YOUR AD HERE »

Fago’t punches ticket to state

Jeremy Evans

Jon Fago’t grew up in Nevada, but he’s never found a good enough reason to visit Las Vegas. That will change this week as the South Tahoe High junior qualified for the Nevada 4A state tournament after his second-place finish on Saturday at the Northern 4A regional wrestling tournament at Hug High School in Reno.

Fago’t, who lost to Damonte Ranch’s David Berlades by a decision in the 215-pound regional championship match, will try to become the first STHS wrestler since Scott Milbrodt in 1988 to win a state title.

“He’s not going down to Las Vegas just to go down there,” STHS coach Ken Robbins said of Fago’t, who transferred to STHS from Reno’s McQueen High School before his sophomore year. “He’s expecting to go down there and come back with a medal. And that’s the way he should feel.”



Fago’t went 3-1 in the regional tournament, winning his first three matches by pin. He was the only STHS wrestler to qualify for state.

The Vikings’ Tyler Slater (103 pounds) and Cameron Cason (119 pounds) both went 2-2, while Mike Burns (171 pounds) won one match in the double-elimination tournament. Paul Hubbell and Cody Shindelbower lost their first two matches.



Damonte Ranch won the team title with 204.5 points, finishing in front of Fallon (146 points) and Carson (131 points). Despite only having six wrestlers, STHS placed 13th out of 16 teams with 40 points.

Fago’t, whose record this season is 26-9, will find out his first-round state opponent today when the brackets are released. The state tournament is Friday and Saturday at Cimarron-Memorial High School.

“A lot of guys who I look up to weren’t able to do this in their junior year, so I am happy to have done it,” Fago’t said. “I set a goal before the season to make it to state, but my new goal is to go down there and place.”


Support Local Journalism

Support Local Journalism

Readers around the Lake Tahoe Basin and beyond make the Tahoe Tribune's work possible. Your financial contribution supports our efforts to deliver quality, locally relevant journalism.

Now more than ever, your support is critical to help us keep our community informed about the evolving coronavirus pandemic and the impact it is having locally. Every contribution, however large or small, will make a difference.

Your donation will help us continue to cover COVID-19 and our other vital local news.