The Pahrump Valley High School boys’ soccer team closed its season at the state tournament on Friday, Nov. 6, falling 3–0 to Truckee in the semifinals at Reed High School in Sparks. Senior goalkeeper Jessie Barajas-Roman made 20 saves, including a first-half penalty stop, to help the Trojans stay within a goal until the final four minutes. Truckee went on to win the state championship.
Truckee tested Barajas-Roman early, forcing three saves in the opening five minutes. Pahrump had a chance of its own when Roberto Gonzalez-Gonzalez put a shot on goal with 30:13 remaining in the first half. Barajas-Roman then turned away a long-range shot with 28:45 left and made another stop a few minutes later to keep the match scoreless.
The Wolverines broke through with 15:07 remaining in the half to take a 1–0 lead. Truckee had an opportunity to add to it when it was awarded a penalty kick with 10:50 left, but Barajas-Roman made the save. He stopped another shot with just over six minutes remaining as Pahrump looked for an equalizer before halftime.
Samuel “Sammy” Mendoza took a free kick that went out of play with 4:29 left, and Omar Becerra Gastelum put a shot on target with two minutes remaining. Truckee’s goalkeeper saved the attempt, sending the Wolverines into halftime with their one-goal lead intact.
Pahrump returned to the field and forced Truckee’s keeper to punch away a shot with 36:45 remaining. Barajas-Roman answered with saves at 29:05 and 26:10, and the Trojans earned a corner when Rene Gonzalez Valdez had a shot blocked out of play. Gonzalez Valdez took the corner as Pahrump continued looking for a way to tie the match.
Another opportunity came with 18:57 remaining when TC Hone put a shot on goal. Truckee’s keeper made the save, giving Pahrump a corner that Rafael Sanchez Veliz attempted to send in for a header. The goalkeeper stopped that attempt as well, then caught another Trojan shot with 16:34 left.
Barajas-Roman collected a Truckee shot with 9:33 remaining to keep the score at 1–0. Pahrump went down to 10 players when Mendoza was shown a red card with 8:14 left, but the Trojans still got another look at goal. Gonzalez-Gonzalez sent a shot over the crossbar with 5:47 remaining.
Truckee added its second goal with 3:25 left. Barajas-Roman got a hand to a late penalty kick, but the shot went in to make it 3–0.
The trip to Sparks capped a season to remember for Pahrump Valley. The Trojans earned home playoff wins over Cristo Rey and Equipo Academy, then rallied from two goals down to beat Virgin Valley for the regional championship. With that win, the boys’ soccer team earned its first trip to the state tournament since 2005.
*Photos taken by Alina Veloz.
