The Pahrump Valley High School tennis team is stepping into a new season with high hopes, a mix of experienced athletes and fresh faces, and plenty of determination despite the challenges ahead. Head Coach Michael Dela Rosa, now leading without an assistant coach, says he feels fortunate to have a group of athletes who are both hardworking and resilient.
This year’s roster includes 13 girls and 10 boys, with seven returning girls and six returning boys forming a solid core for the Trojans. The program is also seeing new energy from athletes like a former freshman manager who decided to join the lineup this year. “Overall I love their attitude,” Dela Rosa said. “They want to learn, get better, and they’re competitive. They’re a bunch of fun kids and smart too.”
Dela Rosa pointed out that senior leader Sonny Skinner stands out on the boys’ side, while Chanel Anthony holds the top spot for the girls. Both are expected to anchor the team throughout the season. With many athletes maintaining high grade-point averages, the coach is also optimistic the team could contend for academic honors at the state level.
The Trojans opened their season on Friday, August 22, with a challenging matchup against Liberty High School, a 5A program. The boys battled hard but fell 6-12. Each of the singles players managed to win one set against their opponents but came up short against Liberty’s top year-round players. Doubles teams showed promise, with the duo of Bryce Dykstra and Juan Carlos securing two set wins before narrowly dropping a tiebreaker, and the rookie team of Ethan Johnson and Taysom Christensen winning one set. Newcomers Chase Hansen and Everett Southwick fought hard in their matches but were unable to grab a win.
On the girls’ side, the Trojans also faced a tough test and finished with a 5-13 loss. Singles victories came from Chanel Anthony and Nyomi Skinner, who each won two sets, while Allison Amador picked up another. The doubles pairings of Layla Brunell and Milly Khandpur, Elise Eichner and Sara Miller, and Aurora Bowers and Aurora (AJ) Brachli gave their all but fell short against Liberty’s experienced lineup.
Despite the results, Coach Dela Rosa praised his team’s grit and outlook. “I encouraged the players that they fought valiantly through the heat against more experienced players. We will learn our lessons from this shortcoming and adjust our practices so everyone improves with their skills to give us a better chance of winning our matches. We are all proud of them for their effort.”
The Trojans will continue their preseason schedule against larger schools, including Bishop Gorman, before league play begins September 5 against Virgin Valley. With their combination of returning leaders, eager newcomers, and a focus on steady improvement, the Pahrump Valley High School tennis team is looking forward to another memorable season.
*Match photos provided by Coach Dela Rosa.
