DON McDERMOTT / PVT James Chapman, with football, has a big escort as he returns a kickoff for the Pahrump Valley High School football team, in its 40-0 loss at Las Vegas Chaparral Friday. The Trojans are at home against Chino, Calif., Don Lugo Friday, with kickoff at 7 p.m. Advertisement

LAS VEGAS -- In the 2005 football season, Chaparral's Cowboys were a Northeast Division representative in the Sunrise Regional playoffs, but they didn't do well at all.

Don't be surprised if coach Fernando Carmona's team makes a major impact in 2006. With its size, speed, quickness and athleticism, the Cowboys are going to create havoc with any opponent not prepared, or not able to handle them.

Chaparral displayed all of those attributes Friday night, in its 40-0 victory against visiting Pahrump Valley, on a hot, humid night in east Las Vegas.

The game marked the debut of Brian Hug as the Pahrump Valley coach, who succeeded Steve Nygaard as the field boss of the Trojans, who were 3-6 a year ago and later this season, will begin defense of the Southern Nevada Class 3-A League championship they won (for the first time since 1993).

"We lost, but we did a lot of things well ... yes, we did some bad things, but those good things ... I think we can capitalize on them," said Hug, ever the optimist -- even in the face of adversity.

"Turnovers (four interceptions, three fumbles) killed us," said Hug. "Without them, who knows? It could have been a 21-7, 21-14 game.

"And losing Mike Colucci on the fifth play of the game hurt us," said Hug of one of the team's captains, as well as a starter on both the offensive and defensive units.

"Mike will be day-to-day," said Hug of Colucci's status. He is doubtful for the Trojans' home opener Friday against Chino, Calif., Don Lugo. The Conquistadores, coached by Greg Setlich, are playing their first game of the season. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Don Lugo plays a 4-3 defense and spreads the field offensively, according to a preliminary scouting report.

Hug thought his team was "too pumped up and too tight" for the first game. "I told them before we went out to go out and 'Let's have some fun.' Then, on the fifth play of the game, Colucci -- a player who has been working hard for a year, since he was injured last season -- goes down."

But Hug knows, and he is sure the team does, that the loss to Chaparral was just one game. "We're not going to abandon what we have been working on," said the coach.

While some fans expressed their displeasure at the way some players performed, Hug observed that "it is easy to be an arm-chair quarterback," and that few changes will be made in personnel.

"We are not going to throw out the schemes we have been working on; yes, we will make some changes, but what beat us at Chaparral were some breakdowns. We were not out-schemed. Chaparral had the athleticism and talent; we made too many mistakes," said Hug.

Chaparral senior quarterback Damell Mingo rushed for 146 yards and a touchdown, and threw a TD pass to Matt Huestis. Defensively, Mingo picked off three passes.

Richard Hines scored twice; Quentin McCloud added a touchdown, and backup quarterback David Herrera connected with Darius Stewart for another score.

The Trojans generated 166 yards in total offense, but they had a couple promising drives stymied by penalties and two others by turnovers.