The Pahrump Valley High School Trojans faced a tough opponent in SLAM Academy on Friday, September 13, 2024, with the game ending in a 50-21 loss for the Trojans. Despite the final score, the team showed moments of resilience and determination, with key performances that kept the game competitive.
SLAM Academy struck first with a rushing touchdown early in the first quarter, followed by another two touchdowns in the second, extending their lead to 22-0. However, the Trojans answered back before halftime when Randall Murray powered through for a touchdown with just under two minutes left in the second quarter. Aaron Rily’s successful point-after attempt brought the score to 22-7, but SLAM managed another touchdown with only 10 seconds left, making it 29-7 going into halftime.
The Trojans showed a renewed energy in the third quarter, with Kayne Horibe carrying the ball into the end zone at the 10:32 mark, closing the gap to 29-14 after another successful point-after from Rily. Although SLAM answered with more scoring, including a touchdown off an interception, the Trojans kept fighting. Randall Murray found the end zone again late in the fourth quarter, with Rily adding another point-after to bring the final score to 50-21.
Head Coach Walker acknowledged both the challenges and the growth opportunities, noting the team’s offensive strengths, particularly Kayne Horibe’s 207-yard passing performance. “Offensively we played well, but defensively we need to be better. Giving up 101 points in 7 days is not good. We are focused on making us better in defense this week. As a staff, we have to be better,” Walker said.
Defensive Coach Colucci echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing that the Trojans played hard and showed promise. “The outcome was not what we were hoping for, but we did see a lot of positive things when breaking down the film. SLAM is one of the top teams in the state, and they played like it. We definitely made some mistakes that were out of character for our team, but the boys played hard until the last whistle. It’s a long season, and we just want to make sure the team is getting a little better each week.”
Offensive Coach Henry believes facing these tough early opponents will ultimately prepare the Trojans for future challenges. “It’s good to start the season off with these tough teams that we have played. These are the games that will get us ready for the postseason. Now we have to learn from our mistakes and put a complete game together,” he said.
While the scoreboard may not have favored the Trojans this week, the determination and effort displayed on the field prove that they are ready to take on the challenges ahead.
