HORACE LANGFORD JR. / PVT Pahrump Valley quarterback Travis Ott flies into the end zone for a touchdown in the Trojans' 56-39 Homecoming loss to Overton Moapa Valley, in a Southern Nevada Class 3-A League football game Friday night. Advertisement

On one of the few occasions when the Pahrump Valley defense held Overton Moapa Valley's lethal running duo of Brad Weiss and Steve Jensen, players on the Trojans' defensive unit celebrated.

"We're allowed to celebrate good plays," Pahrump Valley coach Brian Hug admonished the officials, fearing they could penalize the team for excessive celebration.

The Trojan offense stepped up to the plate against the Pirates, Hug said after the game, but the defense didn't, giving up 56 points in a 95-point scoring spree between the Southern Nevada Class 3-A League rivals, the highest point total ever in a Pahrump Valley High football game.

Moapa Valley High spoiled Pahrump Valley's Homecoming with its 56-39 win Friday night. The total points in the game -- 95 -- and the 39 in the loss are school records. The previous highs were 76 between Lincoln County and the Trojans in a 1974 game, and 28, a total matched several times by PVHS in a losing cause.

Pahrump Valley dropped to 0-3 in the league and 2-6 in all games, with their final start of the regular season Thursday at home against Boulder City. At stake: a berth in the Southern Nevada Class 3-A playoffs Nov. 4. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

The Eagles are 1-7 in all games, 0-3 in the league, after their 23-20 loss in a 3-A game against Las Vegas Faith Lutheran Friday.

The Trojans might have had a chance if they hadn't sunk into a 21-0 hole in the first quarter. Hug compared it to the previous game when they gave up 17 points right off the bat en route to a 31-17 loss.

Jensen, a junior, charged in from four yards out for the first score, only one minute and 19 seconds into the game. Junior receiver Dustin Maletich then hauled in an 18-yard pass from sophomore quarterback Max Jenkins on the Pirates' next possession, capping a nine-play, 78-yard drive to make it 14-0.

The Pirates stunned the audience into silence when junior linebacker Joseph Rebman picked off a Trojan pass and ran 35 yards to the end zone with 4:21 left in the first quarter. Jenkins' kick was good on all three point-after attempts.

But Trojan senior running back Rocky Spencer, who finished up with 255 yards on the night, ignited the crowd with a 74-yard run for a touchdown, to put their first points on the board with 2:32 left in the first quarter. Senior Kody Daffer kicked the extra point.

Jenkins however came back two plays later with a 34-yard pass to Maletich, who scampered into the end zone to put Moapa Valley ahead 27-7 after the kick failed.

After two short running plays, Spencer shook off three tackles and sprinted won the left sideline 77 yards for a score for the Trojans. The kick failed, but the Trojans had narrowed the gap to 27-13.

Trojan senior defensive back Jordan Booth recovered an attempted on-side kick by the Pirates at the Moapa Valley 47 yard line setting up another Trojan score. This time a Pirate defender tipped Trojan quarterback Travis Ott's pass right into Spencer's arms, for a 45-yard TD combination.

Spencer ran in the two-point conversion and the Trojans were within a touchdown, as Moapa Valley's lead was cut to 27-21 with 10:15 left in the half. But that was as close as the Trojans came to victory.

Weiss and Jensen responded by teaming up to alternate carrying the ball on a seven-play, 60-yard scoring drive, capped by a four-yard Jensen run. The kick was good and Moapa Valley surged ahead 34-21.

Spencer answered with a 63-yard jaunt to pay-dirt two plays later. The Trojans couldn't convert a two-point conversion after an illegal procedure call. The Pirates led 34-27.

This time it was Weiss's turn to score for the Pirates, as he cut up the middle then jaunted down the left sideline 57 yards. The kick was good, putting Moapa Valley on top 41-27 with 5:43 left in the half.

The Pirates stifled the Trojans next scoring drive, as Maletich intercepted an Ott pass at midfield. But the Trojans' defense stiffened and the Pirates weren't able to convert a fourth down and goal.

After the Trojans recovered at their own nine yard-line, Spencer picked up 34 yards in four carries, but the Trojans were forced to punt in the waning seconds of the half.

While the score stood at 41-27 at the half, the Pirates only managed 15 points the second half, to the Trojans' 12.

The Trojans committed a safety when Ott was tackled at the end zone.

The Pirates then set up shop at their own 39. Weiss picked up 23 yards, Jensen ran for 15 more and junior tight end Shiloh Sandoval tacked on another 13 yards with a pass from Jenkins.

Trojan sophomore defensive men Andy Floyd and Steve Schmidt threatened to choke that drive with a 10-yard quarterback sack. But Weiss saved the drive, taking a pitch out and scampering 22 yards for a score. The pass for two points failed and Moapa Valley went ahead 49-27.

Both sides traded punts before Pirate junior Brady Leavitt recovered a Spencer fumble near midfield, setting up the final Moapa Valley score. Weiss took another pitch out for a 25-yard score to cap a five-yard scoring drive as the Pirates went ahead 56-27 with 11:53 left in the game.

The Trojans scored their last two touchdowns in the fourth quarter but it was too little, too late.

Spencer handed off to senior running back Vandale Wright who churned up 14 yards almost to midfield for a crucial gain. Spencer then carried the ball three out of the next four carries, including a 16-yard jaunt for a first down at the Pirate 15. Spencer fumbled the ball near the end zone after another 15-yard run, but Ott did the honors, carrying the ball the final yard for a touchdown. The attempted two-point run failed.

After a punting duel, the Trojans were set for their final score after a 43 yard razzle-dazzle pass from halfback Wright to quarterback Ott. Two plays later, Ott, who completed three-of-six passes on the night, picked up the final 27 yards with a touchdown strike to Booth.

Spencer ended the night with 255 yards, scoring three touchdowns on the ground and one passing TD.

Weiss was the leading ground gainer for the Pirates, with 202 yards and three touchdowns. Jensen had 84 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

"Basically, plain and simple, defensively we stunk," Hug said afterwards. "As a defensive coordinator, I take that on my shoulder."

Hug was overheard talking to an assistant coach on the sidelines about calling up some junior varsity players. Hug wouldn't comment on that after the game, but remarked, "obviously I need to go back to the drawing board and see who can play.

"Moapa is a very good team. I have to give them credit," Hug said of the Pirates, who improved to 3-0 in league games and 5-3 overall. Moapa Valley closes the regular season against Mesquite Virgin Valley Thursday.

"On offense we stepped up, but our defense did not," Hug said. "It's tough. We don't play a lot of these guys two ways."

The Pirates raided the Trojans and took away all the loot Friday night. But Hug said Homecoming was just like another other game.

"We don't come here to play for Homecoming," he said. "We don't worry about day it is."

The statistics

MVHS 27 14 8 7-- 56

PVHS 13 14 0 12 --39

The scoring:

First Quarter

Moapa -- Jensen 4 run, (Jenkins kick) 10:41

Moapa -- Maletich 18 pass from Jenkins (kick good) 5:00

Moapa -- Rebman interception (kick good) 4:21

PVHS -- Spencer 73 run (kick good) 2:32

Moapa -- Maletich 34 pass from Jenkins (kick failed) 1:34

PVHS -- Spencer 77 run (kick failed) :03

Second quarter

PVHS -- Spencer 45 pass from Ott (Spencer run) 10:15

Moapa -- Jensen 4 run (kick good) 7:21

PVHS -- Spencer 63 run (run failed) 6:32

MVHS -- Weiss 57 run (kick good) 5:43

Third quarter

Moapa -- Safety, 8:50

Moapa -- Weiss 22 run (pass failed) 6:51

Fourth quarter

Moapa -- Weiss 25 run (kick good) 11:53

PVHS -- Ott 1 run (kick failed) 7:45

PVHS -- Booth 27 pass from Ott (kick failed) :03

STATISTICS

INDIVIDUALS

Rushing -- MV: Weiss 20 carries, 202 yards, 3 TDs; Jensen 12-84-2; Sandoval 2-10; Godfrey 1-4, Jenkins 1-minus 10. PVHS: Spencer 16-255-3; Ott 1-minus 7; Kelley 3-13.

Passing -- MV: Jenkins 6-10-1, 2 TDs, 89 yards. PVHS: Ott 3-6-2, 2 TDs; Spencer 0-1, Wright 1-1, 43 yards.

Receiving -- MV: Maletich 3-58, 2 TDs; Weiss 1-2; Sandoval 1-13. PVHS: Booth 1-27, TD; Ward 1-45; Ott 1-43.