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Two soccer teams, two different results

Under immense pressure, the girls soccer team took on the top two teams in their league last week and stood their ground, but the same could not be said about the boys soccer team.

The boys soccer team lost both their league games last week, which would make it more challenging for the boys to make it to the playoffs. Only the top four teams from each Nevada Interscholastic Activities Association 3A league will advance to the regional playoffs. With only four games left in the regular season, the odds are not in Pahrump Valley’s favor to advance to the regional playoffs as they are currently ranked in last place.

With one win in the league, the Trojans played a rematch game against The Meadows School after the two teams tied early in the season. In the rematch game on Sept. 24, Pahrump Valley was ahead in the first half after scoring 2-0. In the second half the Trojans were not able to keep up with the Mustangs’ intensity.

The Trojans lost that night 5-2.

In the second game, the boys team played their rematch against Mater Academy East Las Vegas, a top-ranked school. The Trojans attempted to keep the Knights away but were only able to prevent a bigger loss. MAELV won again 5-0.

The Meadows School is the fourth-ranked school in the league. To advance to the playoffs, the Trojans would have to defeat the Knights’ standings record in the league.

Currently, the boys soccer team is not on track to make the regional playoffs. The team hasn’t made the playoffs since 2021, where the school finished in sixth place in the league.

On the rise

The girls soccer team has demonstrated once again that the team is resilient after turning the team into a highly competitive school under Coach Amy Carlson’s training.

Last year the girls won the 3A state championship after an undefeated league season. Only six players remained at the start of this season from that team, as nine players graduated. A new team was rebuilt with former junior varsity players who learned quickly what varsity is like – fast paced.

In this new team, Madison Williams Mendenhall (12) stepped up to become the team’s goalkeeper and has made crucial saves for the Trojans.

Mendenhall is one of the top three goalkeepers in the state’s 3A class with 78 saves this season.

Natalia Vallin (6), who played on the state winning team last year, and Ryleigh Denton (13) are the league’s top 10 players with the most goals this season. Above them are two Boulder City players that take first and third place.

Last week the Trojans played three conference games and didn’t lose a single game.

Boulder City is the top-ranked school in the league while Pahrump Valley has climbed in the standings to third place. On Friday, the two teams played in Pahrump as the Trojans’ third conference game of the week. The Trojans held their ground against the Eagles.

In the first half of the game the Trojans were able to manage holding the Eagles off from scoring and were able go into their break tied 1-1. In the second half the teams tied again at 2. Denton scored both goals for the Trojans and the Trojans kept their third-place ranking.

Mendenhall worked hard as she blocked seven shots on goal, while Boulder City saved three shots on goal.

Pahrump has been the only team to end a game against Boulder City with a tie this season. Sports Leadership and Management, the league’s second-place team, lost to the Eagles 5-4.

The Trojans played SLAM on Sept. 25, two days before playing the Eagles, where they played a tight game that had game-changing results down in the last few seconds. The Trojans traveled to Henderson to play their rematch game.

In their first game early in the season, SLAM defeated the Trojans 8-0 and in their rematch game the Trojans grabbed the Bulls by the horns. The Trojans were ahead in the first half by one point from Vallin and in the second half the heat took its toll on the girls during the mid-day game.

The Bulls scored a goal quickly after Vallin scored her second goal. Then the Trojans scored their third goal thanks to a kick from Khylarann Park (5) that got the team up three goals. The Bulls would score their second goal after the Trojans took their second injury.

With two seconds left in the game, the Bulls pushed the ball up to the penalty box where the ball bounced off of Mendenhall’s hands and into the other side of the goal box. Mendenhall was unable to get through her goal box and the Bulls were able to score the tying goal to end the match tied at 3.

This was the Trojans’ fight for second place, but they will have to remain in their ranked slot for one more week.

The Trojans are on a path to making the regional finals, even with six more matches to go in the season. All the matches are rematch conference games.

Contact Jimmy Romo at jromo@pvtimes.com. Follow @JimmyRomo.News on Instagram.

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