The Pahrump Valley High School boys’ soccer team showed resilience and teamwork Monday night, earning a 2–2 draw against the top-ranked Moapa Valley Pirates at home.
The Pirates struck first midway through the opening half, capitalizing on a quick break to take a 1–0 lead. Despite several saves from goalkeeper Cayden Cowley—including a diving stop at the 28-minute mark and another catch just before halftime—the Trojans went into the break trailing.
In the second half, Moapa extended their lead to 2–0, but the Trojans refused to back down. At the 22-minute mark, Ryan Nunez Manzo crossed the ball perfectly to teammate Sammy Mendoza, who finished cleanly to put Pahrump on the board. Cowley continued his stellar performance in goal, fending off multiple Pirate attacks to keep the Trojans within reach.
With just over five minutes left in regulation, TC Hone delivered a well-placed cross from the right side that found Mendoza again at the back post. Mendoza beat his defender to the ball and buried it to tie the game 2–2, igniting the home crowd. Cowley sealed the draw with a late fingertip save in the closing minutes.
After the match, Head Coach Andrew Norton praised his team’s effort. “For the second time this year, we’ve gone and tied the number one team in the league,” Norton said. “First it was Virgin Valley, and now these guys. They’ve only been scored on a few times all year, so to get two goals on them today was pretty impressive.”
Norton credited the team’s preparation and discipline for the strong offensive execution. “We practiced that cross for an hour and a half,” he explained. “We worked on getting the ball across the face of the goal and running the back post. Both times we did it tonight, it worked perfectly—it was a 100% success rate.”
When asked who stood out, Norton didn’t hesitate. “Definitely Sammy Mendoza,” he said. “It’s not just because he scored both goals—it’s how he plays. Sammy is the one player who always plays his position exactly how he’s coached to, no matter the role. Tonight, he was supposed to make those back-post runs, and he did it beautifully both times.”
The Trojans’ tie against the Pirates reinforces their place among the top contenders in the league. As the postseason approaches later this month, Coach Norton said the team is aiming for a top-four finish to secure a home playoff game.
“We’ve proven we can compete with anyone in this league,” Norton said. “Now it’s about finishing strong and carrying that momentum into the playoffs.”
