointed to players like Shane Nelson, who arrived as a junior and quickly became part of the core.
“As the season went on, we saw he was going to be good for us,” Jacobson said. “Guys like Mikey — I played with him back in recess in fifth grade. That pre-made chemistry matters.”
As their roles grew, so did the responsibility of making sure teammates didn’t simply defer to them.
“I just tell them be confident,” Dunagan-Stephens said. “Like the Elko game, I wasn’t scoring, Sheldon wasn’t scoring that much, and Mikey stepped up. He had like 21. He helped us win that game.”
Jacobson said their approach was simple.
“We take what’s given,” he said. “Find the best matchup and roll from there. We’re confident in each other.”
Their trust extended to every possession.
“Every shot he puts up, I believe it’s going in,” Jacobson said.
“Same with him,” Dunagan-Stephens added.
While their legacy is shaped by wins, Dunagan-Stephens and Jacobson both said it’s losses that linger the most.
“I’m happy with what I accomplished,” Dunagan-Stephens said. “But I’m kind of sad we didn’t win state. I feel like the job wasn’t finished.”
Jacobson agreed.
“It’s a happy-sad kind of feel,” he said. “So many chances to get the job done, and never quite got over the true goal. But it was a lot of fun.”
For his next step, Jacobson has signed to play next season at Oregon Tech, where his sister Willow played volleyball. He said he talked to a school in West Virginia and another in Oregon, but decided Oregon Tech was the fit for him three or four years ago.
“I met the coaches when I was a freshman or sophomore,” he said. “I kept sending tape, and finally they took a look at it and then it kind of took off. It never went to the next step with any other college.”
Dunagan-Stephens said he is considering schools in California, Washington and Oregon and plans to take visits next month.
“I want to go to the best college that’s the best fit for me,” he said. “Somewhere I can get playing time and develop.”
Dunagan-Stephens and Jacobson will each leave with records, championships, and a legacy built on years of work long before they ever put on a Fernley jersey. And they leave as the two most accomplished players the program has ever seen.
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