On a cold Friday night in Pahrump, while the gyms buzzed with packed crowds for boys and girls basketball, a smaller but dedicated group gathered outside to watch something meaningful unfold on the football field. Despite the temperature and the final score, the Pahrump Valley High School girls’ flag football team took another important step forward in its young season during a home matchup against the Moapa Valley Pirates on January 9.
Early on, the Lady Trojans showed exactly the kind of defensive effort Head Coach Jeff Corbett has been emphasizing all year. Just seven minutes into the game, Ma’liyah Collins came up with a momentum-shifting interception on fourth down near the Pirates’ 15-yard line, returning the ball to the 20 and giving Pahrump Valley early energy. The defense continued to apply pressure, forcing punts and making Moapa earn yardage rather than handing it over easily.
Moapa eventually broke through with a touchdown midway through the first quarter, but even as the Pirates built a lead, Corbett saw encouraging signs that don’t always show up on the scoreboard.
“If you take away a couple of short-field turnovers and a few big passes, we made them work for everything,” Corbett said. “The pressure our defense applied was outstanding, and that’s something we can build on.”
The Trojans rotated quarterbacks and continued to push forward offensively, with Jazmyn Herrera leading several drives. Herrera picked up first downs with quarterback keepers and later connected with Collins on multiple completions, including a 10-yard gain early in the second quarter and another series late in the half that showed improved rhythm and confidence.
That growth paid off in the second quarter when Pahrump Valley put together its strongest drive of the night. After Herrera moved the chains with both her legs and her arm, Anjolina “Angie” Mercado took a handoff up the middle and powered through traffic for a touchdown. The score put the Trojans on the board and sparked a visible lift on the sideline.
“I put Angie Mercado in at running back,” Corbett said. “She looked at me and said, ‘Coach, what am I doing?’ and I told her, ‘After Jazzy hands you the ball, you’re going to run.’ She had never taken a snap on offense before, didn’t overthink it, cut straight upfield, and somehow broke the plane with three defenders right there. I didn’t even realize she was at midfield — that was a 40-yard run.”
Defensively, the Trojans continued to show hustle throughout the night. Sarah Brown-Collins and Stefani Jimenez Montoya came up with key flag pulls on long runs, Diona Nixon repeatedly stepped in to stop drives with timely flags, and Nixon also recorded an interception early in the fourth quarter to give Pahrump Valley another opportunity with the ball. Collins remained a steady target in the passing game, hauling in several catches and pushing the offense forward even late in the contest.
While Moapa added points in the second half, Corbett emphasized that the night represented progress — not just a result.
“Offensively, we moved the ball better than we have all season,” he said. “Our quarterbacks looked more comfortable, we executed cleaner, and we sustained drives.”
That growth has been building across both levels of the program. Corbett pointed to a moment earlier in the evening during the junior varsity game as a snapshot of what this team is becoming.
“When Ma’liyah scored in the JV game, the girls erupted like we’d just won a state championship,” he said. “At that moment, all the hard work finally paid off.”
For Corbett, the night was about more than yards and touchdowns.
“I believed in them, and this is the moment I’ve been waiting for — for them,” he said. “It was emotional. I can’t be more proud of any team I’ve ever been a part of. We made history for this school last night.”
As the Lady Trojans continue their season, the focus remains clear: tighten blocking, finish catches, and keep getting more comfortable within the system.
“We got in once,” Corbett said. “Our next goal is getting in twice. Progress over perfection.”
