By GANNON HANEVOLD
Moapa Valley Progress
The Moapa Valley High School Flag Football team wrapped up its season last week with games against the Boulder City Eagles and SECTA Roadrunners. While the Pirates were eliminated from the playoffs following the previous week’s loss, they still came out to fight in these two final games.
The first game of the week, played Tuesday, Feb. 6 at Boulder City, was set to be a close one. The Eagles took down the Pirates earlier in the season in a one score game. This time around, the score was close yet again.
Thanks to a touchdown pass from Alex Peay to Alexis Schraft, the Pirates were able to tie the game up at 6-6 at the end of the first half.
In the second half, the combination of Peay and Schraft connected once more. However, turnovers burdened the Pirates and the Eagles would ultimately pull off the victory. The final score was 18-12, with Moapa falling just shy of their first regular season win.
Schraft finished the game with 124 receiving yards.
The second game of the week came at home against SECTA. The Pirates just weren’t able to get anything going offensively in this matchup. SECTA left Moapa Valley with a 19-0 victory as the Pirates’ seniors played their final game on a flag football field.
Wrapping up their high school career as a flag football player for Moapa Valley would be six seniors: Alexis Schraft, Charitti Manis, Mariah Mendoza, Baleigh Bond, Skylar Farnsworth, and Jessica Leon. The Pirates will also have to say goodbye to six foreign exchange students including Maxime Van der Laan, Benedicte Johannsen, Alise Solbjorg, Andrea Mogren, Christie Eriksen, and Johanne Henriksen.
Manis and Mendoza shared some of their best memories of high school flag football. Mariah Mendoza said her own favorite moment came on her first touchdown score.
Charitti Manis said she’ll never forget her first interception. “Everyone was cheering for me and giving me high fives,” she recalled.
Manis continued, describing her feelings after her final season as a Pirate. “We were hoping to make it to the playoffs, obviously,” she said, “but I had a great last year and was able to walk away with some really good friends and a good high school experience.”
Meanwhile, Mendoza described the feelings she’ll miss as a member of this team.
“I’ll miss the butterflies I got before every game and going to practice every day with my teammates who became close friends,” the team’s leading rusher explained.
While 2018’s 5-15 record season is not exactly what this group was hoping for, the attention has to turn to next year. Alex Peay will be expected to return under center for her third year with the starting quarterback job.
“I was able to take away key things to improve for next year – ways to perfect plays, ways to help the team work well together, and focusing on things that will help the team as a whole,” Peay said.
Individually, Peay plans on working to make her team proud next season as well.
“I’m going to work hard for next season, and focus on being a good example and trying my best for the younger girls who will still be around after I graduate,” she said.
