A Nevada high school girls basketball team is contesting a forfeiture of win ruling by the Nevada Interscholastic Athletic Association. Centennial, ranked first in the Nevada On3 Composite Team Rankings, must forfeit 18 wins due to an ineligible player.

Zoning issues led the NIAA to bestow the unfortunate decision on the Bulldogs. As KNTV 13’s Nick Walters wrote, the player in question was a player who lived within the school’s zoning area and played for the football team since his sophomore year.

However, Centennial argues that there’s an issue regarding the NIAA’s Register My Athlete system, which they use to track player eligibility. While the Bulldogs are appealing against the decision, they’re finding it hard to keep their spirits up because the same board members will review their case.

Centennial’s head coach, Karen Weitz, expressed her dismay about the decision. She also lamented the fact that they have no way to verify a player’s eligibility. Instead, they rely on their administration to say that a certain player is cleared.

If the decision sticks, the Bulldogs will go from 19-1 to 2-18. They were 17-1 before their January 10 victory over Coronado. Likewise, the NIAA forfeited their Las Vegas Prep Tournament championship last December.

However, Centennial can still qualify for the Nevada high school girls basketball playoffs if they win their six remaining games. Sweeping their schedule improves their record to 8-18, putting them among one of the eight playoff teams from Class 5A Southern. The Bulldogs finished their 2023-24 season at 19-6. However, they lost in the Class 5A state championship game against Bishop Gorman.

The On3 Composite High School Football Team Ranking is a proprietary algorithm that compiles rankings listed in the public domain by respected High School media and data companies. It includes Massey, Max Preps, Cal Preps, ESPN, and SI, creating the industry’s most comprehensive and geographically balanced High School Team Ranking.

Centennial’s girls wrestling team lost the Southern Region team title to SLAM Academy by one point at last year’s region meet.

This year, things went in Centennial’s favor. And with a little more comfortable margin.

Centennial won the Southern Region team title with a score of 226 points at Saturday’s girls wrestling region qualifier at Bonanza. SLAM Academy was second with 190.5 points, followed by Western (125.5 points) and Desert Oasis (124).

“We were fully focused,” Centennial coach Kevin Caruso said. “They come in, they’re prepared each day, they’re ready, they’re hungry. They wanted it.”

Centennial had two wrestlers win individual region titles, Sandilynn Paopao at 140 pounds and Kitana Leafaatoto at 235 pounds.

“I can’t say enough good things (about Paopao and Leafaatoto),” Caruso said. “They come out and go after it. They were ready for the moment and performed when the lights were on and it was time for the finals. They were ready.”

The girls state invitational is Feb. 7 and 8 at Rafter 3C Arena in Fallon. It will be the third year of the girls wrestling state invitational, which includes all classifications.

The top four wrestlers in each weight class from the region tournament qualify for the eight-wrestler individual bracket at the state invitational.

SLAM Academy had five wrestlers win individual titles — Bertha Cabrera (105 pounds), Emma Albanese (115), Noelani Lutz (120), Mika Yoffee (125) and Billie Bonwell (170).

Paopao dominated all four of her matches at the regional tournament. She won the state title at 145 pounds last year and is a two-time regional champion.

“I’m so happy that we got to feel accomplished as a team and not just as individuals,” Paopao said. “We needed that win over SLAM. It has us ready for state for sure. We’re feeling pumped. This year we dominated. It’s nothing but smiles.”

Leafaatoto, in her first year with Centennial, is now a three-time regional champion. She won the state title at 235 pounds in 2023 with Western.

“It’s very special,” Leafaatoto said. “I’m glad that they accepted me as their own and treated me as their own instead of treating me different. This year has been going very great.”

At last year’s state meet, SLAM Academy won the title with 113 points. Centennial was second with 87.5 points.

“This showed us that we’re doing the right things,” Caruso said. “I’m very proud and impressed with these girls and the work ethic they have.”

The Class 5A, 3A and 2A boys state meets are also scheduled for Feb. 7 and 8 at Fallon. The 4A state boys meet is Feb. 15 at Western. The boys regional finals for 5A through 2A will take place Feb. 1.

Championship match results

100 pounds: Anna Winward (Moapa Valley) def. Kaydyn Brooks (Centennial)

105: Bertha Cabrera (SLAM Academy) def. Hazel Garcia (Desert Oasis)

110: Raylynn Woods (Virgin Valley) def. Tylene Tran (Centennial)

115: Emma Albanese (SLAM Academy) def. Hannah Silbernagel (Centennial)

120: Noelani Lutz (SLAM Academy) def. Chanity Faleto (Liberty)

125: Mika Yoffee (SLAM Academy) def. Stella Dymon (Bonanza)

130: Makayla Power (Shadow Ridge) def. Mya Bardoni (Centennial)

135: I’yanna Jones (Western) def. Madison Worden (Centennial)

140: Sandilynn Paopao (Centennial) def. Noelani Almogela (Desert Oasis)

145: Evelina Juzenaite (Desert Oasis) def. Yulliana Quiroga (Liberty)

155: Addison Canja (Cimarron-Memorial) def. Jordan Hunter (Western)

170: Billie Bonwell (SLAM Academy) def. Savanna Abbott (Foothill)

190: Kaija Ashcroft (Green Valley) def. Lady Josel Muro (Valley)

235: Kitana Leafaatoto (Centennial) def. Isabella Gray (Canyon Springs)

Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.

A dismal shooting performance and lackluster defense led to Nevada’s worst defeat of the season.

San Diego State raced past Nevada, 69-50, on Saturday in front off 9,058 fans, many of whom left midway through the second half of the game.

The 50 points narrowly missed being the lowest points scored by a Wolf Pack team at Lawlor, 46.

Justin McBride led the Wolf Pack with 13 points, Kobe Sanders had 12 and Xavier DuSell added 11 points. Sanders had a team-high eight rebounds.

The Pack made just 15-of-51 field goals (29 percent). The 29 percent is the worst shooting performance by a Nevada basketball team since March 2015. The Pack hit 5-of-26 from the 3-point line. Nevada dropped to 3-6 in the Mountain West, 11-9 overall.

Nevada coach Steve Alford said the Pack needs to play faster and looser.

“We’ve got to be tougher mentally,” Alford said. “When you’re going to blow to blow like that, and all of a sudden they go on a 13-0 run. We’ve got to be tougher enough, to where they score twice in a row they don’t score three times in a row. We don’t have that cohesiveness and that toughness that we’ve got to have.”

He said the Pack needs to learn to play through bad shots and stop worrying about how they are doing offensively.

Magoon Gwath led San Diego State with 15 points and Taj DeGourville had 14 as the Aztecs improved to 5-4 in the Mountain West, 13-5 overall. Gwath also had 13 rebounds.

The Wolf Pack’s previous season-low in points scored this season was 57 in a 68-57 loss to Washington State on Dec. 2.

Key Stats

The 15-of-51 shooting tells the tale, as does points in the paint as the Aztecs had 36 there, to 12 for the Wolf Pack.

Nevada was OK from the free line, hitting 15-of-22 from the stripe, to 6-of-8 for the Aztecs.

San Diego State made 27-of-56 field goals (48 percent) and 9-of-25 from 3-point range.

Each team had 10 turnovers.

First half

San Diego State led 28-21 at the half. The Wolf Pack hit 7-of-23 from the field and was 2-of- 11 from 3-point range. The Aztecs hit 11-of-27 field goals and were 4-13 from the 3-point line.

Veterans

Alford admitted that getting the transfer players to gel with the returners has been tough once the Pack hit conference play.

“It is much more difficult blending those guys than them experiencing it,” he said. “They’re really not as mature as what their age would seem.”

He said the returning players should know what is expected of them and the toughness he wants to see.

Up Next

Nevada next plays at Boise State with tip-off scheduled for 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Broncos are 5-4 in the MW, 13-7 overall after losing to Colorado State, 75-72, on Wednesday (Jan. 22).

Alford said there could be some lineup changes and that everything is on the table.

Around the Mountain West

Also on Saturday, New Mexico beat UNLV, 75-73, Colorado State beat Fresno State, 69-64; Utah State beat Force, 87-58; and San Jose State beat Wyoming, 67-58.

Nevada’s Remaining Schedule

• Jan. 29, Nevada at Boise State, 7 p.m. (TV: CBSSN, Radio: 95.5 FM)
• Feb. 1, UNLV at Nevada, 7 p.m. (TV: CBSSN, Radio: 95.5 FM)
• Feb. 4, Nevada at Air Force, 6 p.m. (TV: KNSN, Radio: 95.5 FM)
• Feb. 10, Fresno State at Nevada, 8 p.m. (TV: FS1, Radio: 95.5 FM)
• Feb. 14, Nevada at San José State, 7 p.m.
• Feb. 18, Nevada at Colorado State, 6 p.m.
• Feb. 22, Boise State at Nevada, 3 p.m.
• Feb. 25, Wyoming at Nevada, 7 p.m.
• Feb. 28, Nevada at UNLV, 8 p.m.
• March 4, New Mexico at Nevada, 6 p.m.
• March 8, Nevada at San Diego State, 7:30 p.m.