High school honors top athletes of the year

Pahrump Valley High honored four senior athletes Wednesday for their excellence. Seniors Jace Clayton and Alyssa Murphy were selected as Outstanding Athlete of the Year, and seniors John Clark and Shayla Dance were chosen as the Scholar Athletes of the Year. The difference being that the Scholar Athlete has a grade component to it. Each student receives $500.

The selections were made by the Pahrump Valley coaching staff. Girls basketball coach Jennifer Hagstrom said it was a difficult decision, especially choosing between twin brothers Jace and Jax Clayton.

“It was a hard to choose and the voting was very close,” Hagstrom said.

Jace Clayton was a three-year letterman in football and a four-year letterman in wrestling. Wrestling coach Craig Rieger, said Clayton had 19-8 record in as a freshman, but improved to 31-5 as a sophomore, finishing first at regional and second at state. His junior year saw him finish first at regional and second at state again with a 38-8 record.

His senior year he broke through capturing a state title while finishing 25-6. In football Clayton played offensive tackle and defensive tackle and lettered three years. For his efforts he was awarded first team all-conference as an offensive tackle.

John Clark had a 4.21 grade point average while earning three-year letters in football and wrestling. “Clark would have had a great senior year as a wrestler, but was injured most of the season,” Rieger said.

In football, Clark was a second team all-conference safety.

According to Hagstrom, Murphy lettered three years in volleyball and basketball and two years in softball. Murphy was honorable mention in basketball as a junior and a senior. Kirkwood said Murphy was also second team all-conference her junior and senior year in volleyball.

Shayla Dance was a four-year letterman in volleyball and basketball. In addition, she also carried a 4.26. Dance was second team all-conference her junior year in basketball.

Kirkwood said it was great coaching both girls in basketball and volleyball.

“Both girls were hard workers and team leaders,” he said. “Neither one missed practices and were both always there for the team. I think they both enjoyed working with the underclassmen.”