By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Boys’ Soccer team had a tough contest last week against the number 3 rated team in the state of Nevada: the Sunrise Mountain Miners. It was their only matchup of the week.
The Miners have established themselves as consistent contenders for a state title, yet they haven’t secured one in their short school history. Moapa knew they’d be facing a hard challenge, but they took it on with their heads held high.
In the first half of the match, the Pirates held the high-powered Sunrise offense to just two goals. At the half, down 2-0, it still remained anybody’s game.
“Sunrise had a hard time establishing a rhythm,” said Coach Jared Bushman said of the first half. This was due to the Pirates’ high pressure and their ability to win the ball in dangerous spaces on the field, Bushman said.
But Sunrise settled down in the second half. Because of this, the Pirates panicked a little. In the second half, the Pirate defense gave up 8 goals, allowing the final score to end at 10-0.
It was a tough loss for the Pirates especially after coming out so strong.
“We need to win 50/50 balls and maintain possession,” Bushman said of the Pirates going into the next game.
As for the future of the team, Bushman doesn’t seem too worried. He believes the team is so close to hitting their stride.
“It feels like we are just about to break through and give some teams fits,” he said.
The team’s morale stays statically strong throughout the season, even though they’ve gone through their fair share of losses through the season.
“The guys are staying positive and working through their struggles,” Bushman said.
Bushman also has no doubts in his team. He continues to express his excitement in being this team’s coach throughout the season.
Although this was a tough loss, if any team is able to hold a team as talented as Sunrise Mountain to just two goals in a single half, they must have the potential to do big things. If the Pirates can take that effort in the first half of this game, and apply it to the rest of the games this season, the Division I-A better watch out, because the Pirates are on the rise.
