By Dave Belcher

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley High School Varsity Football squad have some new faces this season as well as a different attack. With Kelan Weiss and last year’s two record setting receivers graduated, the attack will have to change somewhat to a run first, throw second philosophy.

As with any season the offence will only go with how well the line will led them. Last year’s inexperienced line has turned into this year’s experienced one. Three of these linemen will be the point of the spear. Kyler Leavitt (Jr.) who saw some play last year backed up by upper-classmen Lane Stringham (Sr.) and Taylor Schwartz (Sr.) by his side will lead with Lee Gamboa (Sr.); a line to wear down the defenses and punch through them.

Quarterback Dakota Watters (Sr.) with his speed and quickness will run the Pirate offence. Watters will be able to hand the ball to any one of a quartet of runners making the defenses adjust to the different styles each back possesses.

Sean McConnell (Jr.) will lead the run attack with Kasen Hughes (Jr.), Dylan Mortensen (Sr.) and Dakota Gordon (Sr.) getting some carries also. Sam Rebman (Sr.) plays a strong tight end with Shane Terrill (Sr.) and Brandon Johnson (Sr.) at the wide outs.

The defense will be tough again as proven in the Show Low game. The Pirates will be quick and have the speed to plug and fill holes readily. Moapa will show a three man front as they did in the first game but will stay with their base formation of a four/four slipping to a five as needed.

Overall the team will be solid and have to remain solid for once again they have a very tough schedule. Hopefully the players won’t let the success at that first game get them overconfident.

This weekend places the Pirates in Bloomington Utah against the Desert Hills Thunder. The Thunder beat Moapa in the second game of the season last year in Moapa 21-0. Several coaches around Utah have predicted Desert Hills to be in the state final this year.

However, their season started off with a loss to Syracuse High School by the score of 14-12 in Bloomington where the temperature was over 100 degrees at kick off. Syracuse lead the whole game 7-0 then 7-6 then 14-6 and a final of 14-12. Desert Hills missed the two point conversion in the final minutes giving the Titans the win.

Mike Needham returns as the top running back as well as the return of QB Porter Harris running the spread. In addition, the team retains three of its offensive lineman. The Thunder appear loaded for another playoff run. This is the only Utah school the Pirates will face this season.

Desert Hills’ strength came from its defense last season and has four returners from the team who lost to Delta in the state quarter finals.

The first home game will brings the Chaparral Cowboys to town on September 2. The Cowboys are coming off of a 1-8 season where their only win in two years came against the Sunrise Mountain Cougars in the final game of the season. Their star is 6’ 2”, 180 lb. receiver Toure Williams who had 25 receptions for 505 yards and 4 touchdowns. They scored a total of 162 points on the season, 40 of them against the Cougars.

The Cowboys have a new coach, Bill Froman and a new principal Dave Wilson former Virgin Valley and Mack Lyon middle school principals. Wilson is going to be looking forward to his first football team victory against Moapa. He will have a few years to get it as his school will be joining the 4A div II next season.

The Pirates will face the Sunrise Mountain Cougars on the road on September 9. The Cougars are a team in their 3rd year and has failed to win a game. Last year they went 0-9 scoring only 82 points on the season while allowing 437. They return their starting quarterback Ryan Casino and top running back Tyree Mays. They return with size on the lines and will most likely be an improvement from last season.

They play in the northeast and will be part of the Pirates menu for the next couple years as they will be moving down to 4A div II next season.

On September 23, the Pirates travel again to Las Vegas to take on the 7th ranked Dragons of Del Sol. Two years ago the Dragons played in the 4A championship game. Last season started with an upset loss to Durango. They were 5-6 overall. They return five starters on offence and six on defense.

Chris Marshall is their returning running back who carried the ball 233 times for 1,728 yards and rushed for 17 touchdowns. He also threw for a touchdown.

As a team they threw the ball for 635 yards and 5 touchdowns.They ran the ball for 2325 yards and 24 touchdowns.

On Saturday October 1 at 5:00 P.M. the Pirates renew an old rivalry with Faith Lutheran at Jeff Keel stadium. Faith lost a great quarterback receiver tandem last year from a team that went 4-6 including a 53-14 victory over Boulder City. They are returning a young team without much help from their JV program who was 1-7. No skilled players return.

On October 6 at Legacy the Pirates go up againsts the Longhorns. Legacy went 4-6 last season and are bringing their three best running-backs back. As a team the Longhorns rushed for 1531 yards. The passing attack was basically nonexistent. They return seven on offense as well as on defense. Their top three players are coming back and are on the defensive side. Legacy will be a tough game.

On October 13, Friday the 13th, the rivalry continues as the hammer game is moved up a couple weeks. The Pirates beat the Dawgs twice last season. The first at Virgin Valley, 7-6; then the following week Moapa pounded the Dawgs 33-21 in the league championship game.

Virgin Valley felt that back to back games with Moapa makes the preparation hard for the second game causing the switch in dates. The Dawgs had around 50 kids show up for practice the first week. Ten of them were freshman which means they will probably not have a freshman team this year.

The Bulldogs return three starters from eight juniors on last season’s team which means they will be a young team.

Dee Bowler and Humberto Urias will lead the Dawgs. They also lost the defensive coordinator Coach Jarvis who returned to Vegas and Palo Verde High School.

It could be a long season for the Dawgs but they still should finish ahead of Boulder City and qualify for the playoffs. Their schedule starts off at Valley High School then they return to Vegas for a battle with Sierra Vista.

Their first home game is September 9 against Shadow Ridge. They then return to Vegas and play Cheyenne who will be coming down next season to the 4A div II.

The Dawgs return home for three games Pahrump, Boulder City and Green Valley. Pahrump returns to Div II also.

Then they come to Moapa have with their bye week. They finish the season off at Coronado.

Back to the Pirates, the week of October 21 is Homecoming Week. For the first time in a while the Pirates will have a challenge for their Homecoming Game as Silverado comes to participate in the black-out game.

Silverado is ranked tenth in southern Nevada. The Skyhawk’s beat the Pirates 38-19 at Silverado last season. Silverado finished 6-4 and were beaten by Canyon Springs in the first round of the playoffs 20-17.

The Skyhawks have lost many of their starters from last season and a valuable sophomore to Bishop Gorman when Randal Cunningham Jr. enrolled to be a Gael this past Monday. Gael will have to play J.V. this year due to the transfer rules that won’t allow him play on the varsity team.

The Skyhawks’ starting quarter back returns. He threw for 822 yards and nine touch downs on 58 for 134 attempts.

Izaiah Thurmon returns as their leading rusher. He ran for 839 yards and eight touchdowns. Their line will be huge again.

The final week of the regular season, October 27, Moapa will head to Boulder City.

The Eagles had 70 players report but they have had to cancel the J.V. season due to lack of numbers.

The Pirates pounded Boulder last season for homecoming 42-6 completely shutting out the Eagles scoring in the first half.

The Eagles will struggle again this year playing a solid schedule which starts against 2A power The Meadows.

Tyler Washburn returns as their leading rusher with 273 yards last season. Quarterback Thomas Shelly also returns to run the Eagles.

For full schedule click here.