Pirate Boys Lose To Cheyenne, Adelson

By GANNON HANEVOLD

Moapa Valley Progress

The Moapa Valley High School Boys Soccer team played two more out-of-division games last week: this time against the Cheyenne Desert Shields and the Adelson Lions.
On Tuesday, the Pirates hosted their first game of the week against Cheyenne. But they allowed three Desert Shield goals to get into the net in the first half of the game.

Trying to fire up his players at halftime, Head Coach Jared Bushman said “I want a goal. Win every ball.”
In the second half, the Pirates controlled more possession than they did in the first half. But Cheyenne still added another goal to take a 4-0 lead.
A penalty gave the Pirates an opportunity to put a goal up on the board. And Bryan Robles capitalized on that chance.
But in the end, Moapa went on to lose the game with a final score of 6-1.

A key factor in the game might have been the handful of inactive players that sat on the sideline for the Pirates, including a key player in Israel Rubio, among others.
“Playing with less guys, there were some guys that had to learn things,” Bushman said
As for Bushman’s halftime pep talk, he elaborated after the game. “We’re having issues winning the ball,” he said. “The other team is getting there first. It’s about who wants it more.”
Bushman said he thought Gustavo Moreno and Gabriel Hernandez responded well, and that Hernandez picked up a few fouls on the other side because of his size.

The second game of the week was played at Adelson. Last year, the Lions topped the Pirates and hoped to do so once again. They ultimately won the game 7-2, led by Alex Sefia and Nevo Siv.
Both of the Pirates’ goals came off the leg of Israel Rubio, who played in his first game of the week after being one of the aforementioned inactives against Cheyenne.

Despite last week’s pair of losses, Bushman had high praise for the players on his team. He spoke very highly of defender Isaiah Fairchild. “Isaiah is just all guts and glory,” Bushman said of the MVHS junior. “That’s his life,. He lives for the moment to make that miraculous save, and he continues to do it over and over again on a team that needs that.”

On offense, Bushman had praise for sophomore Bryan Robles, who scored the Pirates sole goal against Cheyenne, calling Robles “nonstop” and “dangerous”.
Robles, Fairchild, and the rest of the talented Pirate roster anxiously anticipate their first league games this week against Chaparral and Del Sol. These two tests will likely be crucial games as Moapa looks a few weeks into the future for their playoff aspirations.