The Pahrump Valley High School boys’ soccer team earned a hard-fought 3-2 victory over the Boulder City Eagles on Wednesday, August 27, showing resilience after a tough road loss earlier in the week.
Head Coach Andrew Norton admitted the Trojans’ first half was far from perfect, as the team experimented with new formations and positions. “The first half was actually a bit ugly for us,” Norton said. “We made changes last night at 8 p.m. and implemented them today, and it did not go well. It wasn’t because of the players’ skill—it was just their first time in those roles, and they didn’t quite understand them yet. But we ended up getting a goal out of it.”
That goal came from midfielder Roberto “Berto” Gonzalez-Gonzalez, who capitalized on an early chance to put the Trojans on the scoreboard. As the second half unfolded, the team began to settle into their adjustments. With improved passing and more confidence in their new positions, momentum swung Pahrump’s way. Ryan Nunez Manzo found the back of the net with a perfectly timed back post run, finishing off a clean cross with ease. Later, with just over four minutes remaining, TC Hone delivered the deciding strike from about ten feet in front of the goal, sealing the Trojans’ 3-2 win.
The closing minutes weren’t without drama. Midfielder Sam Mendoza made a determined drive to the net only to be stopped by Boulder’s keeper, then found himself tangled in a brief on-field scuffle. “It was not going on all game, actually, just there near the end,” Norton explained. “Sammy’s one of our starters, so we kind of let that go. But it continued, so we decided to pull him off and let him cool down. He’s too important to risk a card over ego issues.”
Wednesday’s win was especially meaningful following the Trojans’ narrow 1-0 loss to Moapa Valley on Monday, August 25. Norton described that game as one that could have gone either way. “Moapa is really good this year. They’re undefeated and have yet to be scored on,” he said. “We were hoping to give them their first loss and their first goal against. We had two shots on goal that I think on any other day would have gone in, but their keeper was fantastic. They’ve struggled historically, so it’s good to see them strong this season. We’re definitely looking forward to another shot at them in a couple of weeks.”
For now, the Trojans can celebrate a key early-season win that showcased their adaptability and determination. With three different goal scorers and a growing sense of cohesion, the team is beginning to find its rhythm and looks poised to keep building momentum as the season progresses.
