Editor’s Note: The following article is part of a summer series that looks back on some of the best moments in MVHS Sports history.
By DAVE BELCHER
Moapa Valley Progress
In the 80-plus years of the Moapa Valley – Virgin Valley rivalry, Almost everything has happened at least once. For example, there has been a game that Moapa Valley has won 103-0. There has been a season when the Pirates beat the Bulldogs not just once, not just twice but three times. The two teams have played each other on the final game of the regular season for the league title many times. There was the time in 2011 that the first round playoff game went into overtime and Moapa Valley won the game with a two point conversion.
Then there was also the time where the teams didn’t play each other at all. That was during the 1982 and 83 seasons. Virgin Valley had a 31 game winning streak during that time. It was the longest in the nation at the time in the midst of a run of five straight state championships. In a state realignment, Moapa Valley had been moved to the “AA” league while Virgin Valley played in the “A” league.
It was Moapa Valley who pounded the Bulldogs to end that streak at 31 when the two teams resumed play against each other in 1984.
But with all of this, there was one thing that had never happened. that us up until the 2006 season. That was when Moapa Valley and Virgin Valley played each other for the state championship in football. And that actually happened in back to back years. Do you remember?
At that time, Virgin Valley was running what they called the ‘sneaky T’. It was the double wing with everyone very close in the formation. Lineman were foot to foot. The quarterback crouched low behind the center making him difficult to see. The runningbacks were close behind the quarterback and lineman covered a space of about three yards from the tip of the football to the back of the heel of the running backs.
Moapa Valley called it the “sniffer”. All it would take is to advance three or four yards a play to maintain the drive, just three or four yards. Virgin Valley was good at it.
On October 26 of 2006 the Pirates travelled to Virgin Valley where both teams were headed into the final game with 3-0 league records.
Moapa Valley scored first in the first quarter and held on for a 7-0 lead at half time. Virgin Valley scored in the third quarter and tied the game.
The Bulldogs took the lead 14-7 in the fourth quarter. Moapa Valley then moved the ball down the field scoring in the final couple of minutes.
The Pirates converted the game winning two-pointer conversion to the tight end Robert Bezotte, winning the top seed and sending Virgin Valley to the top seed in the north Dayton for the semifinals.
Virgin Valley beat Faith Lutheran then travelled to Dayton 21-19 in the one semi-final. Meanwhile,Moapa Valley hosted and beat Pahrump Valley 20-10 and Sparks 35-28 to set the matchup between the two rivals at Arbor View High School in Las Vegas.
It was estimated that 5,000 people attended the state game that year.
It was scoreless during the first quarter and remained that way until midway through the second quarter. That is when Moapa Valley quarterback Max Jenkins hit Brad Weiss on a 35 yard touchdown. With the point-after, Moapa Valley had their only points in the game.
It was on the final play of the first half Virgin Valley quarterback Doug Hafen hit Stewart Planck for a 17 yard touchdown. With the point-after the game was tied at 7-7.
Virgin Valley received the kick-off and kept the ball on a 19 play drive that took the entire third quarter. The Bulldogs gained only 59 yards in that drive as they used the clock and the “sneaky T” slowly but surely to advance to the Pirate 32.
Finally on fourth down, the first play of the fourth quarter, Virgin Valley lined up for the game winning 35 yard field goal. It was kicked by Spencer Zarate. But the Pirates couldn’t get their offense on track and it ended badly with a loss to their rival. The 2006 state championship had slipped through their fingers.
But that game would not be forgotten by Moapa Valley. The Pirates and Bulldogs were destined to meet again in 2007.
Virgin Valley returned most of their team and Moapa Valley did as well.
On October 25, 2007 Moapa Valley hosted Virgin Valley in the regular season. Virgin Valley beat the Pirates 34-14. The Bulldogs built a 14-0 lead by half time. Moapa Valley scored twice in the third quarter but still trailed 21-14 by the start of the fourth.
Moapa Valley just couldn’t stop the Bulldogs as they pounded out two more touchdowns to get the win and the top seed from the south. This would force Moapa Valley to travel in the second round game/state semi-final to Spring Creek. Virgin Valley would end up hosting Fernley in the semi-final.
Moapa Valley and Spring Creek had meet before earlier in the season in Spring Creek where the Pirates had come away with a 29-0 shutout win. It would take an onside kick by the Pirates to win again.
Spring Creek scored in the first quarter and the second quarter but couldn’t convert on the two point conversion and led 12-7 at half time. Spring Creek extended their lead to 20-7 by the end of the third quarter.
Brad Weiss would score in the final couple of minutes of the game cutting the lead to 20-14.
Then the onside kick was recovered by the Pirates. Quarter back Jenkins found Dustin Maletich for the game tying touchdown in the final seconds. Jenkins then kicked the point-after for the win.
Meanwhile, in Virgin Valley, if Fernley could only have kicked a field goal they would have returned to the north for the championship game. The Bulldogs won 35-34 because Fernley had no field goal/extra point kicker. They missed a short field goal in the final minute of that game after their last touchdown brought them to within a point. A penalty sent the Vaqueros back a few yards. They attempted the field goal which missed badly giving the Dawgs the win as they ran the clock out.
The second state championship game between the Bulldogs and the Pirates was held at Clark High School in 2007. The outcome would be different than the previous year, though.
Moapa Valley scored twice in the second quarter holding the favored Bulldogs to one touchdown in the second quarter. Virgin Valley would score again to tie the game in the third quarter.
But Moapa Valley would dominate in the fourth quarter scoring three times and giving the Pirates a 35-14 win and fourteenth state football championship in school history.
Bobby Vallet had two receiving touchdowns; Joseph Rebman had one a 71 yard haul. Brad Weiss ran for two touchdowns.
It was sweet redemption for Moapa Valley as the two teams had split the only two state championships they had ever played.
That year in the regular season was the last time, to this day, that Virgin Valley has beaten the Moapa Valley Pirates in football.
Those with materials, information or suggestions about historic games that could be covered in this series please contact Davce Belcher at dabelch@mvdsl.com
