ELKO DAILY NEWS / SPECIAL TO THE PVT Pahrump Valley quarterback Travis Ott, 9, unleashes a pass against Spring Creek, in the Trojans? 47-6 loss to the Spartans Friday night. The Trojans are at home Friday against Yucca Valley, Calif.; kickoff is at 7 p.m. Advertisement

When the Class 3-A football teams start mixing it up in league games, the question is: Which will emerge as state championship calibre?

Figure one of them will be Spring Creek's Spartans, who overran visiting Pahrump Valley 47-6 Friday night to move to 3-0 this season. After four weeks of non-league competition, three Northern teams are undefeated, including Dayton (4-0) and Sparks (3-0). And at 3-1 is Fernley.

In the Southern League, Mesquite Virgin Valley has won three straight since a 30-6 loss to Utah power St. George Dixie. One of the Bulldogs' wins was a 29-20 conquest of Fernley, and their latest success was a 43-6 rout of defending state 2-A champion Lincoln County last Friday.

Virgin Valley is the only Southern team above .500. Las Vegas Faith Lutheran slumped to 1-3 with a 27-26 loss to La Habra, Calif., Whitter Christian; Overton Moapa Valley is 1-2 after bowing 28-6 to Cedar City, Utah, Canyon View, and Boulder City is 0-4 after losing 28-7 to Class 4-A Henderson Liberty.

Pahrump Valley is 0-3, with its next start at home Friday against Yucca Valley, Calif., 0-2.

"I watched the film of the game ... I saw no reason for us to give up 47 points to Spring Creek," said Brian Hug, whose team finally scored its first touchdown of the season, on a 10-yard run by quarterback Travis Ott in the second quarter.

"One of the things that is happening, I don't think the kids have bought into our system yet," said Hug, who is in his first year as coach of the Trojans. "The only difference I can see between us and Spring Creek was attitude. Spring Creek had 'attitude' ... we didn't."

Spring Creek generated 306 yards rushing, with wingback Caleb Wing scoring four touchdowns, including one on a 95-yard kickoff return to start the second half. Nick Jarvis paced the Spartans with 120 yards on 11 rushes, with Jacob Patterson gaining 115 yards on 10 attempts. Quarterback Michael Royer was 7-for-19 for 69 yards, with no touchdowns and one interception.

That kickoff return for a touchdown came after a series of events which had fired up the Trojans heading into halftime.

Ott scored the touchdown to end a 60-yard drive and the Trojans ended a Spring Creek threat with an interception in the end zone.

Wing's run expanded Spring Creek's lead to 27-6; the Spartans added two touchdowns in the third quarter to turn the game into a rout.

Pahrump Valley finished with 167 yards total offense. Rocky Spencer rushed for 44 yards on 11 carries; Steve Kelley added 27 yards on five attempts, and Ott gained 23 yards on 14 attempts.

"This was the breakout game we've been looking for," said Joel Jund, now 3-0 against Pahrump Valley in his coaching career. "We're capable of playing good offense ... defensively, if you hold a team to six points, you should win."

Yucca Valley is 0-2, with the California-based Trojans falling 26-14 to Perris Citrus Hill. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.