As I stood down on the track at Arbor View Stadium, waiting to march in with the Marching Pirates for the game, I knew we had won the State Championship right then and there. When I saw the crowd, heard the noise, and felt the emotion, it just felt like there was no team in the world that could match the intensity of the Pirate Faithful.

When the team actually entered the stadium, the place went crazy and there is nothing I love more than to see the

Pirates enter a stadium to the sounds of “Championship” in the background. The excitement and the fanfare was unmatched as the Pirate Faithful turned Arbor View Stadium into Pirate Stadium at Arbor View.

By winning this year’s State Championship, the Pirates are ranked at the top of the list for State Championships won this decade with three in the 3A. Moapa Valley also has the most overall division championships with seven Southern 3A division titles in the 2000’s. Besides that, Moapa Valley has played for the State Crown six of the eight years it has been contested this decade. That sounds like a “Team of the Decade” to me.

Besides that, look at what the 2008 State Champion Pirates have accomplished just this season. Moapa scored 424 points this season. The Pirate defense only allowed 190 points while forcing 10 fumbles, 20 interceptions, and over forty quarterback sacks. By winning this game, Moapa Valley also scored at least 35 points in the last eight games of the season.

Look at all of the indiviual accomplishment that came through the team’s hard work as well. Brad Weiss shattered the single-season rushing record at MVHS with 1,815 yards on the year. Yet, that came from a combination of an offensive line, fullback, quarterback, and wide receivers who worked hard to make that record happen. Weiss’ record this season will be in next year’s NIAA Record Book. On defense, Jake Pearce also had well over a 100 tackles from the linebacker position.

As I look back though, I think the breakthrough moment for this team came on a muggy night in August when the Pirates opened Training Camp. On that night, Head Coach Brent Lewis, along with the other coaches, made it clear that the 2007 State Championship was in the past and brighter things were in store for this Pirate team.

In the end, every part of the season and Saturday’s victory symbolized what Moapa Valley High School stands for: tradition, excellence, and pride. As Gary Batchelor said in his speech during the Homecoming Assembly earlier this year, Pirate is spelled P-R-I-D-E. The “Team of the Decade”; something we can all take pride in.