The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans celebrated Senior Night in style on Friday, October 17, dominating The Meadows Mustangs 57–26 in front of a packed home crowd. The Trojans controlled the game from the opening quarter, combining explosive offense, steady leadership, and a second-half defensive stand that completely shut down the Mustangs.
Before kickoff, seniors from Football, Dance, and Cheer were recognized alongside their families. The football team honored Austin Alvarez, Kayne Horibe, Ashton McClard, Joseph McDonald, Joshua Slusher, Jacob Stepp, Jack Walker, and Jace Wulfenstein, as well as team manager Brianna Garcia.
The dance team celebrated Tayela Brown, McKenna Cunningham, Natalie Minor, and Lucy Smith, while the cheer team recognized Kyndra Cardwell, Micaela Carson, Ana Mateos, and Annabella Ondrisko for their leadership and contributions.
The night opened with fireworks. After The Meadows struck first with a quick touchdown, quarterback Kayne Horibe answered immediately, breaking free on a 40-yard keeper into the end zone to put the Trojans ahead 7–6. The momentum carried over when Austin Alvarez bulldozed through defenders for multiple big gains, then followed with a touchdown run and a two-point conversion to make it 15–6 midway through the first quarter.
Moments later, the defense made its presence known. Billy Sparks and Iyan Bosket combined for a crucial sack, forcing a fumble that Sparks recovered. The turnover set up another scoring drive capped by Horibe’s second rushing touchdown of the game. The Mustangs fought back to close the gap, but Pahrump answered instantly when Horibe connected with Angel Ware on a deep pass that turned into a 60-yard touchdown play. The Trojans led 28–12 after the first quarter and never looked back.
The offensive surge continued in the second. Following a Meadows touchdown, Horibe fielded the ensuing kickoff and raced 68 yards down the sideline for another score. Before halftime, he added yet another highlight when he connected with Paul Walker in the end zone, giving Pahrump a commanding 42–26 advantage at the break.
At halftime, the spotlight turned to seniors from Cross Country, Tennis, and Girls Golf. Cross Country honored Ben De Santiago, Sam Grabbe, Akim Khan, Jules Ondrisko, Jacob McLaughlin, Timmy Stutzman, Savannah Thompson, and Aydon Veloz.
Tennis seniors included Elise Eichner, Lucas Johnson, Sonny Skinner, Nicholas Watson, and team manager Matthew Vergara. Rounding out the recognitions was Girls Golf senior Tiffany Sartin.
After halftime, the Trojans’ front line came alive. Sparks tallied back-to-back sacks, Jack Walker broke through for another, and Preston Dockter applied relentless pressure up front. The Mustangs couldn’t find an answer, managing no points in the entire second half as Pahrump’s defense shut the door for good.
On offense, Slusher and Alvarez kept the ground game rolling. A trick play saw Alvarez complete a pass to Horibe for a big gain, and moments later, Horibe powered in for his third rushing touchdown of the night. Slusher then closed the game with a series of strong runs, breaking off gains of 25, 15, and 10 yards before finding the end zone himself and adding the two-point conversion that brought the score to 57–26.
After the game, the coaching staff praised the team’s discipline and physicality.
Head Coach Thomas Walker said, “The team played well Friday. Kayne had 99 yards rushing and three touchdowns, 117 passing yards with two more, and ran back a 68-yard kickoff return for his sixth. The O-line played great, and Coach Colucci made great defensive adjustments at halftime that held them scoreless in the second half. The defense was great up front, and our DBs continue to get better.”
Defensive Coordinator Mike Colucci added, “Meadows has a very underrated passing attack in the 3A, and it took us a couple of quarters to make the adjustments we needed to slow them down. Our boys didn’t panic—they adapted and executed to pitch a shutout in the second half.”
Offensive Coordinator Toby Henry credited the team’s focus and toughness: “Our guys did a great job of being physical on offense. It was a great win and we did what we should have. This week against Boulder, we have to have the same mentality—be more physical and play our game.”
The Trojans now turn their attention to their final regular season game on Friday, October 24, when they travel to Boulder City for a rivalry matchup — JV will kick off at 4 p.m., followed by Varsity at 7 p.m. Walker said the team expects a strong challenge: “We know they’ll give us their best, and we need to match their energy. It should be a great game.”
