Pahrump Valley football returns to basics before Durango road test

Pahrump Valley got exactly the kind of lesson coach Toby Henry said he wanted from the difficult portion of the Trojans’ nonleague schedule.

They probably could have done without the 40-point margin.

But if the purpose of putting Galena on the schedule was to expose problems before Pahrump Valley reaches the Class 3A Southern League games that will define its season, the Grizzlies certainly did their part.

Galena controlled the line of scrimmage, produced big plays and handed the Trojans their first loss, 47-7.

“This week we are getting back to the basics,” Henry said. “Our guys know what our goal is: to get better for our league.”

Pahrump Valley will take that approach on the road at 6 p.m. Friday against Durango in Las Vegas. The Trojans enter 1-1, while Durango is 0-2 after falling 41-7 at Shadow Ridge last week.

Two very different nights

The first two games of Pahrump Valley’s season could hardly have looked more different.

Against Providence Hall, the Trojans rushed for 220 yards, repeatedly sent Preston Dockter, Iyan Bosket and their other physical runners into the defense and eventually wore the Patriots down in a 29-6 victory.

Galena reversed almost every part of that equation.

The Grizzlies held Pahrump Valley to 23 rushing yards. Dockter finished with 17 yards on seven carries, and considerably more responsibility fell on sophomore quarterback Evan Strain.

He completed 17 of 33 passes for 166 yards and found Aaron Rily for Pahrump Valley’s only touchdown, but he also threw four interceptions while working against consistent pressure.

Galena scored twice before the first quarter was half over and led 33-7 at halftime. The Grizzlies finished with 417 yards of offense, including 315 through the air and five touchdown passes from Colton Smith.

Those numbers leave Pahrump Valley with plenty to correct. Henry also saw one thing he does not want the score to erase.

“I’m proud that our guys never gave up and played hard until the end of the game,” he said.

The result did not change why Henry wanted the Trojans to face stronger competition before league play.

Pahrump Valley’s primary goal is not an undefeated August. It is to win the Class 3A Southern League and get past teams such as Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley.

Henry has said tougher nonleague opponents can uncover weaknesses that might remain hidden against an overmatched team. Last season, Pahrump Valley opened with two blowout victories before producing 544 yards but committing five turnovers in a 28-24 loss to Spring Valley.

“Sometimes you need to get knocked down a peg,” Henry said during the preseason. “You don’t want to get cocky.”

Galena supplied that reminder early and forcefully.

“Friday’s game was a great opportunity for our team to see some great competition and get us ready for our league games,” Henry said. “Our guys played hard. We need to clean up a few things and we will be OK.”

New day, new team

Durango has struggled through its first two games, but Henry does not see a team that can be dismissed because of its record.

“Durango has a lot of athleticism,” he said. “We need to prevent them from making big plays.”

The basic demand remains the same: Pahrump Valley has to tackle and prevent an ordinary play from becoming a touchdown.

“We need to stop their running game and not let them get any big plays in the pass game,” Henry said.

The offense also must reestablish the physical running game that worked against Providence Hall. That would give Dockter and Bosket opportunities to wear down the Durango defense while keeping Strain out of obvious passing situations.

Taking care of the football remains part of the equation. Henry identified it as an area needing improvement before the Galena game, and four interceptions made the cost clear.

Durango is more familiar to Henry than the typical nonleague opponent.

He served as the Trailblazers’ head coach from 2018 through 2022.

Friday will place Henry on the opposite sideline from his former program, but he did not turn the game into a reunion story. His answers kept returning to what Pahrump Valley needs to do now.

“I just want them to get better every week,” Henry said. “We were outmatched versus Galena. That game is over; we aren’t thinking about them anymore.”

Durango provides the Trojans’ first opportunity to show what they learned.

Contact sports reporter Bill Evans at wevans@pvtimes.com.