Nevada Preps selected Pahrump Valley High School coach Cassondra Lauver as its softball coach of the year and named Trojans junior Skyler Lauver second-team all-state.
No other Nye County athletes were named first or second team in any sport, but Pahrump Valley senior Joey Koenig was an honorable mention pick in baseball, Trojans junior Ally Rily was listed as honorable mention in softball, and Beatty junior Jose Granados was an honorable mention selection in boys track and field.
Typically, Cassondra Lauver deflected the honor from Nevada Preps, which covers all schools in the state in all classifications.
“I like to call it the Coaching Staff of the Year award,” she said, noting that the honor gave her another chance to credit the entire Pahrump Valley coaching staff.
Whitney Roderick is a pitching coach, Sammy Charles is an infield coach and hitting coach, Rick Martin is a catching coach and hitting coach, Evandy Murphy is an outfield coach and handles conditioning, Susan Toomer is a catching coach and the head coach of the JV team, Sara Coleman-Colucci is a pitching coach and the assistant JV coach, Shane Rily is an outfield coach and a hitting coach, Taylor Frazier is a pitching coach and assistant varsity coach, Rich Lauver is a hitting coach and defense coach, and Cassondra Lauver is an outfield and hitting coach in addition to being the head varsity coach.
Together, they guided the Trojans to a 30-11 record and Sunset League, Southern Region and Class 3A state titles. The state crown was Pahrump Valley’s first since 2005, and they did it by going 7-0 during the postseason, 3-0 against Northern Nevada teams in the state tournament in Mesquite after losing their past six games against northern teams in the state tournament going back to 2014.
Skyler Lauver was chosen as a second-team all-state infielder after hitting .578 with 9 doubles, 10 triples, 3 home runs, 49 RBIs and 63 runs. She finished with a .561 on-base percentage and slugged .875. Class 3A coaches recognized Lauver’s season by naming her first-team all-state, Southern Region most valuable player and Sunset League co-MVP.
Lauver was the only softball player from a Class 3A school on Nevada Preps’ first or second team.
Her teammate, Rily, led the Trojans with 29 extra-base hits and 58 RBIs. She also had 15 doubles, 9 triples and a team-best 5 home runs. She easily led the team in slugging at .957 and finished with a .551 on-base percentage. In the circle, Rily posted an 11-5 record and a 2.96 ERA, striking out 44 while walking 20.
Koenig, a senior second baseman who was named first-team all-state in Class 3A, hit .423 with 6 doubles, 4 triples, 11 RBIs and 46 runs, which tied for the team lead. He posted a .526 on-base percentage and leading the Trojans with 17 stolen bases while playing all 36 games. Koenig was also honored as the Sunset League player of the year.
Granados continued his regional dominance in the distances, defending his Class 1A South titles in the 800 meters (2 minutes, 1.03 seconds), the 1,600 (4:39.27) and the 3,200 (10:29.03). All three times were meet records. The Beatty junior went on to defend his Class 1A state titles in the 800 (2:00.62) and 1,600 (4:29.08).
The 1,600 featured a dramatic finish, as Granados edged Sierra Lutheran’s Jared Marchegger (4:29.42) and Teagan Hansen (4:30.72), as all three runners ran in personal-record time. Granados then finished third behind Marchegger and Hansen in the 3,200, running what he calls his weakest race in 10:27.01.
Granados also ran the second leg of the Hornets’ 4 x 800 at the state meet, taking the baton in sixth place and surging to second, which his teammates held. Beatty’s quartet of Granados, Alan Sandoval, Alfonso Sandoval and Marcelo Garcia finished in 9:20.58, trailing only a Sierra Lutheran relay team that included Marchegger and Hansen.
For the spring season, Nevada Preps selected all-state teams in baseball, softball, track and field, boys volleyball, swimming and boys golf.