Hee: Trojans have five teams advancing to the playoffs
The Trojans will be sending five teams to postseason play. It’s the most teams since the Trojans were in 3A before the 2008 season.
This is a big accomplishment because the last time the Trojans were in 3A there were only four teams in the league, now there are two leagues, totaling 11 teams.
I feel the Trojans have a big chance to make state in several fall sports this year. In recent years, normally we would be talking only one, if any. The only fall sport to recently take state was the 2011 and 2012 girls soccer team.
I do have to say this, it has been a lot of fun watching all the teams doing so well.
The Trojans girls soccer team will be going to the playoffs. The Trojans (12-4-1 overall, 6-1-1 Sunset League) just don’t know what seed they will be. They are currently tied with Cheyenne (9-5-4, 6-1-1) for second with 19 points and Western (10-4-4, 6-0-2) is in first with 20 points. The girls could take first place away from Western if they win their last two games against Cheyenne and Western. Their only league loss came from Cheyenne. In my opinion, this team can beat Western and Cheyenne and could very well be the first-place team. Could this team go to state? Why not. I think what the Trojans have going for them is the fact that they played Cheyenne at home on Tuesday and play Western as their last regular season game.
The football team is in the playoffs as the Sunset League third-place seed and finished the regular season at 6-3 overall, and 3-2 in league, which was the best record since 1995, and will play Moapa Valley this Thursday in their first playoff appearance since 2012.
Trojans coach Joe Clayton told his team after the Mojave game that this was something special.
“It doesn’t matter who wins. We were even good playing Virgin Valley. I am so happy for you guys. The hard work you guys put into it. There was something about you guys in the second half. I haven’t coached a team like it. You guys know you can hang with anybody and you have proven it all season long.”
What else can be said that hasn’t been said? I think the Trojans will win the Moapa game.
The Trojans girls volleyball team (20-13, 8-0) finished in first place and will host the Sunrise League fourth-place seed, which looks like it will be Tech (12-18, 3-5). For the Trojans to go to state, they need to finish as the first or second-place team at regionals. I think the Trojans can do this. Right now the Trojans are their own worst enemy for when they lose, they beat themselves. They should take Tech and then play in the semifinal match.
Trojans coach Jill Harris and her team deserves credit for doing well at the Longhorn Tournament, where they won four matches and lost two. The one thing the Trojans have going for them this year is their experience at key positions. They have two great setters, Jill Smith and Jackie Stobbe and their main hitters, Alexis Trieb and Koral Hearn are killing the competition.
The boys cross-country team is looking to finish better than fifth place at state, but before they do that they have regionals to contend with on Oct. 28 at Craig Ranch Park at 9 a.m. The boys could take first place at regionals. They have to run against Tech, but have beaten them before. I believe they will beat them at the regionals. The boys outran all the competition at their last big meet of the season where all the best teams in the 3A were there.
The girls cross-country team was not expected to do much this year. But they are poised and ready to surprise unsuspecting teams at the regional meet.
“Heavy recruiting by the boys team helped the girls get some new faces,” Trojans coach Matt Kolodzieczyk said.
He said if his girls go to state he will be happy.
I think they will do well at regionals due to their big finish at the Lake Mead Invitational where they finished second behind Tech.
The girls golf team finished second at regionals and sixth at state. They were expected to do better at state, but they were not expected to do much this year and they did. Congrats to the golf team for a great year. Next year they will have four returning golfers and they will do better.
Girls Soccer
Western 6-0-2 20 pts
Cheyenne 6-1-1 19 pts
Pahrump 6-1-1 19 pts
Sunrise Mtn. 3-5-0 9 ptd
Girls Volleyball
Pahrump Valley 8-0
Mojave 6-2
Cheyenne 5-3
Western 3-5
Football
Desert Pines 5-0
Cheyenne 4-1
Pahrump Valley 3-2
Sunrise Mtn. 2-3
Girls golf
Elko
Boulder City
Lowery
Spring Creek
Tech
Pahrump Valley
Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com