Sparks was on the wrong half of the scoreboard in both Howell Memorial Tournament contests on Friday afternoon at the South Valleys Sports Complex. Coach Art Hurtado said he’s not necessarily concerned about wins and losses in the preseason tournament, though. “This tournament is for my coaching staff and myself, mostly to work out some formations and where each of the … [Read more...]
Boys Soccer: Defending state 3A champs drop first two, Cougs blanked
Sparks only lost two games last season on its way to the 3A state title. The Railroaders matched that total on Friday, the first day of the season, with a pair of losses to 4A programs North Valleys and Coronado in the Howell Memorial Tournament played at the South Valley Sports Complex. “Obviously (it’s) not the start we wanted, but we’re going to learn from it, grow … [Read more...]
2017 Sparks Tribune Prep Football Preview
A compilation of all content in the 2017 Sparks Tribune Prep Football … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: Three premature prep football predictions 4.0
The law of averages is as consistent as my ability to snap hook the first tee shot of the day. The founder of the breakfast ball is all of us. So, it came as little surprise that after correctly predicting how the seasons would end for the Reed, Spanish Springs and Sparks football teams in 2014 and 2015, I regressed to the mean in 2016. A .333 batting average would put me … [Read more...]
Sparks Preview: New-look Railroaders aspire to surprise 3A North
First-year coach Brad Rose installing spread offense There are two new coaches in Sparks this year. And they are in entirely different positions. At Reed, Tony Amantia is taking over a program that has won five of the last six 4A North regional titles. At Sparks, Brad Rose doesn’t have that luxury. He inherits a program that is 16-71 since its last winning season in … [Read more...]
Shoup Shots: USL to Reno 1868 FC: Oops, Prep football practice begins, Miami should have signed Kaep?
Games are rarely won or lost in the first 30 minutes, regardless of sport. Clichés dictate contests are decided in the waning moments. That wasn’t the case for Reno 1868 FC last Wednesday in Oklahoma City as the referee was far-too-quick to un-holster his red card and left the visiting side down a man for the final hour of the match, a 1-0 loss. The call against Fatai … [Read more...]
Sparks Tribune Male Athlete of the Year: Josh Prizina
Prizina was a first-team all-region selection on the hardwood and diamond Spanish Springs basketball and baseball standout Josh Prizina is the Sparks Tribune Male Athlete of the Year. He graduated last Tuesday as one of the most decorated athletes in school history and polished off his stellar career by earning first-team all-league honors in both sports. This winter, … [Read more...]
Sparks Tribune Team of the Year: Sparks boys soccer
Railroaders won first state title since 2011, third consecutive regional title The Sparks boys soccer team is the 2016-17 Sparks Tribune Team of the Year. After three consecutive years of frustration in the state semifinals, the Railroaders broke through in the fall, routing Chaparral 4-1, then blanking 3A South champ, Western, 2-0, one day later for their first state … [Read more...]