Five turnovers cost Pahrump Valley in homecoming loss to Moapa

Pahrump Valley had worked its way back into the game. Preston Dockter had reached the end zone, the Trojans had added a two-point conversion, and a difficult homecoming night suddenly held a little possibility.

Moapa Valley needed just 14 seconds of game time to take it away.

Senior quarterback Kamden Drosos broke several tackles on a 76-yard keeper that restored the Pirates’ three-touchdown lead late in the third quarter Friday. Moapa went on to win 37–16, leaving Pahrump Valley with another loss to a familiar obstacle — and five turnovers to consider during the coming bye week.

“If you turn over the ball against good teams, they will make you pay,” coach Toby Henry said afterward. “We have to take care of the ball better. That was the difference in the game.”

The loss dropped the Trojans to 4–4 overall and 1–1 in league play. Dockter scored both Pahrump touchdowns, while Paul Walker supplied several important defensive plays, including two third-quarter sacks.

There was effort. There were opportunities. There were also too many possessions that ended with the wrong team holding the ball.

An early opening

The Pirates struck first, driving for a touchdown with 9:16 remaining in the opening quarter. Their extra-point kick sailed wide right, leaving the score 6–0.

Pahrump moved the ball on its first possession, with Wyatt Cross finding Angel Ware and Lucas Gavenda and Dockter gaining ground on the run. But an interception ended the drive, giving Moapa possession at its own 3.

The Trojans quickly returned the favor.

Ryan Hamlin intercepted a pass and brought the ball back to the Moapa 5. Dockter finished the short possession with a touchdown, and a successful two-point conversion gave Pahrump an 8–6 lead with 3:20 left in the first quarter.

Moapa answered with a sustained drive that carried into the second quarter. A short touchdown run by junior Ashton Hickman and two-point conversion put the Pirates ahead 14–8 with 10:59 remaining before halftime.

Pahrump had a chance to answer. Completions to Ware and Walker, followed by a long Dockter run, helped move the Trojans to the Moapa 12. But the possession stalled, and a fourth-down quarterback keeper left them short. The Pirates took over at their own 15.

A costly stretch

The Trojans’ defense forced a punt on the next possession, but Pahrump began its ensuing drive backed up at its own 7.

Dockter supplied two runs to get the offense moving. A grounding penalty pushed the Trojans back, and an interception gave Moapa the ball at the Pahrump 25 with 1:43 left in the half.

The Pirates converted that opportunity into a Drosos rushing touchdown with 17.9 seconds remaining. Another two-point conversion made it 22–8.

Pahrump was scheduled to receive the second-half kickoff, offering a chance to regain some ground.

Instead, the return ended in a fumble. Moapa recovered, and a personal foul against the Trojans helped set up the Pirates at the Pahrump 17. A touchdown pass and successful kick made it 29–8 less than a minute into the third quarter.

The late interception and opening kickoff fumble had helped turn a six-point deficit into a 21-point hole before the Trojans’ offense took a second-half snap.

Still fighting

Pahrump’s defense continued to give the offense chances.

Walker delivered a sack that helped force a punt, only for the Trojans to lose possession on the return. On the ensuing Moapa possession, Walker made another fourth-down sack, giving Pahrump the ball at the Pirates’ 42.

This time, the Trojans capitalized.

A pass-interference penalty on fourth down kept the drive alive. Hamlin took a hand-off and threw to Gavenda for another completion. Gavenda absorbed a hard hit and remained down briefly before getting up and walking off the field. He later returned to the game.

A completion to Ware moved Pahrump inside the 5.

Moapa stopped Dockter for no gain on first down and limited him to a yard on second. On third down, he got across the goal line. The Trojans added another two-point conversion, cutting the deficit to 29–16 with 1:11 left in the quarter.

“Our kids and our staff thought we could still win the game,” Henry said.

The next sequence was particularly costly.

Pahrump tried an onside kick, but the ball got away from a Trojan and bounced downfield, where Moapa secured it at its own 24.

On the next play, Pirates’ quarterback Drosos kept the ball, broke multiple tackles and went the remaining 76 yards. A two-point conversion made it 37–16 with 57 seconds left in the third.

The Trojans had spent much of the quarter working their way back within reach. One play put them back where they had been.

A familiar hurdle

Moapa also beat Pahrump twice last season: 42–7 in the regular season and 35–27 in the playoffs, ending the Trojans’ season.

Henry believes his team is getting closer to clearing that hurdle.

“The biggest thing we have to learn is that we can win those games,” he said. “We are closing the gap on Moapa and now we have to learn how to win those games.”

Friday’s result, in his view, came down to carrying preparation onto the field.

“They didn’t do anything that we didn’t work on at practice,” Henry said. “We have to stop worrying about who we are playing and just execute.”

The fourth quarter brought more frustration. Pahrump gave up possession on downs, later made a defensive stop of its own, then lost the ball on a deep interception. That brought the turnover total to five: three interceptions and two lost kick returns.

By the closing minutes, the homecoming stands were nearly empty. The Trojans were still competing.

“Our kids never quit and I love that about them,” Henry said. “No matter the score, we will always have a shot to come back.”

That persistence was visible Friday. So was the work still required to turn it into a victory against Moapa Valley.

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