Pirate Football Beats Rancho, 35-7

By DAVE BELCHER

The Progress

The Moapa Valley High School Football team travelled to Las Vegas on Friday, Sept. 24, where they beat the Rancho Rams 35-7. It was the first division game for the Pirates who now sit atop the Desert division at 1-0 and have an overall record of 5-0 this season.

Even so, it wasn’t the usual explosive team on Friday night. The Pirates struggled to score in the first half. They could move the ball but an opening drive deep in Rancho territory ended in an interception and then a fumble. Rancho fumbled the ball back on the next play. Moapa Valley ended up punting.

It wasn’t until the second quarter that Gunner Redd scored on a 35-yard pass from Peyton Nielson that gave the Pirates a 7-0 lead after Craig Anderson’s extra point. That was the halftime score.

Early in the third quarter, Gunner Redd scored his second touchdown of the game with a 30-yard run for 14-0 lead after Anderson’s extra point.

Last in the third quarter Trevor Newby would get the Rams on the scoreboard with a 59 yard touchdown reception down the Pirate sideline cutting the lead to 14-7 Pirates.

On the ensuing kickoff Redd returned the kick 89-yards for a touchdown and a 21-7 lead taking the momentum Rancho had gained away and starting a tidal wave of Pirate touchdowns.

Landon Wrzenski scored the next Pirate touchdown on a 4-yard run. Anderson’s extra point gave the Pirates a 28-7 lead.

Moapa Valley scored their final touchdown when Redd took the handoff and ran 4-yards for his fourth touchdown of the night. It gave the Pirates a 35-7 win.

The Pirates will host the Valley Vikings this Friday night. Valley comes into the game with a record of 2-3.

The Pirates dropped in the 3A rankings this week to second as the North Valleys Panthers, who are undefeated in the northern 3A, jumped the Pirates for the number one spot.

The Moapa Valley JV team didn’t play last week due to COVID quarantines. The team will have its games moved to Saturdays with this Saturday’s game against Valley starting at 10 am at home.