By Dave Belcher
Moapa Valley Progress
When Chaparral came to Moapa Valley last Friday they came in five buses one for the football team and four for the band, cheerleaders and pep club.
For some of the Chaparral Cowboys it was their first time out of the Las Vegas valley. For many it was the first time they had seen fields of alfalfa or cows.
One of the Chaparral JV coaches mentioned on Thursday night that, as they entered the valley, the bus was quiet and faces were plastered against the glass. Then someone mentioned, “Hey, there’s our new principal’s house” and quickly they shifted to the other side to catch a peek.
“What a beautiful place to live,” the coach said as he set up the radios they would use for the game.
It may be questionable if it was still beautiful when they all loaded back up in the buses after the Pirates swept them over three games in two days of football, Volleyball and soccer.
Chap came into the game on a one game win streak carrying over from last season. That ended Friday night.
The Pirates kicked off and, three plays later, took over after a punt and return set the Pirates up on the 39 yard line. Three plays later Shawn McConnell scored his first of four touchdowns on the night.
The next Pirate’s series, Conner Mortensen scored his first of three touchdowns from six yards.
And in the next series Mortensen scored again from five yards. All this and it was still in the first quarter.
Moapa 20-Chap zip.
The second quarter saw much of the same thing with three more Pirate touchdowns all three from McConnell. A seven yard run. Then a 55 yard punt return followed by another seven yarder to give a Pirate lead of 41-nothing at the half.
Moapa had 258 yards rushing led by Dillon Gordon’s 67. Conner Mortensen had 58 and Shawn McConnell 57. Kasen Hughes 3 carries for 37 yards.
Moapa scored two more in the third one on their first possession in the third. Conner Mortensen punched it in from ten yards forcing a running clock for the rest of the game.
The Pirate’s seconds scored for the final time late in the third when Dillon Gordon scored from three yards out. Chap scored in the fourth when Thomas ran from 20 yards out bringing the Cowboys faithful to their feet and their 200 band members into the fight song.
The bands were impressive on both sides of the stadium.
Chap rushed for 92 yards Thomas had 75 of them.
In the passing department Dakota Waters threw 5 times completing 3 of them for 32 yards.
Chap threw for ten yards completing one pass on five tries having one interception.
Moapa is 2-1 on the season and headed for Sunrise Mountain on Friday.
This week the Pirates are ranked 3rd in the state behind Lowry and Truckee. Elko is fourth and Virgin Valley fifth.
