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Truckee wrestling | Tyler Curtis ‘Most Outstanding Wrestler’ at Sparks Invite

Staff report
Courtesy photoTruckee senior Tyler Curtis wrestles Jesse Francki of Fallon during the semifinal round of the Sparks Invitational on Saturday. Curtis went 5-0 in the tournament en route to winning his 182-pound weight class.
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The Truckee High wrestling team produced some impressive results at the Sparks Invitational this past Friday and Saturday, led by senior Tyler Curtis’ win in the 182-pound weight class.

The Wolverines – competing with a depleted roster of just four wrestlers, due to injuries, academic ineligibility and family issues – sent freshman Conner Jacobs, junior Mitchell Harrity and seniors Curtis and Javier Virrey.

Curtis’ performance was the most impressive of the group. The youngest of four wrestling siblings and the son of longtime Truckee coach Ron Curtis, the senior won all five of his matches en route to his championship. He was voted by coaches Most Outstanding Wrestler in the upper weight.



Tyler Curtis started out 3-0 the first day of the tournament, pinning Daniel Loyola of South Tahoe, Adam Jamie of Damonte Ranch and Conner Stripe of McQueen. The next day, Curtis defeated Jesse Francki of Fallon by a 13-5 decision to advance to the finals, where he squared off against Duncan Wyatt of Yerington.

Curtis took care of business in the final match with a 12-6 decision over Wyatt, who had pinned all of his opponents in the first period leading up to the finals. Curtis entered as the third seed in the 182-pound weight class.



“At the time I did not feel right trying to place him higher than that when he had only five matches so far and the number one seed had a 13-5 record,” said coach and father Ron Curtis.

Curtis remains undefeated on the season at 10-0.

Harrity, meanwhile, advanced to the third round of the championship bracket in the 138-pound weight class.

He won a 8-6 decision over Saul Guetierez of McQueen before pinning Justin Sell of Silver Stage, which set up a third-round match against Tae Workman of Fallon. Workman won by pin, but the final outcome does not tell the story of how close the match really was, coach Curtis said. Harrity was winning 6-5 before making a crucial mistake.

“Making it to the third-round championship bracket was huge for Mitchell,” coach Curtis said. “He was assured of placing in the tournament.”

Unfortunately for Harrity, however, the junior suffered a hip and groin injury and could not continue in the tournament. “I believe Mitchell will have a productive season,” coach Curtis said.

Harrity remains 4-1 overall.

Jacobs, wrestling at 132 pounds, won a close match against Yerington’s Christopher Weitma by a 7-5 decision. He then ran into Nathan Heck of Fallon, the No. 2 seed, and lost by pin. Jacobs lost his next match against Harrison Cisneros of Yerington and was eliminated from the tournament.

Wrestling at 160 pounds, Virrey, who was competing for the first time this season, lost his first match against Roberto Landa of Reed by pin.

“I wasn’t expecting a lot from him,” said coach Al Salas. “It is going to take awhile for his skills to be sharpened.”

Virrey then lost a close decision, 5-4, to Pablo Miller of Galena, bumping him out of the tournament.

A total of 27 schools participated in the tournament.

UP NEXT: The Wolverines are scheduled to compete in the Lassen Tournament in Susanville on Saturday.


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