The Pahrump Valley High School junior varsity football team found itself in a defensive battle Thursday, Aug. 27, taking a lead into halftime and staying within striking distance until the final seconds before falling 7-6 to the Durango High School Trailblazers on the road.
Pahrump’s defense made its presence felt almost immediately. Durango opened the game with a substantial kickoff return and began moving the ball, but the Trojans forced a fumble early in the possession and continued applying pressure. Ashton Toole helped stop a run to the left, while Erick Aguilar Zuniga later broke into the backfield for a tackle for loss.
The Trailblazers eventually threatened the end zone, but Pahrump’s defense came up with its first major takeaway of the night when Kelan Sheppard intercepted a pass in the end zone, drawing an enthusiastic response from the Trojan sideline and keeping Durango off the scoreboard.
With Stetson Brown directing the offense at quarterback, Pahrump began putting together a drive of its own. Brody Small picked up several yards on the ground before moving the chains with another run. Brown took shots downfield for Sheppard and Connor Witherell, with the latter drawing a pass interference penalty.
The Trojans continued working their way downfield with completions to Landon Holzer and Nathan Elliott and a strong run toward the sideline by Everette Southwick. Durango’s defense eventually stopped the possession on downs, leaving the game scoreless.
Pahrump’s defense continued creating opportunities in the second quarter. After Durango lost a fumble, Small broke loose for about 10 yards and a first down. The Trojans later tried a deep pass that Durango intercepted in the end zone, but the Pahrump defense quickly returned the favor when Sheppard picked off another Trailblazer pass.
Brown kept the ensuing possession alive with his legs, and Pahrump used a long snap count to draw Durango offsides and earn a first down near the goal line.
Southwick finished the drive with 5:15 remaining in the half, powering up the middle for the game’s first touchdown. The conversion attempt was unsuccessful, but the Trojans had a 6-0 advantage.
Durango tried to answer before halftime, but the Pahrump defense repeatedly disrupted the backfield. Small recorded a sack before Leonel Mendoza-Lara helped lead another sack, forcing the Trailblazers into a fourth-and-long situation and a punt.
Brown then used his mobility to move the Trojans downfield in the closing seconds, picking up a first down on a scramble toward the sideline before Durango eventually stopped the drive. The Trailblazers attempted one final deep pass as time expired, but it fell incomplete, sending Pahrump into halftime with the 6-0 lead.
The Trojans opened the second half with a solid kickoff return by Jayden McMahon, who kept fighting through the coverage to bring the ball out to around the Pahrump 36-yard line.
The defense quickly went back to work after Pahrump was forced to punt. McMahon dropped the Durango ball carrier for a five-yard loss, and another Trojan sack soon left the Trailblazers facing fourth-and-long and forced another punt.
Pahrump then produced one of its biggest offensive plays of the night when Small broke tackles on a run up the right side, carrying the ball deep into Durango territory before leaving the field with cramps. Toole followed with a hard run of his own, breaking tackles for a gain of about five yards, but the drive ended on downs.
Durango finally broke through late in the third quarter. After taking possession near its own 22-yard line, the Trailblazers completed a pass and then broke free for a long touchdown run. The extra point gave Durango a 7-6 advantage with about three minutes remaining in the quarter.
Southwick gave Pahrump good field position on the ensuing kickoff return, and the Trojans continued trying to find their way back in front. Toole found a running lane for a solid gain, while Southwick helped set up a fourth-and-short opportunity, but an incomplete pass ended the possession.
The Pahrump defense kept the game within one possession throughout the fourth quarter. When Durango advanced into the red zone, Elliott stepped in front of a pass for another Trojan interception and returned it up the left sideline, denying the Trailblazers a chance to extend their lead.
Brown scrambled for a first down on the following possession, and Small continued to carry the rushing attack. On one run, Small appeared to be stopped by the Durango defense but, with no whistle, popped back up and continued forward to pick up another first down.
The Trojans’ attempt to complete the comeback ended when Durango intercepted a pass with 5:47 remaining, putting the pressure back on the Pahrump defense.
McMahon helped hold the Trailblazers to a short gain as the clock wound down, and the Trojans continued battling to get the football back. With less than two minutes remaining, Pahrump dropped a runner in the backfield and eventually forced Durango into a fourth-and-13.
The Trailblazers went to the air on fourth down, but the pass fell incomplete with just seconds remaining, giving Pahrump one final possession. The Trojans immediately looked deep down the left side of the field, but the pass fell incomplete as time expired, leaving Durango with the 7-6 victory.
For a game decided by the narrowest of margins, the Trojans had their chances to turn the result in their favor. Pahrump stayed within a point throughout the second half and was still fighting for the win in the final seconds, gaining valuable experience from a tightly contested road matchup.
*Photos are available at pvcnphotos.com.
