The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans kicked off their 2024 football season with a commanding victory over the Cheyenne Desert Shield on Friday, August 23. Playing at home, to a packed crowd, the Trojans showcased a dominant performance, winning 29-8.
The game started with a bang for the Trojans when Matthew Lopez, playing at defensive tackle, scored a safety with just over three minutes left in the first quarter, putting the Trojans on the board with a 2-0 lead.
The momentum continued in the second quarter when Austin Alvarez, the standout player of the game, carried the ball into the end zone with 10:35 remaining. Aaron Rily added the extra point, extending the lead to 9-0. Alvarez continued his impressive performance with another touchdown late in the second quarter, although the extra point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the score at 15-0. Just before halftime, the Trojans’ defense came through again with a quarterback sack by Randall Murray, further stifling the Cheyenne offense.
The Trojans maintained their intensity in the third quarter. With 8:27 on the clock, Alvarez found the end zone for his third touchdown of the night. He then successfully completed a two-point conversion, bringing the score to 23-0 by the end of the third quarter.
The fourth quarter saw Alvarez strike once more, scoring his fourth touchdown of the game with 6:14 left. The extra point attempt failed, but the Trojans still held a commanding 29-0 lead. Alvarez’s remarkable performance included three rushing touchdowns and one receiving touchdown, totaling 57 rushing yards and 49 receiving yards.
Cheyenne managed to break their scoring drought late in the fourth quarter. With 2:22 remaining, Tasir’ Turner caught a touchdown pass, and the subsequent two-point conversion was good, resulting in a final score of 29-8.
Overall, the Trojans’ offense was well-balanced, accumulating 241 total yards. Quarterback Kayne Horibe contributed significantly with 58 yards rushing and 56 yards passing, including one touchdown pass. Josh Slusher had 51 total yards rushing with the longest run of the night at 32 yards. Defensively, the Trojans were equally impressive. Linebacker Iyan Bosket led the team with eight total tackles, while defensive end Randy Murray recorded two sacks and Josh Slusher recorded one sack. Coach Colucci’s defensive strategy kept Cheyenne’s offense under pressure throughout the game.
Defensive Coach Mike Colucci expressed pride in his team’s performance, stating, “Proud of how hard the boys played. Great jumping-off point for our season. Now time to address mistakes and continue to improve week by week as the season goes on. The schedule only gets tougher from here.” He added, “I was happy with our boys pursuing and tackling as a team. Great energy and enthusiasm. The weight room really showed up in the 2nd half. Some fundamental things we can definitely work on, but a lot of positive to build on going forward.”
Preston Dockter (34)
Offensive Coach Toby Henry also commended the team’s effort and preparation. “I think the boys played extremely hard. They have worked hard this offseason, and they deserve to have success,” he said. “We had a pretty good game offensively for the first game. We have to cut out mistakes and keep building and expanding our offense. When our guys are clicking on offense, it will be tough for anyone to stop us. I’m excited to see what the future holds for our guys. Some of the hardest working kids I’ve ever coached.”
Head Coach Thomas Walker was pleased with the team’s overall performance, noting, “I’m proud of the boys. They played hard and for each other. A really good start to the season.”
With a stellar opening performance, the Pahrump Valley High School Trojans have set a positive tone for the season ahead. Austin Alvarez, with his four-touchdown game, was named the player of the game. The team will look to build on this success as they prepare for their next matchup.
