Pahrump Valley faces unbeaten Churchill County for spot in state title game. Again.

Pahrump Valley spent the final seconds against Virgin Valley proving its season was not over.

Now the Trojans get a chance to do something no team has managed this fall: beat Churchill County.

Coming off a 30–29 playoff victory that tested both their execution and their nerves, the Trojans travel to Fallon for a Class 3A state semifinal Saturday, Nov. 14. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. Pahrump Valley enters at 6–4. The Greenwave are 11–0.

The reward for a win is substantial. The winner advances to the Nov. 20 state championship game against either Moapa Valley or Spring Creek, who meet in the other semifinal. One more win puts the Trojans in a game for the title.

And there is history here, too. But it goes back to a time when every member of the current team was still in elementary school.

Pahrump Valley is making its first state semifinal appearance since 2018, and both the destination and opponent are familiar. That year, the Trojans also traveled to Fallon to face Churchill County, falling 58–20 to the eventual state champion. Eight years later, they get another chance.

Getting there required some drama then, too. The 2018 Trojans overcame a 10-point deficit to beat Boulder City 32–30, then leaned on Nico Velazquez to run out the final four minutes. A comeback. A trusted running back. A narrow escape. What goes around comes around.

Toby Henry knows his team has plenty to carry forward from its dramatic finish against Virgin Valley. Asked how he would bring the players back down while preparing for Churchill County, the coach was more interested in keeping that confidence intact.

“I would like to ride the momentum from last week,” Henry said. “I want our guys playing with the most confidence and determination. Our guys know if they play well, we can compete with anyone.”

Churchill County will give Henry’s sincere belief a serious test.

An unbeaten opponent

The Greenwave have outscored opponents 455–123, averaging about 41 points while allowing roughly 11 per game. They swept their eight-game Northern League schedule and opened their postseason with a 40–6 victory over Elko.

Their unbeaten record includes experience in close games, too. Churchill County began the season with road victories over Bishop Manogue, 32–30, and Reed, 14–13. Since then, none of its nine victories has been decided by fewer than 23 points.

That leaves Pahrump facing an opponent that has shown it can survive a tight finish and prevent most games from becoming one.

The Elko playoff win illustrates the range of problems the Greenwave can create. According to statistics posted on MaxPreps, quarterback Camden Richardson completed 14 of 19 passes for 253 yards and two touchdowns. Running back Alijah Juarez gained 148 yards and scored twice on only 13 carries. Drake Rowlett caught nine passes for 192 yards and both passing touchdowns.

Richardson and Juarez are sophomores; Rowlett is a senior. Their production against Elko points to the central defensive challenge for Pahrump: committing enough defenders to stop the run without leaving opportunities downfield.

The Trojans saw the importance of that balance against Virgin Valley. They produced sacks and tackles behind the line, but the Bulldogs also found room for long runs and completions that kept Pahrump under pressure deep into the fourth quarter.

Against Churchill County, fewer of those escapes would help considerably.

More than one way to move it

Pahrump has its own options on offense.

Preston Dockter remains the runner the Trojans repeatedly turn to when they need tough yards. Against Virgin Valley, he supplied the touchdown that put Pahrump within a point with 35 seconds remaining. And, showing that Dokter is not the only weapon in the running game, Anthony Montanez carried the ball in for a duo of two-point conversions. The second one was the final key to the nail-biter win. (Correction: A previous story about that game incorrectly named Dokter as the runner who scored the two-point conversions. Both were scored by Montanez.)

But that comeback also required completions, protection and enough variety to keep the Bulldogs from simply crowding the line.

Quarterback Evan Strain has helped direct consecutive victories over Boulder City and Virgin Valley since returning to the varsity starting role. Angel Ware, Ryan Hamlin, Lucas Gavenda and Paul Walker give him several receiving targets, while Strain’s ability to run adds another consideration for a defense.

And sometimes the pass comes from someone else.

Against Virgin Valley, Strain sent the ball laterally to Hamlin, who threw a 68-yard touchdown pass to Gavenda. It was a reminder that the Trojans can produce a quick score as well as work their way downfield behind Dockter.

They will need productive possessions Saturday. Keeping the offense moving would also give Pahrump’s defense a chance to rest between assignments against the Greenwave.

What the Trojans cannot afford is repeatedly making those possessions harder themselves.

Holding penalties erased gains against Virgin Valley. Other flags helped the Bulldogs move downfield. Pahrump overcame those mistakes, but doing so required a touchdown drive in the final minute and one last defensive stand.

The victory showed what the Trojans can survive. It also left a clear list of things they would rather not have to survive again.

Confidence earned the hard way

Henry has spent the season emphasizing preparation and persistence. Both were visible in the finish against Virgin Valley.

The winning conversion looked like a moment of enormous risk from the stands. To Henry, it was a decision backed by months of work.

“We have been working on two-point plays all season,” he said. “We have a package that we trust and a group of guys that we trust on our two-point team.”

The defense then protected the one-point lead, ending Virgin Valley’s final possession with a sack and fumble recovery.

Those are useful experiences to take on the road. Pahrump knows it can execute with its season hanging on a play. It knows falling behind does not automatically mean falling apart.

“It was awesome to see the determination from our guys,” Henry said. “They never gave up and had to overcome a ton in that game. Our seniors kept the team together and they have been doing that all year. Staying positive and never giving up.”

That leadership will have another job Saturday, as the Trojans trade their raucous home crowd for an unbeaten opponent’s field.

Churchill County’s record gives Pahrump every reason to expect a challenging afternoon. The Trojans’ last game gives them every reason to believe they can handle one.

Now they have to turn that belief into another week of football.

Contact Bill Evans at wevans@pvtimes.com.