The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans took the field under the Friday night lights on September 26 for their home matchup against the Virgin Valley Bulldogs. The evening began with a stirring rendition of the National Anthem by Emily Stuckey, setting the tone for what would be a hard-fought game between two determined teams.
Virgin Valley won the coin toss and elected to receive, starting strong with short yardage plays before the Trojans’ defense made an early statement. On the Bulldogs’ second drive, Pahrump’s Lucas Gavenda intercepted a pass and ran it back for a touchdown. A penalty against the Bulldogs on the return helped the Trojans take an early 6-0 lead after the extra point attempt went wide.
The Bulldogs answered back with a touchdown pass to the left corner of the end zone, tying the score at 6-6 by the end of the first quarter. Both teams traded stops and field position in a physical opening frame, with defensive highlights from Ryan Hamlin and a number of key tackles from the Trojans’ backfield.
In the second quarter, Virgin Valley found momentum through the air, connecting on a short pass that turned into a 45-yard touchdown. The Bulldogs added another score soon after, returning a run from deep inside their own territory for a touchdown to make it 20-6. Despite the deficit, Pahrump Valley’s offense showed flashes of potential, with quarterback Kayne Horibe connecting with Hamlin for a first down and Preston Dockter driving the ball into Bulldog territory. However, penalties and incomplete passes stalled several promising drives.
Before halftime, the Bulldogs capitalized on another long run and a quarterback keeper for a touchdown, pushing their lead to 27-6 at the break.
Coming out of halftime, the Trojans worked to regain control. Hamlin opened the second half with a strong return to the 37-yard line, followed by catches from Angel Ware and Lucas Gavenda. However, penalties again hampered the Trojans’ progress, and a trick play attempt between Horibe and Alvarez fell short. Virgin Valley added another touchdown in the third quarter to extend their advantage to 34-6.
Pahrump answered midway through the third with a deep pass to Hamlin followed by a connection to Ware in the right corner of the end zone, though a false start wiped out part of the gain. A two-point conversion attempt failed, but the Trojans narrowed the gap to 34-12. The Bulldogs responded with another touchdown before the quarter ended, bringing the score to 40-12.
In the fourth quarter, the Trojans continued to fight. After a long pass to Gavenda brought the ball inside the red zone, Horibe found Alvarez and then Dockter, who ran the ball in for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion made it 46-20 late in the game. Despite the final scoreline, Pahrump Valley showed offensive balance and resilience throughout the night.
Following the game, Offensive Coordinator Toby Henry commended the team’s effort and outlined areas for growth. “The boys played hard Friday. Virgin Valley is a good team. We did a lot of good things. The main thing we need to work on is finishing drives on offense. We moved the ball well and had a lot of yards. We will work on fixing some mistakes this week and get after it at practice.”
Defensive Coordinator Mike Colucci spoke on the need for consistency. “We just weren’t as focused as we needed to be and didn’t execute to our standard on either side of the ball. We just need to bear down and get a little tougher the next few weeks if we want to accomplish our goals. If we are intentional at practice, in the weight room, and off the field, we can be right where we want to be when it’s all said and done.”
Head Coach Thomas Walker emphasized accountability across the board. “As for Friday, as a staff we have to do a better job preparing the team. Our focus this week is to get the team to play downhill and be tougher at the point of attack.”
The Trojans will use this matchup as a learning opportunity as they prepare for their next game against Democracy Prep at home on Friday, October 3. The matchup will also mark Homecoming for Pahrump Valley High School—a chance for the team to showcase their growth, regroup after a tough loss, and rally the home crowd with renewed focus and determination.
