Sparks solidified its spot atop the DI-A North on Wednesday evening with a 3-1 home win over Truckee in a rematch of last year’s regional title game.
The Railroaders, who entered the game with a three-point lead over Elko for first place, improved to 12-1-1, 8-0-1. The Wolverines, who are down compared to previous seasons, fell to 10-6-1, 5-3-1.
The win not only notched a significant three points for Sparks, it also secured the first regular-season sweep of Truckee in at least 13 years—the entirety of coach Frank Avilla’s tenure.
“We’ve never done it (sweep Truckee) before. It feels good with the boys,” Avilla said. “(They stuck) up on their home field against Truckee.”
Junior Genaro Vazquez accounted for all of Sparks’ scoring with a hat trick.
His final goal, on a penalty kick in the 66th minute, came three minutes after Truckee’s Manuel Sarabia crept the Wolverins within 2-1 on a rocket into the top far corner from four yards out.
“It (Vazquez’s final goal) is real big,” Avilla said. “But it’s a fair goal. The kid tried to swipe the ball down (hand ball that warranted the penalty kick).”
Vazquez put Sparks on the board midway through the first half and added his second minutes before the break on a breakaway.
The Railroaders travel to Fernley on Monday.
Cougars fall 1-0 at home
By Jasmine Gutierrez, reporting intern
Spanish Springs lost a home game against North Valleys 1-0 on Wednesday night.
Spanish Springs dropped 2-4-4, 2-4-4. North Valleys moved to 10-5-0, 7-3-0.
North Valleys’ Kevin Carrillo scored the only goal of the night in the 28th minute. The Cougars were unable draw in a tie the rest of the game.
“We played well today so I think we’ll just take that into (the next) game,” Spanish Springs coach Winston Mora said. “Hopefully, we’ll get a win from it.”
Spanish Springs travels to Reed on Saturday.
Raiders tie at Reno
By Ty Pimienta, reporting intern
Reed and Reno both capitalized on penalty kicks on Wednesday afternoon but that was the extent of either team’s damage as both settled for a 1-1 draw.
Reed moved to 2-6-2, 2-6-2 in league meetings.
Despite putting just one goal on the board, the Raiders hit the frame twice.
“We just got unlucky,” Reed Coach Joel Martinez said. “I mean, you see that maybe once a game. But, to see that twice in a game, it’s kind of one of those games. It was a 50/50 game, we got our shots, they got their shots. Even though it was a tie, it was a well-deserved tie for both squads I guess at that point.”
In the 62nd minute, Reno senior Tanner Peterson, scored on a penalty kick to put the Huskies up a goal. Reed senior Alex Reyes tied the game three minutes later with a penalty kick of his own.
“Well defensively, I think we played a great game,” Martinez said. “We made it through and played a great game as far as we got our shots”
“We played with heart, we had hustle and intensity,” Reno Coach HJ Menchaca said. “Luck in the first half and unlucky in the second half. I don’t agree with the penalty kick that they got, it happens.”
Reed hosts Spanish Springs on Saturday at 1 p.m.
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