Flag Football gains valuable experience in road loss to Doral Red Rock Academy
The cold wasn’t the only thing biting Tuesday night.
Breaking the ice in their first-ever official game as a program, the Pahrump Valley High School flag football team gave their best efforts despite frigid temperatures in the low 40’s.
Falling 55–0 in their debut, the Trojans were undone by a Dragons offense piloted by freshman quarterback Lilian Johnson, who looked anything but inexperienced.
Johnson accounted for six total touchdowns — five through the air and another on the ground — as Doral Red Rock (1–0) built a 41–0 lead by halftime and cruised from there.
It was a quick introduction to varsity play for a Pahrump Valley program still establishing its identity, especially under the sport’s new rule set.
With defenders required to start one yard off the line of scrimmage before blitzing, the game unfolded at a breakneck pace and wrapped in under an hour.
A fast start, a sudden break
After receiving the opening kickoff, the Dragons moved methodically before Johnson found junior receiver Merseillez Mika on the first of her scoring strikes. The extra-point attempt was stuffed, but the tone was set.
Pahrump Valley (0–1) answered with early poise on its first drive. Senior RB/DB Diona Nixon slashed up the middle for a 16-yard gain, followed by a 12-yard first-down run from senior QB Savannah Thompson. For a moment, the Trojans had rhythm — until a timeout halted momentum and an interception immediately out of the huddle flipped the field.
The Dragons capitalized quickly. Johnson connected twice with Averie Flores for back-to-back touchdowns, then added scoring throws to Mika and Jada Steele. By the time the halftime whistle sounded, the freshman had mapped the field like a veteran.
Turnovers tell the story
Doral Red Rock’s defensive experience surfaced repeatedly. The Dragons collected six interceptions, two of which senior Ryan Hedin returned for pick-sixes.
For a fifth-year program with four seasons of 4A play behind it, the edge in continuity was unmistakable.
Pahrump Valley cycled through multiple looks to compensate, deploying Nixon, Thompson, and Nereyda Gonzalez at quarterback.
Nixon eventually operated a wildcat variation, while Gonzalez was tasked with deeper drops and the occasional gadget flea-flicker play.
“Once we realized how fast they were, we tried to get Diona back there and get the ball outside,” head coach Jeff Corbett said. “It worked for a while until they caught on. But again, that’s a fast defense.”
Signs of defense settling in
The second half brought glimpses of the defense Corbett believes the Trojans can become.
They limited the Dragons to 14 points after halftime, leaning on the physicality of junior linebacker Ember Castaneda-Dabney and senior LB Aaliyah Fries, who consistently pressured Johnson.
Special teams also delivered a surprise boost. Junior soccer goalkeeper Jazmyn Herrera handled punting duties and flipped field position several times for the Trojans.
“That was a nice surprise,” Corbett said. “It helped us tremendously getting them backed up so our defense could breathe a little.”
Beyond the score
For a program playing its first official snaps, the scoreboard told only part of the story. The sideline never unraveled, even as the deficit grew.
“Oh, I’m stressed — I’m always stressed,” Corbett joked. “But honestly, it’s all part of the growth. We’re learning, and we’re learning together. They didn’t stop. They never stopped competing. They tried to do everything they could. The fact that they never got frustrated with each other and stayed positive the whole game, that was huge.”
The Trojans left their opener with clearer eyes about who they are and what they want to become. And for a first-year program, that’s more than a good start.
Contact Jacob Powers at jpowers@pvtimes.com. Follow @jaypowers__ on X.
