DON McDERMOTT / PVT Anderson Floyd will be in the Pahrump Valley lineup today, when the Trojans compete in the Sunset Region Class 4-A Wrestling Championships at Bonanza High School in Las Vegas. The tournament concludes Saturday. Advertisement

LAS VEGAS -- There will be 17 teams and more than 220 wrestlers who will compete in the Sunset Region Class 4-A Championships at Bonanza High School today and Saturday.

Pahrump Valley, tied for second in the Southwest Division Dual Meet title chase, is one of those 17 teams that will take to the mats at 3:45 p.m. today, then return at 10 a.m. Saturday.

At stake: three berths in each of the 14 weight classes for the Nevada State Championships slated Feb. 13-14 at the Winnemucca Events Center.

Pahrump Valley won the 2008 Nevada Class 3-A state championship, winning 29 of 32 dual meets and claiming the Southern regional title for the fourth consecutive season. This season, the Trojans' first in 4-A, they were 34-5 in duals, including a 6-2 record against divisional opponents.

Coach Craig Rieger will take wrestlers in 12 weight classes, including a state 3-A champion, Zach Weldon, a senior 171-pounder who has lost only to John Field of Bishop Gorman in 46 matches this season. Over the last two campaigns, Weldon is 99-3; Field prevailed 4-3 in a rousing battle at Pahrump Valley in early January.

Despite their overall excellent season, Trojan wrestlers are given little chance to make a major impact on the team points title chase.

Expected to compete for that honor, with little opposition, is Cimarron-Memorial, ranked among Nevada's best all season. Sierra Vista had a strong campaign, winning the Southwest dual title, but the Mountain Lions faced strong opposition from Bonanza and Pahrump Valley.

The key for the Trojans? Wrestle with what Rieger describes as "bad intentions," just as they did in the 2008 Class 3-A state semifinals, when nine wrestlers won to advance to the championship round.

The tournament begins at 3:45 p.m. today and at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Also competing at regionals:

* Elliott Owens, 112-pound sophomore who is 35-9 in all matches and was 5-3 in Southwest competition;

* Josh Armendariz, 125 senior, 25-18, 4-4;

* Paul Miller, 130 senior, 36-8, 7-1;

* Chris DeMille, 135 senior, 39-8, 7-1;

* Gueran Fenicle, 140 senior, 24-16, 2-2;

* Jared Lydon, 145 senior, 20-18, 3-5;

* Travis Linsday, 152 senior, 22-16, 4-4;

* Anderson Floyd, 160 senior, 34-12, 7-1;

* Zach Weldon, 171 senior, 45-1, 7-1;

* Joe Colucci, 189 senior, 42-8, 6-2;

* Ryan Holt, 215 senior, 29-18, 3-4;

* Taylor Gourley, 285 senior, 22-11, 5-3.

Freshman 103-pounder Sergio Rodriguez (9-27) and injured sophomore 119-pounder Matt Rader (13-7) will not compete in the regionals.

Southwest teams are Bishop Gorman, Durango, Sierra Vista, Spring Valley, Clark, Western, Bonanza and Desert Oasis. In the Northwest are Cimarron-Memorial, Arbor View, Cheyenne, Legacy, Palo Verde, Centennial, Mojave and Shadow Ridge.

The top three finishers in each weight class advance to the state tournament; they will join the top three Sunrise and top three Northern League wrestlers in first-round state tournament action Feb. 13. The Northern regionals are today and Saturday at Spanish Springs High School in Sparks.