The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans celebrated Homecoming in winning fashion on Friday, October 3, defeating the Democracy Prep Knights 36–12 under the bright lights of their home field. The evening began with Ellarose Brondo’s beautiful performance of the national anthem, setting the stage for a night full of Trojan pride and football excellence.
Democracy Prep won the toss and deferred, giving Pahrump the first offensive opportunity. Ryan Hamlin and Lucas Gavenda set the tone with strong returns, putting the Trojans near midfield. After early carries from Austin Alvarez and Preston Dockter, a fumble handed the Knights possession, which they converted into an early touchdown to take a 6–0 lead. That advantage was short-lived. Quarterback Kayne Horibe led a composed drive highlighted by a deep connection to Alvarez, who weaved through defenders for an 11-yard touchdown. Hamlin’s extra point put the Trojans ahead 7–6, and they never looked back.
Pahrump’s defense quickly tightened, with key tackles from Jack Walker, Iyan Bosket, and Lucas Gavenda stopping Democracy Prep’s progress. On their next possession, the Trojans leaned on their strong ground game. Dockter and Slusher traded carries, marching the ball steadily downfield before Slusher powered across the goal line for another touchdown. He followed it up with the extra point, extending the lead to 14–6.
Momentum stayed on Pahrump’s side when defensive pressure from Billy Sparks forced a sack in the end zone, adding two more points on a safety that electrified the home crowd. The offense immediately capitalized on the energy, with Dockter and Alvarez continuing to break tackles and push deep into Knight territory. Dockter capped the drive with a powerful run up the middle for another score, followed by Slusher’s PAT to make it 23–6.
Before halftime, the defense continued to dominate, forcing a fumble recovered by Jacob Stepp. Horibe led the Trojans back downfield with steady decision-making, and after a series of short runs by Alvarez and Dockter, the quarterback kept the ball himself and crossed the goal line to give Pahrump a 29–6 lead heading into the break.
The halftime festivities added to the Homecoming excitement. Seniors Lucy Smith and Ben De Santiago were crowned Homecoming Queen and King, earning cheers from classmates and fans.
Following the coronation, the PVHS Dance Team performed an energetic routine joined by alumni dancers for a second number, and the PVHS Cheer Team followed with a spirited performance that kept the crowd engaged.
In the second half, Pahrump continued to control the pace of the game. Dockter opened with several solid carries, setting up Horibe’s perfect pass to Gideon Wydick in the end zone. Slusher nailed the extra point, stretching the lead to 36–6. The Trojans’ defense refused to let up, with key stops from Bosket, Walker, and Gavenda halting any comeback attempt. Democracy Prep managed a late touchdown in the fourth quarter, but the Trojans’ dominance was never in doubt.
Offensive Coordinator Toby Henry praised his players’ performance and focus, saying, “It was a great league win for our guys on Friday. This week is going to be a fun week. It’s always fun to prepare for a good team like Moapa.”
Defensive Coordinator Mike Colucci highlighted the team’s physicality and discipline. “Defensively, our boys played well on Friday night! We made a couple of mistakes that we will address this week and get cleaned up. But overall, I was pleased with their effort, physicality, and discipline! We hope to build off of those things this week going into Moapa. To get this one done Friday night on the road, it’s going to take four quarters of fundamentally sound football!”
The Trojans now turn their attention to their next challenge—an away game against the Moapa Valley Pirates on Friday, October 10, in Moapa. The JV team kicks off at 4 p.m., followed by the varsity matchup at 7 p.m.
