In an electrifying first-round playoff game, the Pahrump Valley High School (PVHS) Trojans defeated the Mater Academy East Las Vegas (MAELV) Knights 48-40 on Friday, November 1, at PVHS. With this victory, the Trojans advance to the next round, where they will face the Sports Leadership and Management Academy (SLAM) Bulls on neutral ground, at Foothill High School in Henderson, on Friday, November 8, at 6 p.m.
The Knights struck first, securing an early lead with a touchdown and two-point conversion, putting them ahead 8-0 with 8:26 left in the first quarter. Following an unexpected onside kick recovery, the Knights maintained control, keeping the Trojans on their toes. But the Trojans were quick to respond. Quarterback Kayne Horibe connected with Ethen Hutchinson for a touchdown late in the first quarter, and with Aaron Rily’s extra point, the Trojans closed the gap to 7-8.
In the second quarter, the Trojans seized momentum. A perfectly placed pass from Horibe found Austin Alvarez in the end zone, with Rily’s kick pushing the score to 14-8. Then, less than two minutes into the third quarter, after a major run by Alvarez, Horibe delivered a touchdown pass to Randall Murray. With Rily’s reliable extra point, the Trojans widened their lead to 21-8.
Late in the third, Randall Murray turned the tide again, recovering a fumble from the Knights near the 15-yard line. Soon after, Alvarez broke through the defense for another touchdown, extending the lead to 28-8 with Rily’s extra point. However, the Knights didn’t back down, responding with a touchdown and two-point conversion early in the fourth quarter to bring the score to 28-16.
The Trojans continued to pour on the offensive power as Alvarez scored again with 8:52 left in the fourth. The Knights fought back with another touchdown, but Randall Murray answered with a remarkable 58-yard touchdown run, stretching the Trojans’ lead to 41-24. The Knights scored twice more, however yet another pass to Murray from Horibe, with a 10-yard run, resulted in a touchdown, pushing the Trojans to a comfortable 48-32 lead with just 2:39 left in the game. Despite a late Knights touchdown and two-point conversion, the Trojans emerged victorious with a final score of 48-40.
Head Coach Thomas Walker praised the Trojans’ offensive efforts, saying, “We had 486 yards of offense. If I had to give player or players of the game, it would go to our O-Line as they played great.”
Walker was quick to note that the defense needs to improve their fourth quarter play. “We played well on defense for three quarters. We can’t afford to have a letdown against SLAM like we did in the fourth quarter against Mater.”
Coach Walker praises his team for their efforts this week, leading up to the matchup with SLAM. “We are in the process of having a great week of practice. The boys want to put some respect on their name this week.”
Defensive Coach Mike Colucci noted the intensity of the game, emphasizing the resilience of the team. “We knew the game was going to be a battle going in, and it definitely was. We executed well on offense for four quarters, and defense played well for about three quarters. It got a little closer than we would have liked there in the fourth quarter, but our boys did what they needed to do to secure the win. In the playoffs, style points don’t matter. You just have to get the win! We will correct mistakes and get ready to play a really good SLAM team this Friday night!”
Offensive Coach Toby Henry added, “This was a great playoff win for our guys. Offensively, we are peaking at the right time. We need to keep working hard and can always get better. We need this to carry over against SLAM.”
With a thrilling first-round win under their belts, the Trojans are heading into their matchup against the SLAM Bulls with confidence and determination. The team, led by dedicated coaches and a skilled roster, will look to build on this momentum and continue their playoff journey.
